Senior Manager – Taxation

Position Overview:

ZEISS India is seeking a dynamic and experienced Senior Manager – Tax to lead and manage the entire spectrum of Direct and Indirect Taxation for its diversified operations. The role will be pivotal in ensuring tax compliance, managing tax audits and litigations, leading transfer pricing strategies, and driving digital transformation across tax functions. The ideal candidate should possess strong technical expertise in Indian taxation laws, a global mindset, and an ability to collaborate across functions and geographies.

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.

Candidate Profile:

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.

Why Join ZEISS?

At ZEISS, we combine a legacy of innovation and excellence with a future-focused mindset. With operations across manufacturing, digital services, and global exports, ZEISS India offers the unique opportunity to work in a multi-entity, cross-border, and high-impact environment. This role is a critical enabler of our compliance and business growth strategy and offers visibility to global finance and leadership teams.