VAT Director - Strategic Tax Advisory

Role Overview

VAT Director - Strategic Tax Advisory in Dubai, United Arab Emirates is a senior Accounting opportunity for an accomplished tax professional with advanced UAE VAT expertise and proven success in building advisory relationships. The position will lead complex VAT and Tax Advisory engagements, expand the UAE practice, manage executive stakeholders, develop new business, strengthen specialist team capability, and take direct responsibility for commercial performance and profitability.

Job Details

Country: United Arab Emirates
City: Dubai
Industry: Accounting
Function: Tax
Salary:
Estimated salary range based on similar jobs in the job city; please confirm the final offer with the employer.
Gender: Any
Nationality: Any
Job Type: Full-time

Role Context

The VAT Director will serve as a senior leader responsible for advancing the technical, commercial, and operational strength of the UAE VAT Advisory practice. The role requires close involvement in sophisticated client matters while also creating sustainable growth through relationship development, service innovation, and disciplined practice management. By combining authoritative tax advice with strong business judgment, the director will help clients address complex VAT challenges while improving revenue quality, team capability, and long-term practice value.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead technically demanding UAE VAT and Tax Advisory assignments involving complex transactions, operating structures, and compliance considerations.
• Advise clients on VAT implications, tax exposure, transaction treatment, operational risks, and practical remediation measures.
• Interpret UAE VAT legislation, Federal Tax Authority guidance, and related regulatory requirements for commercial application.
• Provide senior technical judgment on significant VAT positions and matters requiring specialist interpretation.
• Build trusted relationships with CFOs, Finance Directors, Tax Heads, and other senior executives.
• Understand client strategies and operating models to identify material tax risks and new advisory requirements.
• Expand the UAE VAT Advisory practice by developing services aligned with evolving regulatory and market needs.
• Generate new engagements through strategic account development, referrals, professional networks, and focused business development.
• Lead proposals, pitches, engagement scoping, pricing discussions, and commercial negotiations.
• Convert existing client relationships into broader and longer-term advisory opportunities.
• Maintain a commercially viable opportunity pipeline supporting revenue and growth targets.
• Oversee project delivery, resource allocation, engagement governance, technical review, and client communication.
• Ensure reports, technical positions, and recommendations are accurate, defensible, and commercially relevant.
• Review engagement budgets, utilisation, realization, margins, and profitability.
• Contribute to financial forecasting, annual planning, revenue growth, and overall practice P&L performance.
• Recruit, coach, and develop VAT professionals with strong technical and client-facing capability.
• Strengthen team performance through effective delegation, technical mentoring, and exposure to complex assignments.
• Monitor UAE VAT changes, FTA guidance, administrative developments, and relevant GCC tax updates.
• Assess emerging regulatory developments and identify their potential impact on client operations and transactions.
• Collaborate with Corporate Tax, Transfer Pricing, finance, accounting, legal, and transaction specialists on integrated advisory assignments.

Ideal Profile

The ideal candidate is a senior VAT and Indirect Tax Advisory professional with extensive experience operating within the UAE market and a strong understanding of Dubai 's business environment. Advanced knowledge of UAE VAT is essential, together with demonstrated experience resolving complex technical matters and leading major client engagements. The candidate should be comfortable advising CFOs, Finance Directors, Tax Heads, and other senior stakeholders on commercially significant tax issues. Experience gained within a Big 4 firm, leading professional services organization, or established tax advisory practice is preferred. A proven ability to originate work, expand key accounts, manage advisory portfolios, and contribute to service-line development will be highly valuable. CA, CTA, ACCA, CPA, ADIT, or an equivalent professional qualification is preferred. The successful candidate will combine technical credibility with strong commercial awareness, leadership capability, persuasive communication, and disciplined management of quality, people, revenue, and profitability.

Skills Set

• UAE VAT
• VAT Advisory
• Tax Advisory
• Indirect Tax Advisory
• UAE VAT legislation
• Federal Tax Authority guidance
• GCC tax developments
• VAT technical interpretationVAT risk assessment
• Transaction VAT analysis
• VAT compliance advisory
• Indirect tax strategy
• Technical tax review
• Executive client advisory
• CFO relationship management
• Senior stakeholder engagement
• Business development
• Client account expansion
• Proposal management
• Commercial negotiations
• Practice development
• Service-line leadership
• Revenue growth
• P&L management
• Utilisation management
• Engagement economics
• Profitability management
• Pipeline development
• Team leadership
• Technical quality assurance

Why Join Us

This Dubai position provides the opportunity to influence both the technical direction and commercial success of a growing VAT Advisory practice. As UAE businesses face increasingly sophisticated tax requirements, demand continues for senior professionals capable of connecting regulatory interpretation with practical business outcomes. The role offers meaningful ownership of client strategy, market development, talent growth, service innovation, and financial performance while maintaining direct involvement in high-value advisory work.

About the Company

Mogi I/O develops technology solutions for OTT, podcast, short-video, and digital content applications. Its technology-led business environment supports evolving digital operating models and creates opportunities for experienced professionals to contribute specialist commercial, financial, and advisory expertise.

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