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JOB DESCRIPTION

Title: Tax Lead India

Scope: Market

Reports to: India CFO

Location: Mumbai, India

Terms & Conditions: Full time, local terms

If you are in the Unilever Ice Cream business or are considering working for the Unilever ice Cream business, you will work for the global, leading Ice Cream player with €8bn Turnover in 2023. The Ice Cream business is operating in a highly attractive category, as we are part of the 1 trillion snacking and refreshment industry, growing consistently at high pace. We have strong brands equities: 5 of the top 10 selling brands including Wall’s, Magnum, Ben &Jerry’s. We are investing to unlock the full growth potential of Ice Cream as a standalone entity, once we separate from Unilever, which is planned to happen by November 2025. Ice Cream has distinct characteristics from Unilever’s other operating businesses and the growth potential of Ice Cream will be better delivered under a different ownership structure.

We are committed to developing and nurturing talent within our Ice Cream company. You will have ample options for career growth and exploration, allowing you to explore roles and opportunities across the new organisation. Your career development will be a priority for us, and we are dedicated to supporting your growth journey within the new company.

We hope that you will want to build the new chapter of our Ice Cream history together with us.

ABOUT ICE CREAM: Life Tastes Better With Ice Cream

Unilever Ice Cream is the largest global Ice Cream Company in the world, with over 100 years of experience delivering a diverse range of indulgent, yet responsible, craft food experiences and treats delighting consumers. Committed to innovation, quality, and sustainability we have 35 brands, including 3 one billion Euro brands (Magnum, Wall’s, Ben & Jerry’s), a strong presence in over 60 countries, generating annual revenue of €8 billion. All brands are driven to transform moments into memories through indulgent yet responsibly made and marketed products. We have a well-developed strategy to deliver growth and value creation which is clear on where to play and how to win.

We turn the ordinary into the extraordinary by designing unique and innovative Ice Cream experiences that make life taste better, creating joyful experiences. In our Ice Cream business, we’re crafting the future through innovation and imaginative minds, creating unique products. We spark moments of happiness for people and within the communities where we operate. However, it is not as simple as it may seem. As Ice Cream makers we are serious about happiness. With warm hearts, we create the coolest products.

Ice Cream Finance: Leading for a winning, trusted and investible global ice cream market leader

This is your chance for a ‘once in a lifetime’ career experience, playing a part in the creation of a fully independent, new Ice Cream organisation...in what will be the Ultimate Pleasure Food company.

We are seizing this unique opportunity to reset the role of Ice Cream Finance. Together we will become the best and most admired finance team in the world, and we’ll do this by focusing on value creation, trailblazing future-fit financial processes and technology, and by becoming a training ground for financial craftmanship that will be the envy of everyone. 

Just imagine the benefits of working within a single category, where everyone and everything is laser-focused on the same goal, where there's opportunity to develop deep and wide understanding of the business economics and international ecosystem of a single category, and to translate that into value creation.

The role of Ice Cream Finance in this momentous moment is staggering, exciting, and yes...a little daunting, which is why we are looking for empowered and accountable decision makers who are keen to take on end-to-end responsibility; if you are a self-starter who identifies opportunities, takes initiative, and innovates to create value, who is proactive, resourceful and comfortable with challenge and uncertainty, you will thrive with us. In return, you will be rewarded with a rich finance role, no matter where you are in your career, and within an environment that’s both fulfilling and fun...after all, life tastes better with Ice Cream!   

Purpose

The Tax Director is responsible for all tax matters in India. Tax matters include meeting all statutory obligations for all taxes on time in all countries, meeting all reporting obligations and implementing local, regional and global tax initiatives in line with Global policy, instructions and guidelines, in order to create and protect tax value for IC

Key accountabilities

The Tax Lead has the following 4 key areas of responsibility conducted in line with Ice Cream Tax Principles:

Management of the local  tax function & relationshipsAdvice and support for the CFO, country finance leads & other business partnersCompliance with all tax obligations of the countries including but not limited to corporate tax, dividend withholding tax, GST, customs, other indirect taxes including pre GST era taxes, and withholding taxes on local and cross-border paymentsTax risk management and reporting

Management of the tax function & relationships

The Tax Lead will specifically be expected to leverage economies of scale where possible, through the Future of Tax transformation programme, which optimises the use of automated tax tools, pooling of resources and outsourcing. The Tax Director builds and maintains relationships with advisors in the region and relevant Unilever employees, in order to access high quality advice, operational excellence, accuracy and compliance with global policy.

