Position: Accounts Payable Tax Specialist

Work Level: Individual Contributor

Industry Type: Banking

Job Summary:

We are seeking a highly Self Motivated and Result Driven Accounts Payable Tax Specialist to ensure stringent tax compliance within the Vendor Payments function of our Banking institution. This individual contributor role requires deep technical knowledge of Indian Taxation, specifically GST and Direct Taxation (TDS). The specialist will be crucial in monitoring regulatory adherence, supporting the timely submission of returns, managing the performance of outsourced service providers, and performing essential GLAO account certifications related to Accounts Payable.

Job Description:

Tax Compliance and Regulatory Monitoring:

- Function as the primary subject matter expert for monitoring and ensuring strict adherence to Goods and Services Tax (GST) and Tax Deducted at Source (TDS) regulatory compliances associated with all vendor payments and procurement cycles.

- Perform periodic technical audits and validations of the Accounts Payable system configurations to ensure accurate calculation, deduction, and remittance of all Indirect Taxation (GST) and Direct Tax (TDS) components on vendor invoices.

- Maintain expert-level knowledge of current and evolving Indian Taxation laws related to Transaction Taxation to proactively implement necessary process and system changes.

- Partner directly with the Corporate Tax team, providing accurate schedules, data, and technical support necessary for the timely and compliant submission of various regulatory tax returns.

AP Process Oversight and Service Management

- Actively monitor the performance of the Outsourced Service Provider (OSP) responsible for transactional Accounts Payable processing against agreed-upon Service Level Agreements (SLAs), focusing on quality, accuracy, and compliance metrics.

- Lead efforts to resolve complex tax-related queries, discrepancies, and notices from tax authorities or internal audit teams related to vendor payment processing.

- Utilize strong communication and Influencing skills to collaborate with internal procurement, legal, and business teams to ensure tax requirements are integrated into new vendor contracts and payment processes.

- Serve as a Responsive resource to support general vendor payments processing, as and when required, to ensure agreed-upon Turn Around Times (TAT) are consistently achieved.

Financial Controls and Reporting

- Take ownership of the certification process for General Ledger Account Ownership (GLAO) accounts directly related to Accounts Payable, ensuring accurate reconciliation, substantiation, and balance sheet integrity.

- Prepare and validate critical Management Information System (MIS) reports focused on tax liability, TDS deduction status, GST input credit eligibility, and overall AP performance and compliance health.

- Leverage analytical skills to prepare detailed analyses and schedules supporting both internal and external audits concerning vendor payment taxation and compliance.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

Experience: Mandatory experience in Accounts Payable operations, with a strong, specialized focus on tax compliance within a large enterprise or the Banking sector.

Taxation Expertise: Expert knowledge of Indian Taxation, specifically GST (Indirect Taxation) and TDS (Direct Taxation), and their application to vendor transactions.

Process Focus: Proven experience monitoring compliance and service delivery within an Outsourced Service Provider environment.

Financial Controls: Experience performing GLAO account certifications or detailed general ledger reconciliation related to AP control accounts.

Core Skills: Highly Self Motivated and Result Driven with the ability to build effective Work Relationships and be Responsive to urgent compliance needs.

Education: Mandatory Postgraduate or Master's degree in Finance, Accounting, or a related field (e.g., M.Com, MBA Finance).

Preferred Skills:

- ERP Systems: Hands-on experience working with tax configurations within a major ERP system (e.g., SAP, Oracle Financials) for Accounts Payable.

- Tax Software: Familiarity with tax compliance software and tools used for filing GST and TDS returns.

- Regulatory Reporting: Direct experience contributing data and schedules for complex regulatory submissions related to banking taxation.

- Automation: Exposure to automating tax compliance checks or invoice processing workflows within the AP cycle.