Tax Lead, Controversy

Shopify

10h

About The Position

The Tax Lead, Controversy manages the full lifecycle of corporate income tax audits, examinations, and disputes. This role connects tax authorities and external advisors with Shopify’s internal teams, protects the company’s tax positions, and provides leadership with visibility and advice during audits. It uses AI and automation to streamline audit workflows, synthesize financial data and tax documentation, and improve the speed and quality of audit responses.

The role owns the global tax controversy process and supports audit outcomes through documentation, defense files, strategic advice, and collaboration with tax and legal teams. It also provides leadership with current information about audit status, exposure, and reserve movements.

Requirements

• At least 7 years of relevant tax experience in a Big 4 firm, law firm, and/or multinational in-house tax department, with significant exposure to tax controversy and audit defense.
• Hands-on experience managing audits with the CRA, IRS, or comparable international tax authorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to make persuasive technical arguments to auditors and provide clear risk summaries to leadership.
• Strong project management instincts and comfort operating with limited processes in a fast-moving, high-growth environment.
• A data-forward mindset and ability to interpret tax calculations and models, using evidence to support positions.
• Ability to work independently with financial systems such as NetSuite, Oracle, and SAP.

Nice To Haves

• Professional designation such as CPA, CA, JD/LLM (Tax), or equivalent.
• Experience in technology, SaaS, payments, or high-growth commerce.
• Exposure to international tax matters, including MAP / competent authority, transfer pricing, permanent establishment, and cross-border transactions.
• Familiarity with tax provision and analytics tooling and a habit of automating tedious work.

Responsibilities

• Manage global income tax audits from initial notice through resolution, including information document requests, drafting responses, and managing timelines and deadlines.
• Build audit-ready documentation and defense files for tax positions.
• Develop and manage relationships with tax authorities, including the CRA, IRS, and international revenue agencies, and external advisors; serve as a primary point of contact during examinations.
• Advise on settlement strategy, appeals, competent authority / MAP proceedings, and voluntary disclosures where appropriate.
• Own the global controversy process, providing leadership with real-time visibility into audit status, exposure, and reserve movements.
• Partner with transfer pricing, tax planning, compliance, and legal teams to achieve the best outcomes from tax authority audits.
• Use AI and automation to streamline audit workflows and improve the speed and quality of audit responses.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: No Education Listed