Activities:

Organises the tax function of the countries including the trade-off between the use of in-house vs bought in resources, taking economies of scale into accountAddresses training / educational needs of internal resources, implementing the tax development and training agendaDevelops the peer network in the countriesParticipates in representation of IC in business and industry organisations

Advice and support

The Tax Lead gives advice and support concerning all tax aspects of business operations in the country, in order to optimise tax efficiency of business initiatives, create awareness of tax inefficiencies, realize compliance and provide high quality decision support.

Activities:

Business partners the CFO & team and legal boards advising on the tax impact of business strategy and decisions as well as day to day operations, including identifying fiscal incentives and opportunities; advice covers all taxes including, but not limited to, direct tax, indirect tax and employment taxesSupports regional projects (business models, supply chain, treasury, global contracts etc) by advising on the tax aspects thereof relevant to the countriesMonitors, supports and advises on transfer pricing issues in countries, working with the Global Transfer Pricing teams (related party transactions include purchases and sales of raw materials, semi-finished and finished goods; brand and technology royalties, centralised cost recovery inbound and outbound, R&D activities, shared services)Advises on cross-border tax issues (transfer pricing, withholding taxes, tax deductibility etc) relevant to the countryContributes actively to the Global Tax agenda and supports the implementation of the Global Tax Strategy .Analyses the impact of changes in relevant domestic and international taxation rulesEngages proactively with relevant industry and governmental bodies to make meaningful contributions to the development of tax policy/legislation

Compliance and Controversy

The Tax lead is responsible – with support from the country finance teams and the shared service Tax Data team – for the timely, accurate and complete delivery of tax compliance, in line with Global policy.

Activities :

Responsible for the delivery of tax compliance, including local management of outsource providers in conjunction with the global outsourcing steering committeeMonitors level of compliance and adequacy of tax controls in the countriesUnderstands implications of changes in tax laws on business operations in order to ensure accurate and timely tax complianceEnsures that adequate documentation / data is created and maintained for tax advisory and audit purposes, working with GBS Tax Data team as part of the Future of Tax transformationNegotiates audit settlements consistent with IC overall tax strategy and authority schedulesResponsible for tax litigation,Builds strong and co-operative relationships with tax authorities and governments, in line with the Global Tax PrinciplesLeads intelligence enquiries including on-site investigations

Risk Management, reporting & forecasting

The Tax lead is responsible for the proper assessments of current and future tax risks in India

Activities :

Monitors and manages items which may lead to uncertain tax provisions or exposures, and reports to senior management in countryProvides information to group tax, supports development of one year and quarterly forecast of the ETR and cash tax, as well as longer-term forecasts.Provides technical expertise to ensure accurate tax booking/accounting for IFRS and local GAAPOverall responsible for the accurate and timely tax reporting processes as part of IC recurring quarterly group accounting tax processes (including documentation as required by IC auditors)Responsible for tax reserves/provisionsInteracts with Internal and External Audit as requiredAccountable to IC audit committee on tax management

Skills

India tax qualified with 8+ years experience, covering compliance, advisory and reportingSubstantial international tax experienceExperience across corporate tax, indirect taxes, international tax, transfer pricingExcellent communication skills (written and oral)Strong ability to work in cross-functional teams

Education Qualifications

Chartered Accountant or Tax lawyer

Reporting Structure

The role will report to the India IC CFO and will be part of the India IC Finance Leadership Team.

ARE YOU EXCITED TO CRAFT THE ICE CREAM FUTURE?

Unilever embraces diversity and encourages applicants from all walks of life. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity. 

Interested candidates are invited to submit their resume and cover letter detailing their relevant experience and qualifications to Unilever's career portal.

We take pleasure seriously. Join the Ice Cream team now!