Head of Tax

About the role

This Head of Tax position involves taking ownership of Alpaca's entire global tax function. The role encompasses developing and implementing tax strategy, ensuring compliance with U.S. federal, state, and international tax laws, and managing all tax reporting obligations. A key aspect of the work will be overseeing the annual and interim tax provisions under U.S. GAAP and ASC 740, alongside developing and maintaining internal controls and documentation for an audit-ready organization.

The role requires a proactive approach to tax planning, including legal entity structuring, transfer pricing policies, and assessing tax risks associated with global operations. Collaboration is essential, as this individual will partner with finance, legal, treasury, and product teams to provide tax guidance on contracts, new products, and operational decisions. Success in this position means effectively managing external tax advisors while building internal tax capabilities to support the company's expanding global footprint.

The ideal candidate will also support M&A activities, including due diligence and post-acquisition integration, and manage interactions with tax authorities. Monitoring legislative and regulatory tax developments is crucial for advising leadership on potential impacts. This position is suited for someone who can navigate complex tax matters in a fast-paced, high-growth environment, ensuring tax efficiency and compliance across multiple jurisdictions.

The salary for this position ranges from $128,000 to $212,000 USD.

Skills that matter here

• ASC 740: This role requires ownership of the annual and interim tax provision process under U.S. GAAP, including deferred taxes and valuation allowances.
• Tax compliance: The Head of Tax will manage U.S. federal, state, and international income tax compliance, as well as indirect tax and withholding obligations.
• Internal controls: Developing and maintaining global tax compliance calendars, internal controls, and policies for an audit-ready organization is a key responsibility.
• Transfer pricing: This position involves developing, maintaining, and implementing transfer pricing policies and intercompany agreements across international entities.
• International tax: The role requires significant experience managing international tax matters and foreign entity compliance, including assessing risks from global operations.
• Leadership: This individual will lead the global tax function, manage external tax advisors, and build and develop internal tax capabilities.

Who this role suits

• A person with 8-10+ years of tax experience, ideally combining public accounting and in-house corporate tax roles.
• Someone with strong analytical and project management skills, capable of prioritizing multiple complex workstreams with exceptional attention to detail.
• An individual who can communicate complex tax matters clearly to non-tax stakeholders and senior leadership.
• A hands-on and collaborative professional who thrives in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.

From the employer

Key Responsibilities

• Own the company’s global tax function, including tax strategy, governance, risk management, compliance, reporting, and planning.
• Manage U.S. federal, state, and international income tax compliance, including foreign reporting requirements and coordination of local-country filings.
• Oversee indirect tax and withholding obligations, including sales and use tax, VAT/GST, and cross-border withholding taxes.
• Own the annual and interim tax provision under U.S. GAAP and ASC 740, including deferred taxes, valuation allowances, uncertain tax positions, and related financial statement disclosures.
• Develop and maintain a global tax compliance calendar, internal controls, policies, and supporting documentation appropriate for a scaling, audit-ready organization.
• Lead tax planning related to legal entity structuring, capitalization, intercompany arrangements, repatriation, and expansion into new markets.
• Develop and maintain transfer pricing policies, intercompany agreements, documentation, and implementation across the company’s international entities.
• Assess permanent establishment, nexus, tax residency, and other risks arising from the company’s global operations and workforce.
• Partner with Finance, Legal, Treasury, Product, and business operations teams to provide tax guidance on contracts, new products, regulated financial-services activities, and operational decisions.
• Support M&A tax due diligence, transaction structuring, purchase accounting, and post-acquisition integration.
• Manage tax authority inquiries, examinations, notices, and disputes, ensuring timely resolution and appropriate remediation.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory tax developments and communicate their potential financial, operational, and strategic impact to leadership.
• Lead tax forecasting and cash-tax planning in coordination with FP&A and Treasury.
• Oversee tax residency certificates, treaty-relief documentation, and related filings, including Forms 8802 and 6166.
• Manage external tax advisors, including scope, budget, deliverables, and service quality, while developing scalable internal tax capabilities.
• Identify and implement opportunities to improve tax efficiency, controls, data quality, processes, and automation.
• Build and develop the internal tax function as the company’s needs and global footprint continue to expand.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; CPA and/or Master’s in Taxation strongly preferred.
• 8-10+ years of relevant tax experience, ideally combining public accounting and in-house corporate tax experience.
• Strong knowledge of U.S. federal and state taxation, with meaningful experience managing international tax matters and foreign entity compliance.
• Strong knowledge of ASC 740 and demonstrated experience owning the tax provision process, including deferred taxes, valuation allowances, uncertain tax positions, and financial statement disclosures.
• Experience overseeing tax matters across multiple legal entities and jurisdictions.
• Experience with transfer pricing, intercompany arrangements, indirect taxes, withholding taxes, and international expansion.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement scalable tax policies, processes, and internal controls.
• Experience managing external tax advisors, audits, tax authority matters, and competing filing deadlines.
• Strong analytical and project-management skills, with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to prioritize multiple complex workstreams.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to explain complex tax matters clearly to non-tax stakeholders and senior leadership.
• A hands-on, collaborative approach and the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
• Experience within a multinational fintech, financial-services, brokerage, or digital-assets business is strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting M&A transactions and post-acquisition integration is preferred.
• Public-company, pre-IPO, or SOX-readiness experience is a plus.

How We Take Care of You

• Competitive Salary & Stock Options
• Health Benefits
• New Hire Home-Office Setup: One-time USD $500
• Monthly Stipend: USD $150 per month via a Brex Card.