SVP, Senior Tax Counsel

Synchrony•Town of Draper, WI

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

Synchrony Financial is seeking a Senior Vice President (SVP) – Senior Tax Counsel to lead General Tax Planning, M&A Tax, International Tax, Transfer Pricing, Tax Audits, and Information Reporting and Withholding. This role involves significant input into tax strategy, recommending and implementing tax strategies to support operational objectives and optimize the Company’s tax position. The position is based in a Synchrony hybrid location and requires a strong business acumen and the ability to manage enterprise risk. The SVP will lead tax discussions with senior management and key business leaders, addressing tax benefits, risks, and the interplay between operational decisions and business strategy. The role emphasizes providing real-time tax analysis and deal structuring advice for major client and vendor agreements, collaborating on tax implications of new products and regulatory requirements, and offering tax legal support on US Federal, State, Local, and Global Taxation matters. This includes M&A Tax Planning, Business Restructuring, Transfer Pricing, U.S. International rules, and Information Reporting & Withholding. The position requires partnering with Legal, Finance, Treasury, and other departments to execute transactions, implement tax strategies, minimize risks, and employ best practices. Key responsibilities include enterprise tax strategy, effective tax rate planning, reporting to the CFO and Audit Committee, managing relationships with outside law firms and advisors (including PwC IST), providing tax legal advice on technical matters, ensuring proper tax accounting and financial reporting, evaluating financial accounting implications of uncertain tax positions, supervising outside counsel for tax opinions, managing tax controversies and audits, and monitoring tax legislation to advise management on business impacts. The role also involves developing and implementing strategic tax initiatives and maintaining regulatory awareness.

Requirements

JD (or equivalent degree or certification), LL.M. in Taxation preferred
15+ years of tax experience in a major law firm, accounting firm, or multinational company.
Broad based knowledge of US tax rules (domestic and international).
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities in a complex, fast paced environment.
Demonstrated ability to communicate complex tax issues, opportunities and risk to non-tax experts in a clear and concise manner.
Active learner and critical thinker with strong problem solving, organizational and time management skills.
Leadership experience with senior management interaction and cross functional partnering.
Ability and flexibility to travel for business as required
You must be 18 years or older
You must have a high school diploma or equivalent
You must be willing to take a drug test, submit to a background investigation and submit fingerprints as part of the onboarding process
You must be able to satisfy the requirements of Section 19 of the Federal Deposit Insurance Act.
Legal authorization to work in the U.S. is required.
We will not sponsor individuals for employment visas, now or in the future, for this job opening.

Nice To Haves

Experience operating at a strategic level as part of a senior leadership team.
Demonstrated leadership skills and ability to lead virtual teams and advisors.
Financial Services and/or Consumer Finance industry experience.
Readiness for occasional travel, including global travel as required.
Large corporate experience and/or Big 4 accounting background preferred, including potential National Tax Office experience.

Responsibilities

Engage directly with business partners, cross functional teams as well as external advisers to provide real time tax analysis and deal structuring advice during negotiation of major client and vendor agreements.
Collaborate with business partners on tax implications of new products, vendor relationships and emerging regulatory requirements.
Provide tax legal support and advise cross functional teams on US Federal, State and Local and Global Taxation matters including M&A Tax Planning, Business Restructuring, Transfer Pricing, U.S. International rules and Information Reporting & Withholding.
Partner with key contacts in Legal, Business Platforms, Finance, Treasury, Business Development, Strategic Investments, and Operations to execute transactions, identify and implement tax planning strategies, minimize potential tax risks, and employ best practices.
Enterprise tax strategy, effective tax rate planning and regular updates to the CFO and Audit Committee on tax strategy, emerging tax risks, audit/controversy status and tax legislative developments.
Manage relationships with outside law firms and advisors regarding planning, return preparation, and audits, with emphasis on managing relationship with PwC IST in the tax planning and advisory realm.
Provide tax legal advice on technical questions including, but not limited to Banking, M&A, Federal Accounting Methods, State & Local Tax Matters, and International Tax Matters.
Ensure that tax planning initiatives are properly recorded for tax accounting and financial reporting purposes.
Evaluate the financial accounting implications of uncertain tax positions and recommend appropriate FIN 48 and FAS 5 reserves.
Supervise outside counsel and external advisers with respect to tax opinions or tax memoranda.
Tax controversy strategy and manage Federal, State and International Tax Audits and correspondence with federal, state and foreign tax authorities, partnering with outside law firms and PwC.
Monitor and analyze existing and proposed tax legislation and advise management on tax changes that will impact the business.
Develop and implement strategic tax initiatives to advance organizational priorities on federal/state tax policy.
Maintain regulatory awareness, drive compliance and support regulatory initiatives.
Perform other duties and/or special projects as assigned.