Sanne, who studied Economics and Tax Law, is able to offer a valuable combination of expertise in her role and function. ‘The number of lawyers with experience in and passion for technological development is limited – people who are able to solve legal issues by means of technology. In our field of expertise an issue can be hard to define, so you need to be able to provide the right questions and problem definition. That’s your starting point. I work on various projects from VAT to transfer pricing and payroll tax. I really enjoy it. Working with money is very tangible and tax law is anything but abstract. Also, I like working with numbers to provide insights. That’s why I decided to specialise in collecting and processing data within Deloitte. On the one hand, that means being analytical on the “backside” and on the other hand, being practical on the “front side”. The first step consists of collecting, “cleaning” and processing data. The second step consists of analysing the data, and the third step consists of presenting the results to the client by means of an easy-to-understand dashboard. It’s a tangible result of my work.’

Sanne’s and Niels’ job are a lot alike, but they work from different angles. ‘Sanne analyses, finds pain points, provides insights into matters that are absent or could cause problems. Then I build a customised solution into the systems of my clients for various types of tax. Currently, we see that many companies are in the middle of a financial transformation. They are upgrading to e.g. a new SAP or Oracle system, which leaves room for smart fiscal solutions. I look critically at their financial systems to determine how we can help to improve their business. How to work faster and more efficiently by automating topics such as transfer pricing, witholding tax, and tax filing. I look for efficient and transparent ways to comply with taxes. Clients appreciate it when they can discuss these matters with someone who has a background in tax. Someone who understands what is mandatory, but is also able to come up with technological capabilities. When a client asks us for multidisciplinary advice, there are so many options. In some cases they have a very specific challenge for which we need to build a solution. What I do, is that I translate the issue into a technological opportunity and we often build the solution ourselves. That’s a nice change from diving into tax matters. You’re actually combining two fields of expertise then.’

Working in projects, often several projects at a time, makes the job dynamic, and so does the opportunity to try new angles every time. Sanne: ‘Workload is one of the criteria when the work is being divided between the team members, but you’re also asked what you would prefer to do. Just because you don’t have any experience yet with certain types of work doesn’t mean you’re not able to do them. Actually, it’s all the more reason to do them. You’re hired for who you are, not for a specific job. And once you’re hired, you get to explore in what direction you want to grow and what types of work you would like to try. Your job could be entirely different within one month.’

Niels can confirm this. ‘I get to determine how rapidly I want to grow. One and a half years after I was hired, I was allowed to fly to the US on my own to service a client. If you take your responsibility you are rewarded with the trust to make things come true. The impression I had prior to working at Deloitte, that the vibe at Deloitte is great and there is no strict hierarchy, turned out to be true. That feels good.’