Dual study program in tax / tax consulting (m/f/d)

Role Summary

Tax advice in medium-sized businesses is about relationship work. Clients stay for decades - not because of prices, but because they are understood. Several thousand medium-sized companies trust us - we are now developing the model into a Germany-wide consulting platform.

You have your Abitur in your pocket and are looking for training that combines theoretical depth and practical work. You will begin your dual studies at Vogel in cooperation with the DHBW Stuttgart in the RSW – Taxes and Auditing course. With us you don't learn in practical phases with folklore tasks, but rather work on real clients - independently, right from the start.

From the first block of practice, you will work on real client work, get to know the entire spectrum of tax advice - from financial accounting to annual financial statements - and take on your own responsibility early on. After completing your studies, the natural path to an associate tax role is open, with a clear perspective on the tax advisor exam and a career path as a manager (disciplinary leadership) or expert track (professional depth).

What you delivered after 6 months

• You will work on your own task packages and support your first clients in financial accounting under senior review.
• You master the bird tax tech environment and use AI tools in your daily work.
• You actively accompanied initial client discussions - notes, preparation, follow-up.

What you delivered after 12 months

• You take on independent accounting and preparation tasks - initial technical review, escalation only for special topics.
• You have found your first specialist area (industry, tax area, tools) and are building up depth there.
• Passed the first exams in the tax and business law modules - the theory is linked to your practical work.

What you delivered after 24 months

• You carry out accounting for your own clients and support the preparation of annual financial statements - Manager Tax is only an escalation end point for complex special issues.
• You take on initial professional sparring tasks for younger interns and trainees.
• You have a clear overview of the transfer path after completing your studies.

Where the position is developing

The dual study program is the natural entry phase at Vogel. After completing your bachelor's degree, you will take on an associate slot in tax - manager or expert track along our career framework. Vogel provides financial and time-related support during the master's degree and tax advisor exams.

Responsibilities

YOUR RESPONSIBILITY

Client work

1. Taking on your own tasks at an early stage - bookkeeping, income-surplus accounts, participation in annual financial statements.
2. Direct client contact early in your studies - telephone calls, minor concerns, preparation of consultations.
3. Participation in ongoing client support - research, clarifications, support of tax audits.

Technical learning

1. You will get to know the entire spectrum of tax advice - accounting, tax returns, annual financial statements, design advice.
2. Theory from the DHBW and practice at Vogel are closely linked - you bring new methods, we give you the specific client situations in which you can apply them.
3. Sparring with your line of a Manager Tax and a permanent buddy from the working student or associate layer.

Tooling & Automation

1. Independent work with our tax tech environment — we are consciously beyond DATEV-plus-Excel.
2. Use of AI tools as a natural part of the work — research, drafting, analysis. Not only will you get to know them, you will use them every day.
3. Participation in internal digitalization and automation initiatives — you bring in ideas from the DHBW curriculum.

WHAT YOU WON'T FIND WITH US

1. No practical phases with folklore tasks. You work on real clients from the first block.
2. No trainee status. You are a full team member - on an equal footing with associates, with your own clients and your own responsibility.
3. No hereditary middle class without growth aspirations. We build specializations and industry depth, we don't manage.
4. No corporate corset. You work directly with managing directors and entrepreneurs, without political filters.

FAQ

1. WHAT IS BIRD — AND WHERE DO YOU WORK?

Vogel is one of Germany's leading medium-sized business consultancies - a family business since 1959, based in Aalen - and is building the leading consulting platform for medium-sized businesses. We are growing at several locations: in Aalen/East Württemberg as an established headquarters and in Munich as a new hub. In both, we look across functions — from tax advice to consulting to the strategic teams that build the platform.

1. HOW TO UNDERSTAND THE SALARY BANDS?

Deliberately wide - and identified at every point. We differentiate based on track record and market value, not on degree: scarce, highly sought-after profiles at the top end, less scarce ones at the bottom. We calibrate exclusively to the market - two people with similar experience can earn different things with us.

1. HOW MUCH — AND HOW — DOES VOGEL WORK?

It's measured by what you move, not by hours. But it's also honest: If you're looking for 9-to-5, we're not the first place to go. We are looking for people who work intensively on their own initiative because the tasks are worth it. How you distribute your time is largely up to you. What we share: We work together face-to-face - culture, sparring and the best ideas arise in daily proximity. We are not a remote company and do not have major home office policies; Individual remote days are no problem.

1. HOW DOES THE APPLICATION PROCESS?

Slim, fast, transparent — and graded according to profile. For entry-level roles (internship, work study, career entry), two interviews and a short work sample are usually sufficient; experienced roles are a little more detailed. For selected senior roles, we are looking into incorporating a joint working day in the future so that both sides get to know each other better. The following always applies: scheduled deadlines, quick decisions, substantial feedback - regardless of the outcome.

1. HOW DOES VARIABLE PAY WORK?

Linked to performance on a quarterly basis and assessed qualitatively. The scale increases with the level: up to 20% Associate, 27.5% Manager, 35% Senior Manager, 42.5% Director, 50% VP. Expected value with good performance - you meet the requirements, set your own accents, pass the keeper test - is around 50% of the maximum; the maximum bonus is not the norm. The focus is on a holistic assessment by your manager: ownership, quality, learning curve, collaboration, impact.

1. HOW DO I DEVELOP MYSELF - WHAT CAREER PATHS ARE THERE?

Two active paths: Mastery (technical depth, expert career) and Pioneer (leadership, management). You choose the direction after onboarding, usually in years 1-3. Starting a career is not a special path, but rather the early part of the same route - from working student or intern to associate, for the best ones without having to reapply.

1. TEAM, CULTURE, HOLIDAY?

A shared lunch is an open daily option - not an obligation; If you like, you can join us; anyone can eat at any time. Plus dinners, social events and offsites on a regular basis - not as a mandatory program, but because a good team also shares time outside of work. Benefits: thoughtful and substantial, not symbolic. Vacation: 28 days.

1. I KNOW SOMEONE - IS THERE A REFERRAL BONUS?

Yes — EUR 2,500 for each successfully filled position (no internships). A short context is enough: who you are thinking about, for what role, why. Doesn't have to fit perfectly, but has to be substantial.

Requirements

THIS IS WHAT YOU BRING WITH YOU

Experience & track record

• Good school leaving certificate (Abitur or Fachabitur) - the DHBW Stuttgart requires university entrance qualifications.
• Initial practical experience in a business or tax environment is an advantage, not a must - student internships in StB law firms, proven interest in business topics.
• Profiles that do not fit into the above grid are expressly invited - we judge based on the contribution, not the label. Specifically: trained tax specialists with a desire for academic in-depth study through dual study or motivated students without previous experience.

Skills & way of working

• You work conscientiously and independently - you don't wait for tasks.
• You communicate clearly, in writing as in the first client meeting, and do not shy away from difficult topics.
• You use AI as a natural tool — research, drafting, analysis.

Mindset & personality

• You see yourself as a full team member from day one, not as a trainee in learning mode.
• You take responsibility for your task packages, not for your attendance hours.
• You aspire to set the highest standard in everything you deliver — not because someone controls it, but because mediocrity bothers you personally.
• You are willing to get involved in independent work on clients and learn new things every day.