Meet Hoai
"If I do a good job and show what I can do, I can go a long way at Action."
Hoai Thu Vu Dinh, VAT SpecialistAbout Hoai
Hoai Thu Vu Dinh believes it's important to take a broad approach to start with. After studying tax law, she worked for several major accounting firms as well as the government. She found both worlds extremely interesting, but still felt something was missing. Perhaps it was the buzz of the business world? After being approached by a recruiter who suggested she take a look at Action, and after having learned more about the company, she was firmly convinced.
What did you learn about Action that attracted you to the company?
"I read an article about Action's current CEO, Hajir Hajji. She started out as a shelf stacker and has grown into the top role within the company as a woman in business in less than 25 years. That steep growth curve, and the fact that she's a woman from a migrant background, really impressed me. In addition, Action's growth appealed to me. After all, Action has conquered a large part of the European market in a relatively short period of time, and I saw opportunities for myself as part of this development. I accepted the recruiter's invitation to meet Group Tax at Action, and we clicked straight away. That was four months ago."
And what do think so far? Do you like it?
"Definitely. The work is very different from just consulting as I was used to at a big four firm or handling objections and requests from taxpayers in the government. At Action, I'm involved in a lot of data processing, while I also have to dive into the laws and regulations on a regular basis. I'm also more involved in the process – how are checks put into practice, what are we doing to achieve a particular goal, and which teams do we need to work with? I feel I'm now much closer to the company than I used to be as a consultant. I also landed on my feet in the team and had a great onboarding period. Everything here moves fast, and the lines are short. If I can't find something I need, my colleagues are very helpful and approachable."
"As a Tax Specialist, I'm close to the heart of the business and involved in the process of how checks work in practice."
What do your working days look like?
"Checking VAT returns is a big part of my work. My colleagues prepare them every month, and my manager and I review them and reach a consensus. I also make sure that all products have the correct VAT rates assigned. 150 new products arrive in-store each week, and these are sold in all European countries in which Action is active. This takes quite a bit of research, as each EU Member State has their own laws and regulations. A good example is a product that's subject to the low VAT rate in the Netherlands, while the same product is subject to the standard VAT rate in France.
My colleagues and I at Group Tax are also the first port of call for other departments at Action when they have questions about VAT. A colleague from Finance recently came in with a question about an invoice, for instance. In this role, my team is also involved in several cross-departmental projects, and I'm currently working on a large tax refund from the French government. So, I work on a lot of projects at the same time, which requires me to be agile when it comes to planning and setting priorities. But I also see that as a challenge!"
Do you see yourself staying at Action in the future?
"It's right up my street. I'm happy with what the job offers, but I also like the people and the company culture here. Action is a very diverse organisation with people from many different cultures and backgrounds. For now, my aim is to get to know the organisation and become more familiar with everything. There are still so many challenges and projects! In the longer term, a management role appeals to me. When I think about growing at Action, Hajir is a true role model for me. If you do a good job and show what you can do, everything will be alright."