| Detail | For this role |
|---|---|
| Department | Finance and Accounts |
| Level | Senior management |
| Reports to | Chief Financial Officer |
| Direct reports | Taxation Manager, GST Executive, TDS Executive |
| Experience | 10+ years in taxation with 3 to 4 years leading a team |
Head of Taxation job description template
Copy this job description, replace the text in square brackets and post it on your careers page or a job portal.
Job title: Head of Taxation
Department: Finance and Accounts
Reports to: Chief Financial Officer
Location: [City], [office, branch or site]
About the role
A Head of Taxation owns the company's direct and indirect tax position. They plan the tax strategy, keep every GST, TDS and income tax filing correct and on time, manage assessments and litigation and reduce tax risk within the law. The role reports to the CFO and leads taxation managers and executives. A good tax head keeps the company compliant, defends its positions before the authorities and structures transactions so the tax outcome is efficient and defensible.
Key responsibilities
- Set the direct and indirect tax strategy and keep positions aligned with the law and case rulings.
- Ensure every GST, TDS, income tax and other tax filing is accurate and filed on time.
- Manage tax assessments, notices, appeals and litigation with advisors and counsel.
- Review the tax impact of contracts, transactions and new business lines before they close.
- Reconcile tax ledgers, input credit and returns and resolve mismatches.
- Plan advance tax, provisions and the annual tax computation for audit.
- Track changes in tax law and rules and update the company's practice.
- Manage transfer pricing documentation and related party transaction compliance each year.
- Advise business teams on invoicing, e-invoicing and e-way bill compliance.
- Build and guide the taxation team and keep them current with changes.
Requirements
- Chartered Accountant (CA) with tax specialisation
- Strong GST and income tax experience
- LLB is an advantage
- 10+ years in taxation with 3 to 4 years leading a team
KRAs and KPIs for a Head of Taxation
Key result areas for the appraisal form, each with a KPI you can measure every month or quarter.
| Key result area | How to measure it |
|---|---|
| Filing compliance | All tax returns filed by due dates with zero late fee or interest in the year |
| Input credit | GST input credit reconciled to returns each month with mismatches under agreed limits |
| Litigation | Tax cases progressed within deadlines with no adverse order for missed dates |
| Tax risk | No unprovided tax exposure surfaces in the statutory audit |
| Assessments | Assessment responses filed within the notice timeline every time |
| Advisory turnaround | Tax opinions on transactions given within the agreed working days |
Skills and tools
Tools used day to day: GST portal, TRACES portal, Income tax portal, Advanced Excel, Tax computation software.
Reporting line and career path
Next roles: AVP Finance, General Manager Finance, Chief Financial Officer
Interview questions for a Head of Taxation
- How do you keep GST input credit matched when vendors file late?
- Walk me through how you would defend a large disallowance in appeal.
- How do you decide whether to litigate or settle a tax dispute?
- What do you check in a contract before it is signed for tax impact?
- How do you keep the company ready for a GST audit?
- How do you keep your team current when tax law changes so often?
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What does a Head of Taxation do?
A Head of Taxation owns direct and indirect tax for the company. They set tax strategy, keep GST, TDS and income tax filings correct and on time, manage assessments and litigation, review the tax impact of transactions and reduce tax risk within the law. They report to the CFO and lead the taxation team.
What is the difference between a Head of Taxation and a Taxation Manager?
A Taxation Manager runs filings, reconciliations and routine compliance for GST, TDS or income tax. A Head of Taxation owns the overall strategy, handles major assessments and litigation, reviews complex transactions and takes the final call on tax positions, while managing the taxation managers below.
What qualifications does a Head of Taxation need?
Most Head of Taxation roles ask for a Chartered Accountant qualification with a tax focus and 10 or more years across direct and indirect tax. Strong command of GST, income tax, litigation and transfer pricing is essential. An LLB helps for handling appeals and litigation.