The posting
THE ROLE
As the first Global Head of Tax, you will own tax across the group. You will lead the internal Tax function, set the group's tax strategy and risk appetite, and become the person the C-suite, the board, lenders, auditors and tax authorities deal with on tax.
This is a builder's role in a high-growth business, based in New York. You will be in the room when we choose how to enter a new country, how to price a new product and how to fund a new entity. You will also close out the historical items a young function accumulates, put in place the controls and reporting a large multinational needs, and turn a capable team into a function that scales.
This role reports to the COO / CFO and works cross-functionally with finance, treasury, product and market teams as the internal expert on tax across the group. In your first year, you will agree the target structure and ETR with the CFO and CEO, own the US return and the TP project, and put historical corrections on a single closing plan.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Own Group Tax Strategy & Structure: Own the group's tax position: how our c.20 entities fit together, where profit and substance sit, and US international tax planning (GILTI, interest limitation, elections). Deliver a structure we can defend to any authority and an effective tax rate and cash-tax forecast the CFO and board can rely on, with tax budget and adviser spend under control.
- Lead US Tax: Own our US tax affairs: the consolidated federal return, state obligations across c.50 money-transmitter licences (nexus, apportionment, information reporting), our position on transaction taxes, and the relationship with the IRS and state authorities. Deliver a clean, on-time compliance record through outsourced advisors, building in-house capacity where necessary.
- Enable Market & Product Launches: Own tax for every new market we enter, product we ship and business we acquire. Give launch teams a clear tax decision early (entry vehicle, capitalisation, registrations, withholding, VAT, permanent establishment), diligence and integrate acquisitions, and make sure nothing is corrected after the fact that could have been right from day one.
- Run Compliance, Controls & Reporting: Own tax compliance and reporting across every jurisdiction and every tax: corporate tax, VAT/GST, withholding and employment taxes, provisioning under IFRS and US GAAP, and the audit relationship on tax. Keep complete visibility of obligations, close historical corrections, and build a function that would pass IPO-level scrutiny on controls, documentation, Pillar Two and the diligence pack.
- Manage Indirect & Operational Taxes: Own VAT and GST in a financial-services business, employment taxes, share schemes and global mobility, and customer tax reporting (CRS 2.0, US information reporting). Minimise VAT leakage, keep place-of-supply positions on partner agreements sound, set clear employment-tax and mobility policy as the team spreads across six hubs, and scope reporting obligations before products go live.
- Build & Lead the Tax Team: Own the in-house tax team, hiring plans and the adviser panel. Set clear goals, put advisers on defined scopes and budgets with a deliberate split between in-house and outsourced work, and integrate tax into decision-making across the business so colleagues get the input they need when they need it.
- Be the Face of Tax: Act as the main point of contact on tax for the C-suite, the board, lenders, auditors and tax authorities, giving non-specialists a clear decision with conditions, in days, and defending it later.
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
- Senior In-House Tax Leadership: 12+ years in tax, including time as either the #1 or #2 in-house tax owner in a multinational. You have led qualified tax professionals and external advisers across time zones.
- US Federal & State Tax Depth: Deep US federal and state corporate tax knowledge as applicable to a global US-headquartered fintech. You know what the key levers of tax effectiveness are for a business like ours.
- International Tax for a US-Headquartered Group: Hands-on experience choosing entry vehicles and incorporating new launches in a way that is tax effective for the overall group.
- Licensed Financial Services Experience: Experience in payments, remittances, e-money, banking or another licensed financial-services business.
- Qualifications: CPA. UK CTA/ACA with strong US experience also considered.
- Decisive Communication: The ability to give non-specialists a clear decision with conditions, in days, and to defend it later.
- Strongly Preferred: VAT on financial services in the EU, UK or Gulf; pre-IPO or listed-company experience (provisioning under IFRS and US GAAP, SOX-style controls, Pillar Two); tax due diligence and post-deal integration; tax technology and automation; experience with tax authorities in the US, EU and the Gulf.
WHO YOU ARE
- Ownership-Driven – You move things forward without being chased and tell people what you need.
- Sound Under Uncertainty – You take positions on incomplete facts and know which ones to revisit.
- Mission-Driven – Passionate about fintech-for-good and making a real difference in people's lives.
- A Builder – You would rather design the process once than repeat the fix.
- Curious About the Business – You want to understand corridors, partners and products, not only the returns.
About Us
We’re building the world’s leading cross-border fintech for emerging markets - empowering families, fuelling local economies, and changing how millions access financial services.
Since our launch in 2019, we have transformed how money moves across borders with our operations spanning 6 out of 7 continents and covering both the busiest and most underserved (remittance) corridors. We tapped into a massive shift - from banks to phones - bringing digital finance to places where traditional systems never reached. The next stage of growth will fuel a network of services and products especially designed to make money more accessible to diaspora communities including local cards, and additional savings and payments features.
We’re growing fast, backed by world-class investors, and scaling a product that blends real world impact with cutting edge fintech innovation.
Here’s a little more:
- Founded by Harvard grads and 3-time founders who previously built Segovia (acquired) and GiveDirectly (>$300M revenue, fastest-growing NGO in the world)
- Backed by top investors including Spark Capital, Canaan, Reid Hoffman, Breyer Capital, Unbound, Wamda, and more
- Built by global top performers from Bain, Google, McKinsey, Uber, Checkout, Bolt, and beyond - we move fast, stay humble, and care deeply about our mission
- Truly global team - 250+ people, 50+ nationalities, 50+ languages
- Guided by our values - ownership, impact, humility, and heart - in deed, not just word
TAPTAP VALUES https://www.taptapsend.com/our-values
Impact first
Team next
Accept reality
Propose solutions
Win with grit
Be proactively candid, with yourself and others
Love the particular
Own it
Create positive energy
Maybe, even have fun
Taptap Send is an equal opportunity employer dedicated to building an inclusive and diverse workforce. All employment decisions are decided on the basis of qualifications, experience and business need. We strongly encourage applications who are members of underrepresented communities to apply.
If you require reasonable adjustments to be made during the recruitment process, please do not hesitate to let us know. Any information you provide us in this respect will only be used to accommodate your requirements.
Note: we recognize imposter syndrome is real - any candidate that does not perfectly fit every characteristic of this role is still strongly encouraged to apply.
