Head of Tax

Indigo is a company dedicated to harnessing nature to help farmers sustainably feed the planet. With a vision of creating a world where farming is an economically desirable and accessible profession, Indigo works alongside its growers to apply natural approaches, conserve resources for future generations, and grow healthy food for all. Utilizing beneficial plant microbes to improve crop health and productivity, Indigo’s portfolio is focused on cotton, wheat, barley, corn, soybeans, and rice. The company, founded by Flagship Pioneering, is headquartered in Boston, MA, with additional offices in Memphis, TN, Research Triangle Park, NC, Sydney, Australia, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and São Paulo, Brazil. www.indigoag.com

Responsibilities:

The Tax Director will provide tax thought leadership and oversight for the firm’s global tax activities. Working in partnership with internal and external partners, the Tax Director will be responsible for domestic and international tax planning, tax returns, tax provision, tax audit, tax advice, tax compliance, sales and use/property tax, transaction taxes, and any other tax issues that arise. Additional activities include FBAR reporting, legal structure determination, country taxation and transfer pricing issues, cash repatriation tax analysis, and ongoing support of existing tax structures, including international IP structures. This role will report to the Vice President, Treasury & Risk Management and will be based in the firm’s Boston headquarters.

Establish and maintain all tax relationships

• Manage a variety of consultants on relevant tax issues for exceptional delivery and efficiency
• Work with external providers on tax research and develop recommendations to identify risks and opportunities
• Become the primary point of contact to internal stakeholders on all tax-related issues; become a trusted business advisor

Partner cross-functionally with Legal, Accounting, and Business

• Implement tax planning strategies including Accounting, Treasury, Legal and other process changes required
• Communicate to the board, if necessary, highly technical concepts in a comprehensible manner

Keep up-to-date on current tax procedures and changes in tax regulations/laws

• Coordinate and supervise the preparation of federal and state tax returns
• Review tax returns and associated workpapers prepared by external partners
• Respond to IRS and state tax audit requests including tax notices and manage tax audits
• Ensure that income tax return process, documentation and related systems are in compliance with Sarbanes Oxley internal control requirements
• Review and manage R&D tax credits, local/state tax credits, etc. as applicable

Complete Indigo’s quarterly and annual footnotes and disclosures

• Manage and review the preparation of the consolidated tax provision
• Create transfer pricing proofs on a quarterly basis
• Own and maintain the legal entity org chart to ensure proper tax filings

Understand the current tax strategy for International tax planning

• Outline the appropriate timing for identification and implementation for long-term geographic principle to ensure Indigo is minimizing long-term tax implications
• Ensure Indigo is tax compliant across all geographies, including tax filings and statutory filings
• Minimize corporate tax globally through use of tax laws and regulations, organization’s compliance with all international, federal, state, local and applicable foreign tax laws and regulations

Competencies:

• Strong attention to detail
• Strategic thinker
• Excellent collaborator, can work well cross-functionally
• Understands implication of tax law changes on Indigo’s tax position
• Familiar with state/local/country tax risks and can identify them in advance
• Understands and puts in place the operational outcomes of tax planning; can see the big picture
• Able to manage external vendors and related budget
• Can simplify tax issues when communicating with a non-tax audience including the Board
• Ability to work independently and be self-directed
• Strong oral and written communication skills; strong project management skills
• Willingness to do what it takes to get the job done; strong work ethic
• Ability to be flexible in a fast-paced, complex environment
• Sense of urgency and ability to meet deadlines

Qualifications:

• 15+ years of relevant tax experience
• JD/LLM preferred
• CPA preferred
• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Accounting or Tax preferred
• Willingness to travel, if necessary
• Strong technical knowledge of US federal, state and local tax laws and regulations
• Strong tax technical, analytical, and problem-solving skills
• Experience with both U.S. and international corporate taxes
• A combination of corporate tax leadership experience coupled with public accounting tax experience
• Strong broad knowledge of tax issues: tax provision, compliance, tax returns, tax planning, etc.
• Experience with international IP tax planning