Senior Manager – Taxation

ZEISS in India

ZEISS in India is headquartered in Bengaluru and present in the fields of Industrial Quality Solutions, Research Microscopy Solutions, Medical Technology, Vision Care and Sports & Cine Optics.

ZEISS India has 3 production facilities, R&D center, Global IT services and about 40 Sales & Service offices in almost all Tier I and Tier II cities in India. With 2200+ employees and continued investments over 25 years in India, ZEISS’ success story in India is continuing at a rapid pace. 

Further information at ZEISS India.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Direct Taxation:

• Ensure end-to-end compliance with Indian Income Tax laws, including corporate tax, TDS, advance tax, transfer pricing and withholding tax provisions.
• Manage tax audits, assessments, and appeals for ZEISS entities in India.
• Liaise with external advisors and government authorities on complex direct tax matters.
• Lead quarterly and annual tax provision processes and support statutory audit requirements.
• Monitor and interpret new legislation or regulatory changes and assess their impact.

2. Indirect Taxation:

• Ensure accurate and timely filing of GST returns (Monthly / Quarterly / Yearly ) and manage GST audits and reconciliations.
• Oversee customs duty, import/export procedures, SEZ/EOU/STPI compliances, and refunds.
• Manage input tax credit utilization and cross-charging mechanisms within ZEISS entities and Jobwork procedure
• Handle classification, valuation (including Customs SVB), and rate determination for goods and services.
• Expert in DGFT (Foreign Trade Policy) – Obtain Restricted Goods license / Advance Authorization, EPCG and SCOMET license and permissions

3. Transfer Pricing & International Tax:

• Lead transfer pricing documentation, benchmarking of services and audits for transactions between ZEISS India and global affiliates.
• Implement and monitor intercompany pricing policies, profit allocation mechanisms, and BEPS compliance.
• Support APA/MAP/SAFE harbour negotiations if required.

4. Tax Litigation & Representation:

• Lead all tax litigation matters—draft responses, represent ZEISS India before appellate authorities and collaborate with legal counsel.
• Maintain a centralized repository of ongoing litigation and risk status, and report to senior management.

5. Strategic Projects & Tax Planning:

• Identify tax-efficient structures for business initiatives including manufacturing expansion, digital exports, cross-border services, and global capability center operations.
• Support mergers, acquisitions, or corporate restructuring initiatives from a tax standpoint.

6. Digital Transformation & Process Optimization:

• Lead automation and digitization of tax processes in collaboration with IT and finance transformation teams.
• Leverage SAP and tax tech tools for improving accuracy, reporting, and analytics.
• Drive process simplification, compliance dashboards, and early risk alerts through digital means.

Qualifications:

• Chartered Accountant (CA) or equivalent with strong academic background.
• Additional certifications in taxation or international tax law (preferred).

Experience:

• 10–15 years of post-qualification experience in tax roles, preferably in a multinational manufacturing or global services environment.
• Hands-on experience in handling large-scale tax audits, transfer pricing, and litigation.

Skills & Competencies:

• Deep expertise in Indian Direct and Indirect Tax laws, GST, Customs, FTP, Transfer Pricing.
• Strong legal interpretation and drafting skills.
• Experience in ERP systems, especially SAP, and tax tools like GSTN portal, TRACES, etc.
• Excellent analytical, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to operate with high integrity and work cross-functionally with internal and global teams.
• Strong leadership and communication skills to manage a team and coordinate tax matters globally.

Your ZEISS Recruiting Team: