Senior Manager, Tax (Head of Tax)

Harness•San Francisco, CA

5d•Hybrid

About The Position

This is Harness's first in-house tax hire. Reporting to the VP Corporate Controller, you will own the global tax function from day one — and you will own it operationally. This is a hands-on, execution-heavy role. You will prepare and review tax provisions, manage VAT and sales tax filings, review local and municipal returns, coordinate external advisors, support M&A diligence, and maintain transfer pricing documentation — while simultaneously building the processes and controls that will carry Harness through its IPO. We are looking for a tax professional who is genuinely energized by doing the work — someone equally comfortable preparing an ASC 740 provision, reviewing a VAT filing, or digging into a county tax obligation as they are advising the CFO on tax strategy. If you are looking for a role where others execute and you direct, this is not the right fit. The ideal candidate is a high-performing tax professional with strong Big 4 roots who is ready to step into full ownership of an in-house function — or a current in-house tax manager who wants broader scope, more complexity, and the opportunity to build something from scratch.

Requirements

7–10 years of tax experience with a strong Big 4 foundation; in-house corporate tax experience a plus but not required for the right candidate
Genuinely hands-on — you have personally prepared or directly reviewed tax provisions, filed or reviewed sales tax returns, managed VAT compliance, and worked through local tax obligations
Solid technical grounding in ASC 740 income tax accounting; exposure to FIN 48 and uncertain tax positions
Working knowledge of US federal, state, and local income tax; sales and use tax compliance; and international tax fundamentals
Exposure to transfer pricing concepts — you do not need to have authored a full TP study, but you understand intercompany pricing principles and documentation requirements
Experience reviewing tax due diligence materials or supporting M&A transactions from a tax perspective
Comfortable managing external advisors and reviewing their work critically, not deferring to it
A genuine builder mentality — motivated by the absence of existing processes, not deterred by it
Strong communication skills across all levels — comfortable presenting to the CFO and working alongside payroll coordinators in the same week
CPA required

Nice To Haves

MST or advanced tax degree a meaningful plus
SaaS, technology, or high-growth startup experience strongly preferred
Familiarity with NetSuite, Anrok, or similar tools a plus

Responsibilities

Prepare and review the consolidated global income tax provision (ASC 740) across all entities
Own the US federal, state, local, and municipal tax compliance calendar; coordinate with external preparers as needed
Coordinate international income tax compliance across India, Israel, Argentina, the UK, and the EU; review all externally prepared returns before filing
Document and assess uncertain tax positions (ASC 740-10 / FIN 48) with supporting workpapers
Review and manage VAT filings across all international jurisdictions in coordination with local advisors
Own US sales and use tax compliance — filings, nexus tracking, exemption certificates, and automation opportunities
Maintain a complete indirect tax compliance calendar; proactively identify exposure and optimization opportunities
Maintain transfer pricing studies, contemporaneous documentation, and intercompany pricing policies across the global entity structure
Manage external transfer pricing advisors; review deliverables and flag risks to the Controller
Monitor inter-company transactions for consistency with documented policies
Review tax diligence materials for M&A transactions; identify risks and prepare written findings for the Controller and CFO
Support post-acquisition integration including compliance catch-up, entity rationalization, and intercompany alignment across Harness's 12+ completed acquisitions
Serve as the primary liaison for all external tax advisors across all jurisdictions — Big 4, regional firms, and local country advisors
Direct, coordinate, and critically review all externally prepared work product; manage the advisory budget and hold advisors to timeline and quality standards
Identify domestic and international tax planning opportunities including R&D credits, nexus strategy, and treaty positions
Support IPO tax workstreams: S-1 disclosures, ETR modeling, and audit coordination
Build SOX-ready tax controls and processes; monitor legislative changes and provide proactive impact analysis