Director, Tax Operations

Job Description Summary

The Director, Tax Operations is responsible for the leadership, management, and execution of US tax reporting, compliance and integration as thought leader on the various dimensions of US federal and state tax. This role is key in driving the strategic direction of an inclusive, globally integrated, finance based and functionally connected US tax organization, covering end-to-end all relevant aspects of the US tax life-cycle.

This role is required to be in our East Hanover, NJ office 3x/week.

 

Job Description

Key Responsibilities:

Leading Tax

• Key member of the US Tax team driving the continuous development of a finance/accounting based tax organization with analytical orientation prepared for internal and external needs and challenges. Ensure close collaboration with business stakeholders locally and globally.
• Lead the US tax effort and maximize the value delivered in support of federal and state tax reporting, compliance, and integration, act as trusted and respected advisor with stakeholders and senior management.
• Provide leadership and technical support as a function aligned with tax planning and transfer pricing based on strong finance and accounting skills, promoter of the strategic integration of US Tax into the local and global Novartis organization including business partnering and technical expertise on all dimensions of tax reporting and compliance.
• Representative of US tax function with policy makers, fiscal authorities, industry associations, tax director community and other external stakeholders to front Novartis on specific tax matters.

Compliance and Risk Management

• Manage all aspects of federal and state tax reporting, tax rate forecast, tax cash forecast, compliance, tax payments, evaluate opportunities to optimize effective tax rate and cash taxes while managing risk. Communicate pro-actively with business stakeholders on tax positions and payments.
• Ensure FC&C processes are followed and additional local tax controls/ a tax control framework are in place as needed.
• Closely support tax audits and controversy, including IDRs, notices, amended tax returns, manage tax risk and impact on tax reporting and financial statement disclosures.
• Ensure the contemporaneous availability of financial and tax data (P/L and B/S) on all dimensions of IFRS and tax for tax reporting and compliance and audit preparedness.
• Manage the entire operations integration process of new acquisitions, including Opening Balance Sheets, Section 382 review, and stub period tax returns.
• Pro-actively monitor and develop tax reporting and compliance processes and technology with the aim to achieve simplification and standardization and improve operational effectiveness and efficiency. Ensure clear roles and responsibilities, the maintenance of local guidelines/work instructions in order to properly manage tax processes in coordination with relevant stakeholders.

Planning and Structuring

• Provide technical leadership in federal, state, and US international taxes with an emphasis on consolidated return rules, US tax reform (163(j), BEAT, FDII).
• Assess the impact of new legislation, change in accounting methods, business initiatives on reporting, compliance and technology.
• Ensure readiness for Pillar II including conceptual framework and systems, and support in modeling and planning.
• Provide tax critical data (IFRS and tax P/L and B/S, ETR, provisions, cash tax, etc.) and support quality analysis, scenario planning, modeling to tax planning, transfer pricing, business and senior management on local or global initiatives. Support acquisition, integration, divestment analysis (E&P, stock basis, carve-out financials, opening balance sheet, etc.).
• Engage with the business stakeholders as a trusted tax partner on tax rate, UTP, cash payments.
• Provide technical expertise and coordinated support to tax planning and transfer pricing, around standardization, technology and process optimization.

People and Development

• Foster an environment of collaboration and professional development, create a sense of empowerment, teamwork and ownership to elevate the US tax team to a knowledge center covering all US tax areas and pro-actively interconnected within US Tax and with US and global stakeholders (HQ Tax, Global FRA, M&A, finance, treasury, funds flow, BR, Development, commercial, legal, etc.)
• Act as a role model and mentor to the US Tax team members, embracing business partnering, knowledge sharing and technical excellence at the crossroads of tax, finance/accounting, and legal.
• Work closely with other tax executives on resourcing and prioritization of activities that best align to the overall tax visi