Director, International Tax

Quince

London, England, United KingdomOn-siteFull-timeLeadFinancePosted 9d ago

For the curiousBuilt for leaders

About the role

ABOUT QUINCE

Quince is a destination for builders, creators, innovators, and operators who want to come together and challenge the status quo. Our mission is simple: make really high quality essentials for really low prices, fairly and sustainably. We deliver on that mission through a unique manufacturer-to-consumer (M2C) model eliminating the layers of traditional retail that add cost and result in consumers paying more than they need to. We find, build relationships with, and work directly with the manufacturing partners behind some of the world’s finest products. From there, our teams design smart, efficient operational processes and build and deploy proprietary technology, AI, and analytics to help us scale fast.

What began with a small assortment of elevated basics has quickly grown into a cross-category brand spanning apparel, accessories, home goods, and more. Today, tens of millions of people across a growing number of countries come – and return – to Quince because they trust us to deliver.

OUR CULTURE

Quince is a culture built for builders by builders. Our way of working starts with a blank sheet of paper. We question conventional thinking, use technology and data to uncover new opportunities, and move quickly to turn ideas into reality. We aren’t interested in replicating how others do retail. We’re building a better way – at a speed and scale unlike anything that’s been done before.

We dream big and chase the hard problems others shy away from. Rejecting long-held assumptions is part of our company's DNA. Where conventional wisdom says you have to choose – soft or durable, speed or rigor, quality or price – we ask why that trade-off has to exist in the first place.
Our pace is fast and the bar is high because our customers expect a lot from us and we refuse to let them down. We believe the best results come from challenging ourselves, learning from one another, and building on each other's strengths.
Here, responsibility is not determined by role, tenure, or seniority. Every team member - no matter their level - has the opportunity to drive our business and shape our trajectory.

If you’re someone who likes to imagine new possibilities and build better systems rather than plug-in to outdated ones, Quince is the place for you.

THE ROLE

Director, International Tax

We are looking for an Director, International Tax to build and own the international tax function at Quince. This is the first dedicated tax hire in the company, and it arrives at the moment we need it most: Quince is entering Europe, Mexico, Australia, and numerous other countries on an aggressive timeline, and every one of those markets brings tax questions we do not currently have an in-house answer to.

Entity structure. Permanent establishment. VAT and GST registration. Withholding tax. Transfer pricing. Customs and import duty treatment. Local filing obligations we may not know exist until we have already tripped over them. The International Tax Director is the person who knows where those blind spots are before we walk into them, and who tells us what we need to do about them while it is still a decision rather than a problem.

The role reports directly to the VP of Accounting and functions as their right hand on anything tax — the person who can answer any tax question, or knows exactly how to go get the answer. This role is also the first call for the Head of International on any tax question tied to a new market, and a close partner to Legal, People Ops, and Supply Chain as the international footprint is built.

Responsibilities

Serve as the tax lead on every new-market launch — assess the tax profile of a market before we enter, flag what will and won't work, and define the registrations, filings, and structural decisions required to operate compliantly from day one.
Build and maintain a market-entry tax playbook and a global filing calendar, so the tenth country launch is materially faster and cleaner than the first.
Advise on legal entity structure and the tax consequences of each option — branch vs. subsidiary, holding structure, where IP and inventory sit, and how intercompany flows are designed — partnering with Legal on entity timing and sequencing.
Identify and manage permanent establishment risk created by employees, contractors, EOR arrangements, warehouses, third-party logistics providers, and local agents, including the tax implications of transitioning employees from EOR to local entity.
Own transfer pricing end to end: intercompany agreements, pricing methodology, master file and local file documentation, country-by-country reporting where applicable, and defense of the position under audit.
Own indirect tax globally — EU VAT (including OSS/IOSS, distance-selling rules, import VAT, and reverse charge), UK VAT, Mexican IVA, Australian GST and low-value imported goods rules, and the considerably more complex South American regimes — covering registration, filing, recoverability, and the operational setup behind each.

Qualifications

Deep international tax capability is essential given the scope of this role — cross-border structuring, transfer pricing, treaty analysis, permanent establishment, and indirect tax across multiple regimes.
Working knowledge of US federal and state taxation, including ASC 740, is a plus rather than a requirement. Our US provision and returns are prepared by an external firm; what we need is someone who can manage that firm credibly, review its work, and recognize when an answer doesn't hold up.
Genuine indirect tax depth, or a demonstrated ability to research an unfamiliar country's VAT/GST regime from scratch and return with a defensible, documented answer. Knowing how to find the right answer in a new jurisdiction matters more here than having memorized any one of them.
Demonstrated ability to stand up tax infrastructure where none exists, and to apply rigorous technical judgment to ambiguous, fast-moving, and incompletely specified situations.
Comfortable being the only tax person in the company. This role will not be hiring a team for at least 12–18 months, and in the meantime you are both the strategist and the person doing the work.
Proactive risk identifier. The most valuable thing you will do in this role is raise the issue nobody else knew to ask about.
Skilled at translating complex technical tax positions into clear business language that non-tax partners can act on with confidence.
Collaborative partner with a positive, solutions-oriented mindset; able to build trust quickly with Accounting, Legal, People Ops, Supply Chain, and the International team.
Agile and adaptable; comfortable building and evolving processes as the international footprint matures, without being constrained by legacy approaches.
Entrepreneurial mindset; equally comfortable setting global tax strategy and rolling up their sleeves to file a return.
Proactive problem-solver and self-starter; energized by ambiguity and motivated to find the right answer even when no playbook exists.

Preferred:

Substantial international tax experience specifically — this is the center of the role, not an adjacent skill.
Demonstrated experience supporting a company through multi-country international expansion, including entity setup, indirect tax registration, and cross-border structuring.
Experience supporting direct-to-consumer, retail, e-commerce, or another goods-based business with a physical supply chain strongly preferred, including exposure to customs and import duty matters.
Experience selecting and managing external tax advisors across multiple jurisdictions.
Practical experience with tax engines (Avalara, Vertex, or similar) and ERP tax configuration preferred.

WHY QUINCE?

Joining Quince means being part of a mission-driven team reshaping retail. You will work alongside talented colleagues, tackle meaningful challenges, and contribute to building a more sustainable, accessible future for customers and partners alike.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY & HIRING INTEGRITY

Quince provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applications for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

Quince is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete your application or to perform the essential functions of a role at Quince, please let us know by completing this accommodation form. We review all requests individually and will work with you to determine appropriate accommodations on a case-by-case basis.

Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Quince will conduct background checks in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

Security Advisory: Beware of Frauds

At Quince, we're dedicated to recruiting top talent who share our drive for innovation. To safeguard candidates, Quince emphasizes legitimate recruitment practices. Initial communication is primarily via official Quince email addresses and LinkedIn; beware of deviations. Personal data and sensitive information will not be solicited during the application phase. Interviews are conducted via phone, in person, or through the approved platforms Google Meets or Zoom—never via messaging apps or other calling services. Offers are merit-based, communicated verbally, and followed up in writing. If personal information is requested to initiate the hiring process, rest assured it will be through secure and protected means.