Associate Counsel - Tax

Vanguard; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Vanguard’s Office of the General Counsel seeks a tax attorney with strong technical and interpersonal skills to join the tax advisory team. The role provides advice on a broad range of matters for our global asset management business and collaborates with professionals across the enterprise.

The attorney will support finance, investment management, strategy, and international divisions. Five or more years of relevant experience, J.D., and bar admission are required.

Qualifications

• Ability to analyze complex tax laws and regulations
• Excellent judgment and negotiation skills
• Ability to summarize implications in clear, actionable language
• Capacity to balance business and legal needs across multiple projects

Responsibilities

• Advise business leaders on tax matters to ensure compliance with laws and regulations
• Collaborate with internal clients and OGC colleagues on new projects
• Represent the organization in significant legal proceedings before authorities
• Maintain expertise in tax law and industry developments
• Direct and manage outside counsel work
• Participate in special projects as needed

Skills

Tax analysis

Counseling

Negotiation

Relationship management

Clear communication

Project management

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Job description

Vanguard is a leading provider of financial products and services to individual and institutional investors world-wide. It is also an employer of choice that continually invests in the growth, development, and success of its employees over the long-term. Vanguard’s Office of the General Counsel (the “OGC”) includes more than 600 “crewmembers” across more than a dozen specialties, who together address a wide range of complex and compelling legal issues for Vanguard’s expanding global business.

The OGC is seeking a tax attorney with strong technical and interpersonal skills to join its tax advisory team. This attorney will provide advice on a broad range of matters for our global asset management business and collaborate actively with other attorneys throughout the OGC and other professionals throughout the enterprise. Specifically, this role will advise various groups across Vanguard, including the finance, investment management, strategy, and international divisions. The position offers substantial opportunity for long-term growth.

Responsibilities:

• Provides business leaders with legal advice on tax matters to ensure their products, strategies, activities, policies, business practices, and transactions comply with all relevant laws and regulations.
• Partner with internal clients and OGC colleagues to maintain awareness of, and ensure appropriate advice is provided to, new projects and initiatives across the company.
• Represent the organization in complex and significant legal proceedings before government agencies, courts, or other authorities.
• Maintain a high level of expertise in tax law, Vanguard’s business, and the investment industry. Stays abreast of industry, regulatory and legislative developments affecting Vanguard, and maintain affiliations with relevant industry associations and peers.
• Directs and manages the work being performed by outside counsel.
• Participates in special projects and performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Five or more years of relevant professional experience as an attorney
• Excellent judgment, counseling, and negotiation skills, coupled with highly effective relationship management
• Ability to analyze complex tax laws and regulations and to communicate relevant implications in clear, actionable language
• Ability to balance business and legal needs and manage multiple projects
• Experience with public and private investment funds, complex financial products and transactions, and international tax matters are a plus, though adjacent specialists and strong generalist tax practitioners will also be considered
• Excellent undergraduate and law school academic credentials
• J.D. from an accredited law school and current bar admission

Candidates must share Vanguard’s core values, including unmatched ethical standards and client service, strong work ethic, and can-do attitude. Candidates must foster a team environment by building collaborative, trusting relationships with others through effective communication, empathy and respect, and advancing the development and success of others.

Candidates must be skilled at successfully collaborating and communicating with, enabling, working through, and influencing legal colleagues and business clients at all levels, including senior management.

Special Factors

Sponsorship

Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position.

About Vanguard

At Vanguard, we don't just have a mission—we're on a mission.

To work for the long-term financial wellbeing of our clients. To lead through product and services that transform our clients' lives. To learn and develop our skills as individuals and as a team. From Malvern to Melbourne, our mission drives us forward and inspires us to be our best.

How We Work

Vanguard has implemented a hybrid working model for the majority of our crew members, designed to capture the benefits of enhanced flexibility while enabling in-person learning, collaboration, and connection. We believe our mission-driven and highly collaborative culture is a critical enabler to support long-term client outcomes and enrich the employee experience.