Director of Tax

Trading Technologies Limited; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 160,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Trading Technologies in Chicago is seeking a Director of Tax to own the global tax function end to end—provision, reporting, compliance, planning, and structure. This is a hands-on leadership role, not an oversight seat, with one direct report and a network of external advisors across jurisdictions.

You will navigate a multi-entity international structure and a SaaS revenue model with complex indirect tax exposure, M&A activity, and private‑equity ownership, shaping strategy and driving

Qualifications

• CPA and/or advanced tax degree required.
• 15+ years of progressive corporate tax experience.
• Experience in multinational in-house tax function.
• Hands-on ASC 740 expertise with provision ownership.

Responsibilities

• Own quarterly and annual income tax provision under ASC 740.
• Prepare tax disclosures and liaise with external auditors.
• Manage global tax compliance across U.S. and international jurisdictions.
• Oversee transfer pricing and country-by-country reporting.
• Lead tax due diligence on M&A and integration.
• Partner with Legal, FP&A and Revenue to align tax to business decisions.

Skills

CPA

Advanced tax degree

15+ years tax experience

ASC 740 expertise

Transfer pricing

Indirect tax for SaaS

M&A tax

External advisors management

Education

Advanced tax degree or CPA

Tools

NetSuite

Avalara

Tax provision software

Job description

Skills, Knowledge And Expertise

Department: Finance

Location: Chicago

Compensation: $160,000 - $200,000 / year

Description

Trading Technologies is a global capital markets technology company operating across the U.S., EMEA and APAC. We are looking for a Director of Tax to own the global tax function end to end — provision and reporting, compliance, planning, and structure. This is a hands‑on leadership role, not an oversight seat. You will be the company’s in‑house tax authority: setting strategy, managing one direct report, and directing a network of external advisors across multiple jurisdictions. You will own the answer, and you will often be the person who builds it. The work spans a multi‑entity international structure, a SaaS revenue model with complex indirect tax exposure, an active M&A agenda, and private‑equity ownership. We are looking for someone with strong technical judgment, the initiative to get ahead of issues rather than react to them, and the pragmatism to decide with incomplete information. If you want breadth and ownership rather than a narrow specialty, this role is for you.

Key Responsibilities

Tax Provision & Reporting

• Own the quarterly and annual income tax provision under ASC 740 — current and deferred taxes, valuation allowances, uncertain tax positions, return-to-provision, and effective tax rate analysis and forecasting.
• Prepare tax disclosures for financial statements and lender reporting, and serve as the primary point of contact for external auditors on all tax matters.
• Maintain tax account reconciliations, provision-to-return true-ups, and supporting documentation that is complete and audit-ready.
• Build and maintain tax controls and process documentation aligned with the broader finance control environment.

Global Compliance & Controversy

• Own the global tax compliance calendar across U.S. federal, state and local, and international jurisdictions — ensuring accurate, timely filings and no missed obligations.
• Manage external advisors relationships: define scope, review deliverables, control fees, and hold providers to deadlines.
• Manage tax audits, notices, and inquiries end to end, developing positions and negotiating resolutions with taxing authorities.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory change across the jurisdictions where we operate and assess the impact on the company.

Transfer Pricing & International Structure

• Own the global transfer pricing framework — intercompany service, IP, and cost‑sharing arrangements — including policy design, annual documentation, local files, and country‑by‑country reporting.
• Calculate, book, and monitor intercompany charges and true‑ups; ensure legal agreements, invoicing, and actual cash movement are consistent with policy.
• Advise on international structure and cross‑border flows: entity rationalization, cash repatriation, withholding taxes, treaty positions, and permanent establishment risk from remote and travelling employees.
• Model and manage U.S. international tax positions (GILTI, FDII, BEAT, Subpart F, foreign tax credits) and their effect on the global effective tax rate and cash taxes.

M&A and Tax Planning

• Serve as the tax lead on M&A transactions from diligence through integration — identifying exposures, quantifying risk, and recommending deal structure and purchase agreement protections.
• Partner with Accounting on acquisition accounting for tax: opening deferred taxes, attribute carryover and limitations, and integration of acquired entities into the provision and compliance processes.
• Develop and execute the tax planning agenda — cash tax optimization, credits and incentives including R&D credits, legal entity structure, and post‑acquisition integration planning.
• Support executive leadership and sponsor stakeholders with modelling and analysis on structuring, financing, and transaction‑related tax considerations.

Indirect Tax & SaaS Nexus

• Own indirect tax globally — U.S. sales and use tax, VAT/GST, and digital services taxes — including registrations, filings, and reverse charge and place‑of‑supply determinations.
• Determine taxability and nexus for a multi‑jurisdiction SaaS and data business, spanning software, hosted services, data feeds, and professional services.
• Own tax engine and system configuration (e.g., Avalara or similar) in partnership with finance systems and revenue operations, ensuring correct rates and treatment at the point of invoicing in NetSuite.
• Manage exemption certificate processes, customer tax inquiries, voluntary disclosure agreements, and remediation of historical exposure.

Leadership & Cross‑Functional Partnership

• Manage and develop one direct report, building a function that scales through process and automation rather than headcount.
• Act as a strategic partner to Legal, FP&A, Accounting, Revenue Operations, People, and the business — bringing tax into decisions before they become tax problems.
• Translate complex tax positions into clear, decision‑ready recommendations for senior leadership and sponsor stakeholders.

Skills, Knowledge And Expertise

Essential Skills & Experience

• CPA and/or advanced tax degree required.
• 15+ years of progressive corporate tax experience, including meaningful time in a multinational in‑house tax function.
• A strong blend of public accounting and industry experience; Big 4 or large regional firm foundation preferred.
• Deep, hands‑on ASC 740 expertise — able to own the provision and defend it to auditors without outsourcing the judgment.
• Demonstrated ownership of transfer pricing and U.S. international tax in a multi‑entity global structure.
• Practical experience with indirect tax for software or SaaS: nexus, taxability, and multi‑jurisdiction compliance.
• Hands‑on M&A tax experience across diligence, structuring, and integration.
• Proven success managing external advisors and co‑sourced compliance — scoping work, controlling cost, and reviewing quality.

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Experience in a technology, SaaS, or financial technology company.
• Private equity or sponsor‑backed environment, including lender and Board reporting requirements.
• Experience with NetSuite, a tax engine such as Avalara, and tax provision software.
• Exposure to EMEA and APAC compliance regimes and multi‑currency consolidations.
• Familiarity with SOX or SOX‑adjacent internal controls frameworks.
• Excellent communicator — able to translate complex tax topics for non‑finance audiences and executive stakeholders.
• Highly organized, proactive, and comfortable operating in ambiguity with competing priorities.

Benefits