Indirect Tax Director

Business Unit:

Accounting

Industry:

No Industry

Overview

Houlihan Lokey, Inc. (NYSE:HLI) is a leading global investment bank recognized for delivering independent strategic and financial advice to corporations, financial sponsors, and governments. With uniquely deep industry expertise, broad international reach, and a partnership approach rooted in trust, the firm provides innovative, integrated solutions across mergers and acquisitions, capital solutions, financial restructuring, and financial and valuation advisory. Our unmatched transaction volumes provide differentiated, data-driven perspectives that help our clients achieve their most critical goals. To learn more about Houlihan Lokey, please visit HL.com.

Scope:

Reporting in to the Chief Accounting and Financial Officer - Europe, and the VP International Tax, you will be involved in a range of interesting responsibilities supporting the VAT and indirect tax policies and objectives of Houlihan Lokey across Europe and additional jurisdictions (including, but not limited to, the UK, France, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands, Italy, Australia, Switzerland, Sweden, Israel and Dubai).

The purpose of the role is to manage the VAT and indirect tax project lifecycles of compliance and reporting for a variety of international jurisdictions, and managing tax authority audits and advisory support to cross-functional teams. There is a great opportunity for the successful candidate to lead a review of the compliance processes in all jurisdictions and use this to deliver automated efficient processes that mirror best practice.  Given the scale of this business, there is ample room for involvement in interesting projects and skillset diversification by getting involved in new areas.

You will support both the Chief Accounting and Financial Officer - Europe, and the VP International Tax, who have responsibility for local/regional tax compliance, including line of business support, planning and special projects. You will be part of new project initiatives such as European group structuring and new acquisitions, as well as analysis of cross border transactions.  You will support the monitoring of tax-related legislative/regulatory developments and advise on tax risks.  Additionally, you will work closely with the global tax team in the US and Asia.

Responsibilities:

This role will include a healthy mix of compliance/reporting, advisory work, tax projects, process improvement and tax business partnering.

• Managing VAT and indirect tax matters; including review of compliance process, indirect tax calculations, new and existing tax projects as regards VAT and indirect tax considerations, and monitoring the impact of new tax legislation
• Liaising with overseas advisors across EMEA and HL finance team to ensure timely indirect tax compliance and reporting – support with preparation and / or review of international VAT returns (monthly / quarterly / annual adjustments – as relevant)
• Continuous improvement of compliance processes, increasing automation and efficiency and ensuring the processes continue to move in line with best practice
• Liaising with the business and the legal team to ensure the correct VAT position in engagement letters
• Ownership of VAT Governance and risks and controls (including for UK Senior Accounting Officer [SAO] and similar EMEA regimes), including recommendations for improvement
• Review of Partial Exemption Special Method (PESM), and associated VAT recoverability and input to strategy to minimise irrecoverable VAT where possible
• Awareness of new VAT technical advisory issues, VAT legislative developments, case law, and timely communication to stakeholders as regards potential application to Houlihan Lokey
• Making Tax Digital in UK, and also digital reporting in non-UK jurisdictions
• Anticipating changes in VAT reporting to Tax Authorities and move to real time VAT reporting in EMEA jurisdictions
• Uncertain tax positions (UTP) review in relation to VAT and indirect taxes
• Experience of drafting and implementing VAT Policies and Procedures
• Consideration of VAT in conjunction with local transfer pricing requirements
• Responding to ad hoc VAT and indirect tax queries from business lines
• Supporting Tax and Finance team colleagues with international projects and initiatives
• Maintaining good working relationships with tax authorities, and timely responses to any related tax authority VAT and indirect tax queries
• Supporting review of tax risks, controls and implementation of process improvements, in order to be SOX compliant

Required:

• UK and European VAT and Indirect tax technical specialist
• ACA/ACCA/CTA/CPA qualification
• 6+ years of experience in tax
• Accustomed to operating at Director level in an indirect tax compliance-led role
• Experience with Oracle systems
• Strong analytical, numeracy and literacy skills
• Experience of working in financial services
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• An enthusiastic team player
• Self-review, discipline and intellectual curiosity
• High and focused energy levels
• Big 4 or in-house tax experience
• Ability to look at the bigger picture tax issues and how they relate to the organisation in real commercial terms
• Able to plan, prioritise and manage own workload, and work accurately under pressure in order to meet deadlines
• Excellent attention to detail
• Proficient in the use of Excel and Outlook

Desired:

• Experience working with a complex and multinational organisation Knowledge of IFRS and US GAAP
• Exposure to international tax issues
• Innovative with the ability to develop efficiencies and generally improve processes, embracing opportunities for technology automation

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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