Senior Director of Tax

About the role

At Preply, we are reimagining education through a human-led, tech-enabled lens, creating life-changing learning experiences for millions worldwide. We have recently reached unicorn status with a $150M Series D, accelerating our vision to transform education at global scale. Today, we teach 90+ languages to learners in 180 countries, powered by more than 100,000 tutors. As a category-defining company, we are shaping the future of learning, and this role is central to that mission.

The will architect and own the end-to-end global tax function as we scale toward and beyond a public market debut. This leader will design compliant and efficient tax structures across more than 180 operating jurisdictions while balancing aggressive growth objectives with rigorous financial controls. They will serve as the central technical authority on worldwide tax matters, translating complex regulatory landscapes into clear strategic guidance for the executive team. The role demands ownership of both tactical execution and long-term tax strategy in a fast-evolving, human-led, tech-enabled learning environment. This is a mission-critical position for shaping how Preply meets its global compliance obligations and positions itself for IPO success. The hire will directly influence the company's financial infrastructure and risk posture as Preply continues to expand its reach to millions of learners and tutors. Success in this role will be defined by the ability to build trust with internal stakeholders and external advisors while navigating ambiguity across multiple legal and regulatory contexts.

The position is based in London and is a full-time role. It reports directly to the VP of Accounting (CFO-1) and sits at the heart of finance, legal, and external advisor collaboration.

What you'll do

• Architect and scale Preply's global tax exposure and compliance framework to support operations in 180 countries.
• Lead worldwide direct and indirect tax compliance, including income tax provision under ASC 740, transfer pricing, VAT and GST regimes, withholding taxes, 1099 and DAC7 reporting, and local statutory filings.
• Apply a risk-prioritised approach to managing tax compliance across a highly complex, multi-jurisdictional footprint, balancing cost, control, and speed.
• Partner with Finance leadership to design and execute strategic tax planning initiatives that align with growth, market entry, and capital markets objectives.
• Lead tax structuring efforts related to legal entity optimization, intercompany arrangements, and Pillar Two implementation while coordinating closely on M&A activities.
• Collaborate with Finance, Legal, and external advisors to ensure tax considerations are integrated into IPO readiness, disclosures, and regulatory filings.
• Build and refine global tax governance, risk management, and documentation processes to prepare for heightened regulatory and public market scrutiny.
• Serve as the primary internal tax expert and executive voice on global tax matters, translating complex multi-jurisdictional requirements into clear, actionable insights for non-tax stakeholders.
• Drive continuous improvement in tax processes, controls, and technology to support scalability and audit readiness.
• Maintain awareness of evolving international tax frameworks, including OECD developments, and assess their impact on Preply's operating model.

Requirements

• Hold 12-15+ years of progressive international tax experience, with demonstrated leadership in high-growth or multinational organizations.
• Bring prior experience building, scaling, or significantly enhancing a global tax function in a pre-IPO, newly public, or rapidly expanding private company.
• Possess strong technical expertise in U.S. corporate tax, including ASC 740, as well as international corporate tax, transfer pricing, and global indirect tax regimes.
• Have hands-on experience supporting IPO readiness, public reporting obligations, and SOX implementation or preparedness activities.
• Show proven ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, high-growth technology companies with significant international complexity.
• Hold a CPA qualification, with an MST or JD/LLM in Tax strongly preferred.
• Demonstrate comfort with ambiguity and the capacity to make timely decisions across evolving regulatory and business conditions.
• Have a track record of managing external tax advisors and integrating their input into practical, executable strategies.

Nice to have

Only items indicated in SOURCE are listed here, and no additional preferences are added.

Practical notes

The role is full-time based in London with no specified limit on working hours. There is no mention of travel, visa sponsorship, or application deadlines in the provided SOURCE text.