Senior Director - Taxation

Senior Director - Taxation

The Senior Director Tax, India is accountable for setting the strategic direction, governance framework and risk posture for the India tax function. The role acts as the principal tax adviser to senior Finance and business leadership on material business decisions, tax positions, operating-model changes, transactions and controversies.

The Senior Director leads through the Head of Tax India, who retains accountability for day-to-day tax operations, compliance, reporting, assessments and implementation. The Senior Director provides oversight and challenge, approves or recommends material positions, and holds the Head of Tax India accountable for effective execution.

Responsibilities

• 1. TAX STRATEGY AND EXECUTIVE ADVISORY

• — Own the India tax strategy and establish medium- and long-term priorities aligned with business and Group Tax objectives.

• — Act as the principal tax adviser to senior Finance and business leadership on material business plans, investments, service models and operating-model decisions.

• — Evaluate strategic alternatives and recommend tax positions that appropriately balance technical, commercial, operational and reputational considerations.

• — Approve strategic tax initiatives within delegated authority and sponsor matters requiring higher governance approval.

• — Work with the Head of Tax India for effective implementation of approved strategies,

• 2. TAX GOVERNANCE, RISK AND COMPLIANCE ASSURANCE

• — Establish the India tax governance framework, risk principles, control standards, materiality thresholds and escalation requirements.

• — Oversee compliance assurance without assuming responsibility for routine preparation, review or filing activities.

• — Review significant compliance exposures, recurring failures and remediation plans, and require corrective action where standards are not met.

• — Review and approve, or recommend through the appropriate governance forum, material tax positions, policy exceptions and uncertain tax treatments.

• — Provide senior leadership with clear reporting on material tax risks, regulatory developments, decisions and remediation.

• 3. TRANSFER PRICING AND INTERNATIONAL TAX

• — Own the India transfer pricing framework and material policy positions, ensuring alignment among functional profiles, intercompany agreements, charging models and actual operating conduct.

• — Approve or recommend material transfer pricing positions and changes arising from the operating model.

• — Determine the strategy for significant transfer pricing controversy, Advance Pricing Agreements, Mutual Agreement Procedures and other dispute-prevention mechanisms, where relevant.

• — Oversee material permanent establishment, treaty, withholding tax and other cross-border tax matters affecting India.

• — Lead senior engagement with Group Tax and external advisers on material international tax matters.

• 4. TRANSACTIONS AND BUSINESS CHANGE

• — Lead the India tax workstream for material acquisitions, integrations, restructurings, entity changes and significant movements of activities or employees.

• — Evaluate alternative structures and recommend the preferred tax approach, including key risks, costs, dependencies and implementation requirements.

• — Provide tax input at the design stage of major client, vendor and intercompany arrangements.

• — Approve material deviations from established tax parameters within delegated authority or sponsor them through the appropriate governance process.

• — Oversee implementation and hold relevant owners accountable for agreed tax actions.

• 5. TAX CONTROVERSY AND EXTERNAL ENGAGEMENT

• — Set the strategy for material tax assessments, disputes, settlements and litigation.

• — Determine the organisation’s position, risk response and escalation route for significant or precedent-setting matters.

• — Approve or recommend dispute-resolution, settlement or litigation decisions within applicable authority.

• — Determine when specialist external opinions, senior authority engagement or executive decisions are required.

• — Represent the organisation in significant engagements with tax authorities, statutory auditors and external advisers.

• 6. TAX ACCOUNTING AND FINANCIAL REPORTING OVERSIGHT

• — Oversee material tax-accounting judgements, provisions, uncertain tax positions and disclosures.

• — Review and challenge significant assumptions, estimates and reporting conclusions.

• — Approve material tax-accounting positions within delegated authority.

• — Ensure significant tax-reporting matters are appropriately communicated to senior Finance leadership, Group Tax, auditors and relevant governance forums.

• — Hold the Head of Tax India accountable for the quality, accuracy and timeliness of underlying tax reporting.

• 7. TAX CONTROLS AND TRANSFORMATION

• — Own the design and effectiveness of the India tax-control and assurance framework.

• — Define control objectives, accountability, assurance requirements and escalation thresholds.

• — Review significant control failures, approve remediation priorities and monitor closure of material deficiencies.

• — Set the tax transformation agenda and sponsor improvements in tax data, technology, automation, standardisation and management information.

• — Ensure transformation priorities support the tax strategy, control framework and wider Finance agenda.

• 8. LEADERSHIP AND STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT

• — Lead the India tax function through the Head of Tax India, with clear delegation and accountability for operational delivery.

• — Define the tax operating model, role accountabilities, organisation design and resource priorities.

• — Set expectations for succession, leadership depth, specialist capability and knowledge sharing.

• — Build senior-level alignment across Finance, Legal, HR, Procurement, Treasury, business leadership and Group Tax.

• — Resolve significant cross-functional matters involving tax risk, commercial objectives or resource priorities, and represent the India tax function in senior governance forums.

• DECISION-MAKING AUTHORITY

• — Set India tax priorities and allocate functional resources within approved plans.

• — Approve tax positions and risk responses within delegated authority and make recommendations on matters requiring higher approval.

• — Determine escalation, external-adviser engagement and governance requirements for material or precedent-setting matters.

• — Challenge operational execution and require remediation where compliance, control or reporting outcomes do not meet established standards.

• Establish the parameters within which the Head of Tax India manages day-to-day tax operations.

• Key Competencies / Skills

• Mandatory Skills

• Strategic and enterprise-oriented thinking

• Executive influence and communication

• Tax-risk judgement and governance

• Commercial and financial acumen

• Leadership through delegation and accountability

• Ability to manage complex and ambiguous matters

• Cross-functional collaboration

• Change and transformation leadership

• High professional and ethical standards

• Has the ability to integrate / collaborate successfully with the executive leadership team

• Have an international outlook and a global perspective

• Can develop strong and effective working relationships

• Have good presentation and communication skills

• Desired Skills

• Post qualification experience of >20 years, with large business organisations/Firms, focused on direct, indirect taxes and internal tax with significant understanding of GCC / Shared Services Taxation and its challenges.

• Should have a track record of competent handling of complex tax matters

• Should be up-to-date on tax laws and rules and have an expert level understanding of relevant tax laws and rules

• System proficiency and should have operated in ERP based integrated applications.

• This job description is intended as a representation of the primary responsibilities and qua