Director, Indirect Tax Operations & Controversy

Expedia Group•Seattle, WA

5d•$207,500 - $332,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Expedia Group’s Global Indirect Tax team is seeking a Director to lead day-to-day indirect tax compliance, data, controversy, and technology-enabled operations across the United States and international markets. The role is a senior subject-matter and cross-functional leadership position at the intersection of tax, finance, legal, product, technology, and business operations. The Director will help ensure compliance obligations are met accurately and on time, audit matters are managed consistently and strategically, data is reliable, and tax capabilities work effectively in practice. The role leads U.S. and international indirect tax compliance, including sales and use tax, gross receipts tax, lodging and hotel tax, and support for international filings such as VAT/GST, digital services tax, withholding taxes, and related transactional tax obligations. It establishes scalable processes, calendars, documentation, controls, and review standards, and uses data and analytics to improve quality, explain variances, support tax accounting, and identify compliance risks and process improvements. The Director leads global indirect tax controversy, from audit intake and planning through information requests, workpaper validation, auditor communications, escalation, and resolution tracking. The position also leads the Tax team’s business advisory and projects function; partners with stakeholders on new initiatives, requirements, risk mitigation, and tax user testing; and shapes tax technology strategy with Tax Technology, Product, Engineering, and Finance Systems teams. The role advances automation, governed data, artificial intelligence, and analytics, monitors legislative and business changes, and provides recommendations to Tax leadership and cross-functional partners. The position is available only in Seattle and follows Expedia Group’s flexible work model, requiring in-office work at least three days a week.

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, and marketplace and platform compliance, and/or comparable experience with 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 the ability to prioritize in a fast-moving, ambiguous environment.
Ability to lead through influence, build alignment among teams with differing priorities, and make thoughtful recommendations when facts are incomplete.

Nice To Haves

CPA, Chartered Accountant, attorney, or another 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 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 translate audit findings into stronger documentation, controls, and compliance execution.
Lead the Tax team’s business advisory and projects function, advising business stakeholders on new initiatives, developing requirements and risk mitigation strategies, and leading Tax user testing.
Shape tax technology strategy and delivery with Tax Technology, Product, Engineering, and Finance Systems teams by defining requirements, assessing data and system gaps, participating in solution design and testing, providing tax UAT and sign-off, and supporting 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 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 collaborative Global Tax team culture.