Taxation -Manager

Key Responsibilities

1. Direct Tax (DT)

• Manage direct tax compliance, including advance tax calculations, tax payments, and preparation and filing of income tax returns.
• Ensure compliance with TDS/TCS provisions, including timely deductions, deposits, return filings, and reconciliation.
• Handle income tax assessments, notices, scrutiny cases, and related submissions.
• Review tax computations, provisions, reconciliations, and financial statement disclosures.
• Support tax planning initiatives to optimize the organization's tax position while ensuring compliance with applicable laws.
• Monitor changes in income tax regulations and assess their impact on business operations.

2. Indirect Tax (IDT)

• Manage GST compliance, including GSTR-1, GSTR-3B, annual returns, and other applicable GST filings.
• Review GST reconciliations between books of accounts, GST returns, e-invoices, and e-way bills.
• Monitor input tax credit (ITC) eligibility, reconciliations, reversals, and credit utilization.
• Ensure compliance with GST provisions relating to registrations, invoicing, credit notes, debit notes, and related-party transactions.
• Handle GST notices, departmental queries, assessments, investigations, and refund applications.
• Coordinate with business, procurement, sales, and finance teams to resolve GST-related issues.
• Identify opportunities to improve indirect tax compliance and minimize tax exposure.

3. Tax Audit & Statutory Audit

• Coordinate tax audits under applicable provisions of the Income-tax Act and support the preparation of tax audit reports.
• Liaise with internal auditors, statutory auditors, tax consultants, and external audit teams.
• Prepare audit schedules, reconciliations, supporting documents, and tax-related working papers.
• Ensure timely closure of audit observations and implementation of corrective actions.
• Review tax provisions, contingent liabilities, reconciliations, and disclosures for financial reporting.
• Maintain proper documentation and audit trails for all tax-related transactions.

4. Tax Litigation & Assessments

• Manage direct and indirect tax litigation, including income tax and GST notices, show-cause notices, demands, and appeals.
• Prepare and review responses to notices, submissions, supporting documents, and appeal papers.
• Coordinate with external tax consultants, advocates, and chartered accountants for assessments, hearings, and appellate proceedings.
• Track litigation status, deadlines, disputed tax demands, interest, penalties, and associated financial exposure.
• Maintain a centralized litigation tracker and provide periodic updates to senior management.
• Evaluate tax risks and recommend appropriate corrective actions, representations, and dispute-resolution strategies.

5. MIS, Reporting & Stakeholder Management

• Prepare periodic tax compliance reports, litigation updates, and tax-risk assessments for management.
• Maintain a compliance calendar to ensure timely completion of tax payments, returns, assessments, and audit requirements.
• Reconcile tax balances with the general ledger and financial records.
• Coordinate with finance, accounts, legal, internal audit, and business teams to resolve tax-related matters.
• Develop and strengthen internal controls, standard operating procedures, and documentation processes.
• Monitor amendments in tax laws and communicate relevant updates to stakeholders.

Qualifications & Experience

• Qualified Chartered Accountant (CA) preferred; candidates with CA Inter or other relevant qualifications may be considered based on experience.
• 58 years of relevant experience in taxation, preferably in a corporate or manufacturing/FMCG environment.
• Strong hands-on experience in Direct Tax, GST, tax audits, assessments, and litigation.
• Experience working with tax consultants, auditors, and tax authorities.
• Proficiency in MS Excel, ERP/accounting systems, and tax compliance portals.

Key Competencies

• Strong knowledge of Direct Tax and GST laws.
• Analytical, reconciliation, and problem-solving skills.
• Good understanding of tax assessments, litigation, and regulatory compliance.
• Strong documentation, communication, and stakeholder-management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and work independently.
• High attention to detail, integrity, and accountability.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Timely and accurate filing of tax returns and payment of statutory dues.
• Accuracy of tax computations, reconciliations, and financial reporting.
• Timely closure of audit observations and tax notices.
• Effective management of litigation deadlines and tax disputes.
• Reduction of tax exposure, interest, penalties, and compliance risks.
• Timely submission of tax MIS and management reports.