Manager, Tax

The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) is a global partnership to make palm oil sustainable. Today, the RSPO is a global, non-profit organisation with over 6,000 voluntary members across 104 countries and territories, representing every link in the supply chain: oil palm producers, palm oil processors and traders, consumer goods manufacturers, retailers, banks and investors, environmental or nature conservation non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and social or developmental NGOs.

At RSPO, we believe that our success is built by the passion, dedication, skills, and expertise of our people. They are the ones who drive our organisation to new heights and guide us through the next phase of our development.

The Manager, Tax is responsible for managing and coordinating all direct and indirect tax compliance, reporting, and planning activities across the company's global operations, including Malaysia, Switzerland, Indonesia, Colombia, the United States, China, and other jurisdictions as required. This role ensures accurate and timely tax submissions, adherence to international tax regulations, and effective support for cross-functional business units on tax-related matters.

The location of this role is Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

KEY ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Duties include but will not be limited to the following:

Tax Compliance & Reporting

• Manage end-to-end preparation and submission of corporate income tax returns for all assigned jurisdictions.
• Oversee indirect tax filings such as eInvoice, self-billing, VAT, GST, SST and other transaction-based taxes.
• Oversee applicable withholding tax compliances.
• Ensure timely and accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual tax reporting requirements.
• Maintain compliance with local tax laws, regulations, and filing deadlines in Malaysia, Switzerland, Indonesia, Colombia, the U.S., China, and other countries as needed.
• Coordinate with external tax advisors and auditors to ensure compliance and resolve complex tax matters.

Tax Planning & Advisory

• Provide tax guidance on operating structure, cross-border structuring, and transfer pricing implications.
• Support tax-efficient operational structuring to optimise global tax positions.
• Review contracts, intercompany arrangements, and operating models for tax exposure and risk mitigation.

Transfer Pricing

• Support preparation and maintenance of transfer pricing documentation.
• Collaborate with finance and operations teams to ensure intercompany charges align with OECD and local regulations.

Compliance & Risk Management

• Identify potential tax risks and implement internal controls to mitigate compliance and reporting issues.
• Establish reliable processes for timely and accurate tax reporting.
• Develop, implement and maintain a centralised tax compliance policy and procedures.
• Stay abreast of tax laws and regulations across all jurisdictions in which RSPO has a tax presence.
• Provide timely internal training and updates on changes to tax obligations and developments.

Audit & Regulatory Support

• Lead and manage tax audits, inquiries, and reviews by local tax authorities.
• Prepare documentation and responses to support the oranisation's tax positions.
• Liaise with external auditors during year end financial audits.

Process Improvements & Automation

• Streamline tax workflows and reduce manual effort.
• Promote best practices and continuous improvement across the tax function.

Leadership & Management

• Lead, train and develop the Tax team to ensure high productivity and accuracy.
• Allocate tasks and oversee the workload distribution for the Tax team.
• Conduct performance evaluations and support staff development.
• Act as the main point of contact for escalated Tax issues.

Apart from the duties stated above, to perform any such duties reasonably assigned.

THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Taxation, or related field; preferably with professional qualification as a qualified accountant

Experience

• At least 8 years of relevant tax experience, ideally in multinational environment or Big 4 firm.
• Strong working knowledge of corporate tax, VAT/GST, transfer pricing, and international tax principles.
• Experience handling tax matters in multiple jurisdictions (particularly the ones listed) is highly preferred.

Technical and Professional Knowledge

• Strong tax knowledge.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Clear communication and stakeholder management abilities.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS

• Adaptability to navigate evolving tax environments and regulatory changes.
• Strategic and analytical mindset.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• High attention to detail and commitment to data accuracy.
• Ability to work under tight deadlines and manage multiple priorities.
• Commitment to governance and compliance excellence.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and interact with different stakeholders
• Ability to prioritise tasks, detail oriented and good organisational skills.
• High integrity and a good team player