Director, Indirect Tax Operations & Controversy

Expedia•Seattle, WA

4d•Hybrid

About The Position

Expedia Group’s Global Indirect Tax team is seeking a Director, Indirect Tax Operations & Controversy to lead day-to-day indirect tax compliance, data, controversy, and technology-enabled operations across the United States and international markets. This senior subject-matter owner and cross-functional leader will help ensure compliance obligations are met accurately and on time, audit matters are managed strategically, data is reliable, and tax capabilities work effectively in practice. The role works across tax, finance, legal, product, technology, and business operations in a global travel technology company. The Director will oversee U.S. and international indirect tax compliance and controversy, build scalable processes and controls, use data and analytics to improve compliance performance, and advise on business initiatives and tax projects. The role will also shape tax technology strategy, support solution design and testing, and advance automation, governed data, artificial intelligence, and analytics. Success requires technical judgment, operational discipline, analytical curiosity, sound prioritization, and the ability to influence across teams and geographies. This position is available only in Seattle. Under Expedia Group’s flexible work model, employees are required to work in the office at least three days per week. Relocation assistance will be considered for candidates relocating to Seattle.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or graduate degree in Accounting, Finance, Tax, Law, or a related technical field, or equivalent related professional experience.
Typically 12–14 or more years of experience in indirect tax, tax operations, tax controversy, or tax technology in public accounting or a related corporate tax environment.
Significant experience with U.S. state and local indirect taxes, including sales and use tax, gross receipts tax, marketplace and platform compliance, and/or comparable international VAT/GST and other transactional taxes.
Experience leading or supervising complex compliance processes across multiple jurisdictions, legal entities, service providers, and data sources.
Experience leading tax audits or controversy matters, including information requests, audit workpapers, auditor interactions, issue resolution, and communication of risk and outcomes.
Experience translating tax requirements into practical process, data, control, and technology solutions; experience in digital commerce, marketplace, travel, technology, or another transaction-intensive business is preferred.
Strong analytical capability and comfort working with large data sets, reconciliations, tax accounting information, and evidence supporting filings and audit defense.
Experience effectively leveraging AI to develop automated solutions and capability with tools such as Microsoft Excel, Oracle or another ERP system, SharePoint, Alteryx, Power BI or Tableau, Power Automate, UiPath, tax engines, compliance platforms, or comparable technologies.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex tax, data, and risk topics to tax and non-tax audiences.
Sound judgment, strong organization, intellectual curiosity, and ability to prioritize effectively in a fast-moving, ambiguous environment.
Ability to take ownership of outcomes, move between technical detail and executive-level communication, build alignment among teams with different priorities, make thoughtful recommendations when facts are incomplete, lead through influence, ask effective questions, improve processes, and use technology to make high-quality work repeatable and scalable.
The position is available only in Seattle and requires in-office work at least three days per week under Expedia Group’s flexible work model.

Nice To Haves

CPA, Chartered Accountant, attorney, or other relevant professional credential is strongly preferred.
Experience in digital commerce, marketplace, travel, technology, or another transaction-intensive business.

Responsibilities

Lead day-to-day U.S. and international indirect tax compliance, including sales and use tax, gross receipts tax, lodging and hotel tax, and support for other international filings such as VAT/GST, digital services tax, withholding taxes, and related transactional tax obligations.
Establish and maintain scalable processes, calendars, documentation, controls, and review standards for accurate filings, payments, reconciliations, journal entries, and reporting across jurisdictions and business models.
Use tax data and analytics to identify exceptions, explain variances, improve data quality, support tax accounting, and provide insight into compliance performance, risk, and process-improvement opportunities.
Lead global indirect tax controversy matters, including audit intake and triage, audit planning, information document requests, initial audit packages, data and workpaper validation, auditor communications, issue escalation, and resolution tracking.
Partner with Tax Controversy, Finance, Accounting, Legal, and business teams to evaluate audit outcomes, communicate implications, support reserve processes, and manage risk by translating audit findings into stronger documentation, controls, and compliance execution.
Lead the Tax team’s business advisory and projects function, advise business stakeholders on new initiatives, deliver requirements and risk-mitigation strategies, and lead Tax user testing.
Shape tax technology strategy and delivery with Tax Technology, Product, Engineering, and Finance Systems teams; define business and operational requirements, assess data and system gaps, participate in solution design and testing, provide tax UAT and sign-off, and support production readiness.
Advance automation, governed data, artificial intelligence, and analytics to reduce manual work, improve transaction-to-return traceability, strengthen audit defense, and scale indirect tax operations.
Monitor legislative, regulatory, and business changes with Tax Planning, Government Affairs, Legal, and other stakeholders; assess impacts on compliance and systems; and lead or coordinate implementation of required changes.
Provide clear recommendations to Tax leadership and cross-functional partners, balancing technical accuracy, materiality, business practicality, customer and partner experience, and risk.
Build relationships across geographies and time zones and contribute to a high-trust, collaborative Global Tax team culture.