Head of Tax

Lambda•San Jose, CA

12h•$274,000 - $365,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Lambda is hiring a Head of Tax to own the company’s global tax strategy, risk profile, operating model, and multi-year roadmap as the business grows its AI cloud infrastructure. The role partners with the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, Legal, Treasury, Infrastructure, Accounting, and other executives, translating complex tax matters into clear business choices and recommendations. The Head of Tax owns ASC 740 and the quarterly and annual tax provision, including forecasts, effective tax rate analysis, deferred tax accounting, valuation allowances, uncertain tax positions, disclosures, and management review controls. The role directs outsourced federal, state, and international income tax compliance; leads tax audits and controversy, including the current IRS examination; and oversees IRC Section 382 ownership change analyses associated with significant equity financings. The position leads tax analysis for financings, entity structures, contracts, data center development, acquisitions, leases, equipment procurement, and other material business decisions. It also leads tax work for international data center and market launches, establishing legal entity structures and scalable intercompany policies and processes. The Head of Tax partners with the indirect tax leader on sales and use tax, property tax, VAT, incentives, audits, and related controls. The role defines tax requirements for finance transformation systems, establishes documented controls and data ownership, manages external advisers, and leads and develops a lean tax team. It is hands-on: the Head of Tax personally leads high-risk or ambiguous matters, reviews detailed work and technical conclusions, steps into execution gaps, and builds repeatable processes while delegating with clear accountability. The position requires presence at Lambda’s San Francisco, San Jose, or Bellevue location four days per week. The designated work-from-home day is currently Tuesday.

Requirements

Approximately 12 or more years of progressively responsible corporate tax experience.
Meaningful in-house tax leadership experience in a complex, rapidly changing business.
Deep command of ASC 740 and demonstrated ability to own a provision process, assess uncertain positions, and communicate judgments to senior finance leadership and auditors.
Strong federal corporate tax and international tax foundations.
Practical experience across transactions, tax attributes, controversy, and multi-state matters.
Experience directing external advisers and outsourced compliance while maintaining internal control, documentation, and decision ownership.
Ability to move between strategy and execution, including reviewing detailed work, drafting or shaping technical positions, and driving cross-functional projects to completion.
Ability to explain complex issues clearly, make recommendations, and identify matters requiring escalation.
Track record of building teams, prioritizing limited resources, and creating durable processes in a rapidly changing environment.
Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, taxation, or a related field.
Ability to work in person at the San Francisco, San Jose, or Bellevue location four days per week.

Nice To Haves

CPA, JD, MST, or comparable advanced qualification.
Experience in technology, cloud infrastructure, data centers, energy-intensive operations, equipment leasing, or another capital-intensive and internationally expanding business.
Experience with international structuring, transfer pricing, withholding, VAT or GST, customs, and foreign legal entity implementation.
Experience with project finance, special purpose entities, debt structures, and large fixed asset investments.
Experience with state and local tax incentives, property tax, and sales and use tax issues associated with construction and equipment deployment.
Experience with pre-IPO readiness, public-company controls, or SEC reporting environments; direct IPO experience is not required.
Experience with tax technology, ERP reporting, procure-to-pay, billing, or fixed asset system implementation.
Prior IPO experience.

Responsibilities

Own Lambda's global tax strategy, risk profile, operating model, and multi-year roadmap, aligned with growth, capital structure, and infrastructure deployment plans.
Advise the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Accounting Officer, and other executives on material tax exposures, alternatives, and recommended actions.
Establish governance for Tax involvement in contracts, financings, entity formation, site selection, acquisitions, compensation decisions, and other significant events.
Maintain visibility into tax risks, open decisions, cash tax opportunities, deadlines, and resource constraints.
Own ASC 740, including quarterly and annual provision processes, forecasts, effective tax rate analysis, deferred tax accounting, valuation allowances, uncertain tax positions, disclosures, and management review controls.
Direct outsourced federal, state, and international income tax compliance and maintain consistency among filing positions, provision conclusions, and legal entity data.
Lead tax audits and controversy, including the current IRS examination, information document requests, position development, settlement authority, and coordination with Legal and advisers.
Oversee IRC Section 382 ownership change analyses for significant equity financings and ensure resulting limitations are reflected in tax attributes, compliance, and financial reporting.
Lead tax analysis for project financings, special purpose entities, debt and equity structures, intercompany arrangements, major customer and vendor contracts, and data center development projects.
Provide technical guidance on unusual arrangements, including leases under IRC Section 467, asset acquisitions and purchase price allocations under IRC Section 1060, executive compensation, and other material one-time matters.
Integrate tax considerations into land acquisitions, leased data centers, construction, power arrangements, equipment procurement, and deployment decisions.
Partner with the indirect tax leader on sales and use tax, property tax, VAT, exemptions, incentives, audits, and controls to preserve approved benefits.
Lead tax work for new foreign data centers and market launches, covering legal entity structure, permanent establishment, transfer pricing, withholding, VAT or GST, customs, financing, repatriation, and local compliance.
Establish scalable intercompany policies, agreements, invoicing, and data flows with Accounting and the Head of Consolidations.
Own international matters directly during the initial transition and assess the timing, scope, and level of an international tax deputy as the portfolio and team stabilize.
Define tax requirements for finance transformation initiatives, including Coupa, fixed asset systems, ERP reporting, billing, tax engines, and legal entity reporting.
Build documented controls, data ownership, and review evidence suitable for a fast-growing company preparing for public-company expectations.
Set scopes, budgets, service levels, and accountability for external advisers while retaining management ownership of facts, judgments, and decisions.
Lead, coach, and develop a lean team; clarify roles across provision and income tax, indirect tax, international tax, and operations; and identify interim support and hiring needs.
Personally lead high-risk or ambiguous matters until the issue, workplan, and ownership model are stable.
Review and challenge calculations, workpapers, contracts, models, returns, memoranda, and adviser conclusions to support informed management decisions.
Translate technical tax questions into clear business choices for executives and cross-functional partners.
Step into execution gaps during close cycles, audits, transactions, system implementations, and international launches while developing repeatable processes.
Delegate with clear decision rights, remain accountable for results, and develop the team.