Senior Tax Controversy Counsel, EMEA

Airbnb

Since 2007, Airbnb has grown from a simple idea in San Francisco into a global community of more than 5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2 billion guest arrivals worldwide. Across nearly every country, Airbnb helps people discover unique places to stay and experiences that create more meaningful connections with local communities.

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About the Team

The Tax Controversy team leads Airbnb’s global approach to tax audits, disputes, and litigation. The team is responsible for shaping and executing the company’s worldwide tax controversy strategy, while coordinating responses to tax authorities across multiple jurisdictions.

Working closely with colleagues in Tax, Legal, and Policy, this team manages both direct and indirect tax matters and plays a critical role in supporting Airbnb through complex and high-profile disputes.

In this position, you will partner with the Airbnb Tax Controversy team, the Dublin Tax team, external advisors, and cross-functional stakeholders across the business, with a particular emphasis on EMEA tax matters.

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What You’ll Do

As part of the Tax Controversy team, you will help drive strong outcomes in tax audits and litigation across the EMEA region. This role combines technical tax knowledge, litigation management, stakeholder coordination, and strategic thinking.

You will be expected to:

• Manage tax disputes by preparing responses to information requests and supporting audit and litigation strategy development

• Build a deep understanding of Airbnb’s facts and tax positions to support robust responses to tax authorities

• Participate in and prepare for meetings with tax authorities and regulatory stakeholders

• Partner cross-functionally to keep the business informed of emerging audit risks and related concerns

• Support broader tax planning and decision-making by helping strengthen tax positions as they are developed

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Key Responsibilities

This role offers exposure to a wide variety of challenging and high-impact matters. Your responsibilities will include:

• Supporting global tax audits and litigation matters by coordinating with:

• Internal Tax teams

• Legal and Policy partners

• External advisors

• Other business stakeholders

• Co-leading significant EMEA tax litigation cases, including:

• Local administrative appeals

• Proceedings before EMEA tax authorities

• Court litigation matters

• Overseeing key litigation activities, such as:

• Discovery management

• Legal strategy development

• Milestone planning and execution

• Serving as a primary contact for:

• EMEA-based external counsel

• Government officials

• Regulators involved in active disputes

• Advising on EMEA-specific risk areas, including:

• Litigation exposure

• Privilege considerations

• Compliance obligations

• Collaborating across global teams to ensure:

• Consistent messaging

• Strategic alignment

• Effective dispute management across jurisdictions

• Evaluating audit and litigation options by assessing:

• Procedural forums

• Tax authority processes

• Litigation posture

• Business priorities

• Risk trade-offs

• Preparing responses to tax authority requests through:

• Data gathering

• Fact development

• Technical tax analysis

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What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for a highly experienced tax controversy professional with deep EMEA expertise and strong leadership capabilities.

Required Qualifications

• Law degree

• 10+ years of experience focused on tax audits and litigation

• Proven experience leading tax audits and tax litigation matters

• Excellent English communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Proficiency in French, Italian, and/or Spanish

• Strong familiarity with tax litigation and dispute resolution processes across key EMEA jurisdictions

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Experience and Skills

The ideal candidate will bring a combination of legal, technical, and organizational strength, along with the ability to thrive in a fast-moving international environment.

• Strong grounding in tax law, with the ability to quickly absorb new and complex issues

• Commitment to staying current with tax law developments and regulatory changes

• Excellent organizational skills and close attention to detail

• Ability to prepare accurate, persuasive, and well-supported responses to tax authorities

• Proven success working in a fast-paced environment with multiple competing deadlines

• Experience managing controversy matters across:

• Audit

• Administrative appeal

• Litigation stages

• Expertise in corporate tax issues frequently seen in EMEA disputes, including:

• Transfer pricing

• Data production

• Withholding tax

• VAT

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Why This Role Matters

This is an opportunity to play a meaningful role in some of Airbnb’s most important and visible tax matters across the EMEA region. You will help shape dispute strategy, influence business awareness of tax risk, and contribute to how Airbnb navigates an increasingly complex international tax landscape.

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Inclusion & Belonging

At Airbnb, we are committed to building teams that reflect a broad range of backgrounds, ideas, and perspectives. We believe diversity fuels creativity, innovation, and stronger outcomes for our community and our business.

All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.

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Compensation & Benefits

Airbnb roles may align to more than one career level, and base pay is determined by a range of factors including training, transferable skills, prior experience, business needs, and market conditions.

In addition to base salary, this role may also be eligible for:

• Bonus

• Equity

• Benefits

• Employee Travel Credits

Annual Base Pay Range

• Ireland: €156,000 – €195,000 EUR

• Spain: €120,000 – €150,000 EUR

• United Kingdom: £136,000 – £170,000 GBP

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Join Airbnb

If you are an experienced tax controversy leader ready to take on complex EMEA disputes in a globally recognized company, this is a chance to make a direct impact at scale.

Join Airbnb and help shape the future of global tax controversy strategy.