Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Indirect Tax Manager

🎯 Role Definition

The Indirect Tax Manager is a critical leadership role responsible for overseeing all aspects of a company's indirect tax function, including compliance, planning, audit defense, and technology integration. This individual serves as the primary subject matter expert on sales and use tax, Value Added Tax (VAT), Goods and Services Tax (GST), and other transaction-based taxes. They ensure the company adheres to complex, multi-jurisdictional tax laws while strategically minimizing tax liabilities and risk. This role requires a blend of deep technical tax knowledge, strong leadership capabilities, and the ability to collaborate effectively across various business units, including finance, legal, IT, and supply chain.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Senior Indirect Tax Accountant / Analyst
Tax Senior (Public Accounting - SALT/VAT specialization)
Senior Accountant with significant tax compliance exposure

Advancement To:

Senior Indirect Tax Manager
Director of Indirect Tax
Head of Global Indirect Tax

Lateral Moves:

Tax Technology Manager
Tax Controversy Manager
Treasury or Corporate Finance Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Manage the complete, end-to-end indirect tax compliance process, ensuring the accurate and timely preparation, review, and filing of sales & use, VAT, GST, and other transaction tax returns across all applicable domestic and international jurisdictions.
Lead and mentor a team of indirect tax professionals, providing guidance, training, and performance management to foster a high-performing and collaborative team environment.
Serve as the primary point of contact for and manage all indirect tax audits initiated by federal, state, local, and foreign tax authorities, from initial information requests to negotiating settlements.
Proactively research, analyze, and interpret complex indirect tax laws, regulations, and court rulings to determine their impact on the company's operations and ensure ongoing compliance.
Develop and implement strategic tax planning initiatives to minimize indirect tax liabilities, optimize cash flow, and support the company's overall business objectives.
Oversee the maintenance and configuration of indirect tax engines and software (e.g., Vertex, Avalara, OneSource), ensuring accurate tax calculation and reporting across all sales channels and systems.
Partner with the IT and business systems teams to implement and test system changes, enhancements, and new functionalities related to indirect tax calculation and compliance.
Conduct comprehensive nexus studies and taxability research to support business expansion into new markets, new product launches, and changes in business operations.
Manage the process for obtaining and maintaining valid exemption and resale certificates, and ensure the company's systems properly document and apply exempt transactions.
Review and reconcile general ledger tax accounts, prepare journal entries, and provide necessary documentation to support month-end and year-end financial closing processes.
Act as the key internal advisor on indirect tax matters, providing expert guidance to various departments such as Sales, Procurement, Legal, and Supply Chain on the tax implications of their activities.
Develop, document, and enforce robust internal controls and process documentation for all indirect tax functions to ensure SOX compliance and mitigate risk.
Manage relationships with external tax advisors, consultants, and software vendors to leverage their expertise and ensure the company receives high-quality service.
Monitor legislative and regulatory changes in the indirect tax landscape globally and communicate potential impacts and necessary actions to senior leadership.
Lead special projects related to indirect tax, including M&A due diligence, integration of acquired entities, and legal entity restructuring.
Drive process improvement and automation initiatives within the tax department to enhance efficiency, reduce manual effort, and improve the accuracy of tax data.
Provide indirect tax support for contract negotiations, reviewing tax clauses in customer and vendor agreements to protect the company's interests.
Oversee the management of tax notices and correspondence from various jurisdictions, ensuring timely resolution and response.
Develop and deliver training on indirect tax concepts and processes to non-tax personnel throughout the organization to increase awareness and compliance.
Prepare and analyze key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics for the indirect tax function to report on performance and identify areas for improvement.
Manage the indirect tax budget, including forecasting costs for compliance, technology, and external advisory services.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc indirect tax projects and exploratory data analysis to identify potential risks, opportunities, and trends.
Contribute to the development and implementation of the global tax department's long-term strategy and technology roadmap.
Collaborate with business units, such as E-commerce and Logistics, to translate new business initiatives into clear and actionable indirect tax requirements.
Participate in cross-functional projects and agile teams, representing the indirect tax function to ensure tax considerations are embedded from the start.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Indirect Tax Compliance: Expert-level knowledge of U.S. sales & use tax, VAT, and GST principles, compliance, and reporting.
Tax Research & Analysis: Proficiency in using tax research platforms like CCH, BNA, Thomson Reuters Checkpoint, and interpreting complex tax laws and regulations.
Tax Technology & Automation: Hands-on experience with tax engines and compliance software such as Vertex, Avalara, OneSource, or similar systems.
ERP Systems: Strong understanding of financial modules within major ERP systems (e.g., SAP, Oracle, NetSuite) and how they integrate with tax systems.
Audit Defense & Management: Proven experience successfully managing and defending indirect tax audits from start to finish.
Accounting & Reconciliation: Solid accounting skills, including the ability to manage and reconcile tax-related general ledger accounts.
Advanced Data Analytics: Proficiency in using tools like Microsoft Excel (Pivot Tables, VLOOKUP, Power Query) and Alteryx for data manipulation and analysis.

Soft Skills

Leadership & Team Development: Ability to lead, mentor, and develop a team of tax professionals, fostering a positive and productive work environment.
Strategic & Critical Thinking: Capacity to think strategically about tax implications while analyzing details with a critical eye to ensure accuracy.
Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex tax concepts to non-tax stakeholders.
Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a proactive approach to identifying and resolving issues.
Project Management: Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
Business Acumen: A keen understanding of business operations and the ability to align tax strategies with broader company goals.
Negotiation & Influence: Skill in negotiating with tax authorities and influencing internal stakeholders to adopt best practices.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education:

Master's Degree in Taxation (MST), Accounting (MAcc), or a Juris Doctor (JD) with an LLM in Taxation.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Accounting
Finance
Business Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5-8 years of progressive experience in indirect tax, with a mix of public accounting and corporate industry experience highly valued.

Preferred:

CPA (Certified Public Accountant) or CMI (Certified Member of the Institute for Professionals in Taxation) designation is strongly preferred.
Experience managing a team or acting in a lead capacity.