Description:
Reporting directly to the Head of Taxes & Customs Affairs in the country, the jobholder is responsible for leveraging tax risks of Bayer and affiliated companies in Pakistan through litigation and tax risk management.
The job holder ascertains compliance with tax laws and regulations, specifically by supporting local tax audits in the Country and reviewing the business transactions from tax perspective while minimizing the net present value of tax cash out of the local Bayer legal entities. The job holder has to constructively deal with the resolution of tax cases pending for all legal entities in Pakistan, at various appellate forums.
YOUR TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Strategic Tax Planning:
- Optimize the direct tax position of the local Bayer legal entities while complying with local tax rules and international tax treaties. By that the job holder has to compile data to apply for timely renewal of exemption certificates for advance and withholding taxes collected from Bayer at source.
- Optimize the tax position of Bayer group companies undertaking transactions in Pakistan by obtaining exemption certificates in respect of payments to Bayer group companies, where possible.
2. Audit Defense and litigation support:
- Prepare replies to tax queries and coordinate tax audits conducted by tax authorities.
- Perform cost benefit analysis and thereafter file appeals related to tax assessments.
- Prepare updated tax positions in respect of pending assessments and make provisions, where appropriate, in the books of accounts.
- Monitor progress of tax cases in close coordination with external counsel.
3. Tax Lobbying:
- Provide the Head of Taxes & Customs Affairs with information and expertise with regard to the interpretation of tax law, new legislation as well as its potential impact on Bayer's business.
- Escalate and attempt redressal of unfavorable tax law changes on relevant forums.
- Establish effective relationship with tax administrations in the country while promoting Bayer’s image of tax compliant company at the same time.
- Participate and serve as an active contributor to the taxation committee meetings of business forums such as OICCI, PBC, ABC etc.
4. Tax Risk Management:
- Review business agreements from tax perspective and provide feedback to the Head of Taxes.
- Report significant tax risks and issues in Tax-Pre-Close reporting (Bayer Group module) quarterly.
- Perform periodic follow ups with tax authorities on pending refunds and exemptions.
5. People & Mindset:
- Foster Inclusion & collaboration; act as “One Tax Community”
- Inspire and motivate other team members.
- Engage in life-long learning and foster experimentation.
6. Provide support in implementation of Bayer Group guidelines, policies, and directives in the local country/country group as far as taxation matters are concerned.
7. Contribute local expertise to Transfer Pricing matters related to the country/country group.
8. Where external advisors/auditors are involved, support and steer the external party in his/her work.
- Provide assistance to the Head of Taxes on other tax issues as and when required.
All the above tasks and responsibilities have to be conducted in coordination with the Head of Taxes and/or BAG-TX-INTX.
WHO YOU ARE:
- Tax and accounting specialist university degree in taxation, law, business administration, or comparable degree.
- Minimum 03 years of professional experience in tax, preferable in industrial environment.
- Very well-developed networking skills to obtain updated information regarding industry specific issues, trends and practices in the market.
- Excellent knowledge about tax laws, markets, government and regulatory framework, local regulations and good understanding of international tax rules and transfer pricing practices and policies.
- Knowledge and understanding of the economic and business environment.
- Experienced in a multi-disciplinary project and corresponding change management.
- Analytical skills, structured approach, proactive and self-motivated.
- Team spirit, good communication, and constructive facilitation skills.
- Experience in motivating and influencing others in a diverse, cross functional organization.
- Communications strategy and messaging skills with the ability to build long term partnerships with internal management & staff.
- Well-developed level (“strong”) of the following competencies: Managing Complexity, Courage, Collaboration.
- Ability to develop and motivate talent.
- IT systems oriented, with an excellent knowledge of SAP / BW environments.