Finance Manager - Indirect Taxation

Job Description

Job Title: Finance Manager – Indirect Taxation

Job Location: Mumbai Ho, India

Role Type: Permanent

Be part of the world’s most successful, purpose-led business. Work with brands that are well-loved around the world, that improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We promote innovation, big and small, to make our business win and grow; and we believe in business as a force for good. Unleash your curiosity, challenge ideas and disrupt processes; use your energy to make this happen. Our brilliant business leaders and colleagues provide mentorship and inspiration, so you can be at your best. Every day, nine out of ten Indian households use our products to feel good, look good and get more out of life – giving us a unique opportunity to build a brighter future.

Every individual here can bring their purpose to life through their work. Join us and you’ll be surrounded by inspiring leaders and supportive peers. Among them, you’ll channel your purpose, bring fresh ideas to the table, and simply be you. As you work to make a real impact on the business and the world, we’ll work to help you become a better you.

Purpose

Responsible for Indirect Tax business partnering in the country under the accountability of the Tax Director. Key tax matters include tax risk management, local tax planning initiatives in line with Global tax principles, driving strategy for audit and controversy, supporting lateral teams on tax compliance and making informed decisions on tax positions.

Key accountabilities

The Indirect Tax Manager has the following areas of responsibility:

• Business advisory and project management
• Litigation management (including legacy matters) and exposure reduction
• Risk management and reporting
• Tax Advocacy
• Tax technology and process design
• Update on changes in legislations relevant to business

Business advisory and project management:

The trusted and strategic partner to the business on indirect tax matters. This requires:

• an understanding of the tax environment (local/global) and business contexts,
• to be able to operate across key strategic indirect tax issues facing the business both internally and with key external bodies, where relevant.
• Possess ability to manage relationships, projects and make evidence-based decisions to facilitate effective business partnering.
• Being updated with recent development on tax judicial precedents, amendments in legislations and proactively discuss its impact on the business including tax compliances.
• Should be keen to develop working knowledge of direct taxes for holistic tax advice and partnering in collaboration with direct tax colleagues.
• Responsibility for proactively advising relevant stakeholders on changes in law such as input credit eligibility, area-based incentives, new compliances etc

Litigation management and Exposure Reduction:

The Indirect tax Manager is responsible for indirect tax audits and internal compliance reviews. This includes

• Managing relationship with the tax authorities, informing stakeholders on emerging issues and developments therein.

• Prepare and file high quality replies to Show cause notices, demand notices, appeals
• Drafting high quality briefs for opinion on key areas and signing off on ambiguous tax positions
• Keep stakeholders in business and tax informed on audit developments
• Acts as contact for Interaction with tax authorities
• Interface with external tax advisors on discussing litigation strategy and responses
• Keep an updated litigation tracker and set goals and strategy for reduction in key exposures and disputed amounts
• Monitor and report on provisions and contingent tax issues to internal stakeholders.                  
• Continuously monitor P&L and cash flow impact of exposures
• Regular review and inform on judicial precedents on issues under litigation for the company
• Prepares periodic status update for audit committee review and senior management
• Ensure changes are made to policies, processes and ways of working to mitigate the risk of future controversy, where relevant.

Tax advocacy/representations:

• Drafting high quality representations in consultation with business stakeholders and legal team on changes in legislation as well as challenges faced by compliance team.
• Responsibility for making representations for compliance related issues with jurisdictional authorities in co-ordination with tax operations and branch teams
• External benchmarking on industry issues
• Co-ordination with external parties supporting in filing of tax advocacy with officer.

Tax Technology and Tax Process design:

Deploy technology to deliver efficiency, effectiveness and control to mitigate risks, meet defined business objectives and produce high quality data. Has an appreciation of complexity, lifecycle of system implementation and automation. This needs to be done in close collaboration with TOPs team responsible for GST compliance excellence and Uniops team

Design efficient and effective processes to deliver services and identifies opportunities for improvement within the tax function.

Key skills and values

• Creating value for business through tax
• Demonstration of expertise and updated knowledge of current tax landscape
• Reduction in disputed tax amounts and P&L impact accountability
• Tax Technology orientation
• External orientation
• Decision making
• Project management
• Adapts communication as per stakeholder requirement
• Effective business writing skills

Qualifications

Preferably CA/Lawyer with work experience with consulting and/or working in multinational organizations in the field of indirect taxes. Relevant work experience of 10+ years

Unilever is an organisation committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities. We believe a diverse workforce allows us to match our growth ambitions and drive inclusion across the business. At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! Thus, if you require any support or access requirements, we encourage you to advise us at the time of your application so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.

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