Head of Tax

Perplexity•San Francisco, CA

21d

About The Position

Perplexity is looking for an experienced tax leader to join our team revolutionizing the way people search and interact with the internet. This will be our first dedicated in-house tax hire, reporting directly to the Controller, and the role will own all direct and indirect tax matters across the company. The Finance and Accounting team at Perplexity is playing a critical role in defining and driving strategic and financial processes across the company and is looking for a technically skilled, business-minded leader who can build the tax function from the ground up in a fast-paced environment. You will work closely with the Controller and cross-functional partners in Legal, Strategic Finance, Engineering, and People to develop and execute a comprehensive tax strategy that supports Perplexity's rapid growth and global expansion. This is a high-impact role and is critical for ensuring compliance, optimizing our tax position, and enabling informed decision-making as the company scales.

Requirements

10+ years of progressive tax experience, including a combination of public accounting (Big 4 preferred) and in-house experience at a high-growth technology company.
Deep technical knowledge of ASC 740, federal and state income tax, international tax, transfer pricing, and indirect tax (sales & use tax, VAT/GST).
Proven experience building or significantly scaling a tax function, ideally at a pre-IPO or recently public technology company.
A builder mindset with a track record of designing automated, reliable, and scalable processes in a fast-moving environment.
Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to translate complex tax concepts for non-tax stakeholders and advise executive leadership with confidence.
Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills with meticulous attention to detail.
CPA required; Master's in Taxation preferred.

Nice To Haves

Experience in AI, SaaS, or digital products is a strong plus.

Responsibilities

Own and lead all aspects of the tax function at Perplexity, including direct tax (federal, state, and international income tax) and indirect tax (sales & use tax, VAT/GST, digital services taxes).
Build the tax function from the ground up: establish processes, policies, internal controls, and systems to support a scalable and efficient tax operation.
Prepare/oversee the preparation of annual income tax provisions (ASC 740), including current and deferred tax calculations, effective tax rate analysis, and related disclosures.
Manage and oversee the preparation and timely filing of all federal, state, local, and international tax returns and information filings.
Monitor and manage sales tax nexus, VAT/GST registration obligations, and indirect tax compliance across all applicable jurisdictions. Oversee the work of our international VAT services firm and continue to drive automation to increase accuracy and efficiency.
Serve as the primary tax advisor to leadership on the tax implications of strategic transactions, new product launches, business initiatives, M&A activity, and equity compensation programs.
Manage relationships with external tax advisors, auditors, and taxing authorities; lead and coordinate tax audits, notices, and examinations.
Partner cross-functionally with Legal, Finance, Strategic Finance, People, Engineering, and Product teams to ensure proper tax treatment across the business.
Monitor legislative and regulatory developments and proactively assess their impact on the company; advise leadership on the appropriate course of action.
Support the audit preparation process including technical memo writing, compiling supporting documentation, and delivering requests in a timely manner.