Franklin Templeton - Fund Tax Manager

The FUND TAX MANAGER manages the ongoing operations of the local tax team and is responsible for the workflow management, final review and sign off of various tax work papers, calculations and other deliverables from the Global Fund Tax Department. FUND TAX MANAGER is also responsible for implementing Global Fund Tax's established objectives and commitments. This position reports to Director / Sr. Manager.

The FUND TAX MANAGER manages the implementation of internal tax policies and procedures, including ongoing fund compliance and investor tax reporting, ensuring that the Global Fund Tax Department meets its ongoing commitments to key clients and business partners including Portfolio Management, Product Development, the Transfer Agent, the Legal Department, Marketing and other colleagues within the funds- administrator.

The FUND TAX MANAGER leads the local Fund Tax Department team members to ensure work is progressing and deliverables are met. The FUND TAX MANAGER works closely with managers in other business units (e.g. GFAR, Fund Accounting, Investment Operations, etc.) to ensure that departmental issues are resolved and objectives are met.

Where appropriate, the FUND TAX MANAGER is responsible for the training and development of less experienced staff and for the monitoring of the control environment in which the Fund Tax Department operates.

Departmental Management - 

- Manage the ongoing resources, workloads and commitments of the local team, utilizing staffing from a matrix reporting structure

- Work with less experienced staff to ensure that they are adequately trained on responsibilities and expectations

- Provide coaching and mentoring to less experienced staff to position them for future growth

- Conduct performance appraisals for staff, including assessing and developing professional development objectives, periodic monitoring of progress, and year-end performance assessments

- Provide performance feedback on all staff members to Senior Manager/ Director and provide recommendations for promotions or performance management

- Participate as requested in long-term departmental planning

- Implement Global Fund Tax's established objectives and commitments and ensure the staff is positioned to provide support, as needed

- Liaise with HR on recruitment and people issues. Conduct interviews and ensure that issues are addressed efficiently and policy and procedures are adhere to.

Other Responsibilities

- Collaborate with other managers across FTS on both ongoing responsibilities and special projects. Establish and maintain effective working relationships and promote consistent and best practices across the businesses and locations

- Where applicable, ensure appropriate controls are executed to manage outsourced service providers (e.g. external PFIC analysts, external fund administrators, etc.) so as to meet key objectives

- Work with key clients and business partners (e.g. other FTS business units, Global Fund Tax groups, etc.) to ensure that both ongoing needs and ad hoc requests are met in a timely and appropriate manner and with attention to high quality standards

- Support Senior Manager in planning for business continuity events and participating in BC drills.

- Lead or participate in cross-site projects

Tax Compliance:

- Perform detailed review of TIC, Tax Returns, Tax work papers, calculations, and other compliance

- Ensure that tax compliance and other deliverables, including fund disclosures, are met in a timely manner As needed, perform detailed reviews and/or preparation of complex tax calculations for the funds and/or their investors

- Provide status updates on deliverables to Senior Manager/ Director on regular basis and act as a point of contact for escalated issues and communicate resolutions

- Escalate proactively any issue affecting deliverables or SLA to Senior Manager/ Director so that corrective action can be taken.

- Provide overall planning and direction of the department by reviewing and developing procedures and scheduling work within the workgroups

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

(Years of experience is not applicable for European jobs)

- An undergraduate degree in accounting, taxation or in a related field (e.g. Business Administration) with a substantial concentration in tax and equivalent work experience is required.

- 7 or more years of significant tax experience in a public accounting firm or in an industry position, with exposure to the issues of the taxation of investment funds, securities and other financial instruments and transactions is required.

- At least 3 years of departmental management and supervisory experience

LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS

- Certification as an attorney (e.g. member of applicable bar), as a public accountant (e.g. CA / CPA), or a similar local tax, accountancy or legal qualification is required.

ADDITIONAL DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

- An advanced degree in law (e.g. JD), in taxation (e.g. MS in tax) or in a related field (e.g. MBS / MS in accounting / etc.) with a substantial concentration in tax and equivalent work experience would be viewed favorably.

- Experience with financial instruments, including complex debt instruments and derivatives, and formal training thereto would be viewed favorably.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

- Solid managerial skills with an ability to manage multiple activities, resources, projects and responsibilities in a fast paced environment.

- Solid project management skills so as to ensure that tax projects are achieved in a timely manner.

- Solid to Advanced tax and legal technical research, analysis and writing skills so as to be able to analyze and document applicable tax issues, considerations and recommendations related to various tax issues or situations, with a demonstrated ability to present such tax issues in a succinct and understandable manner to departmental management and key business partners.

- Ability to collaborate with colleagues both internal and external to the department such that key deadlines and commitments are achieved appropriately.

- Ability to manage staff in a matrix reporting environment.

- Must have excellent oral and written English communication skills

PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING

- The FUND TAX MANAGER is required to to ensure the funds maintain compliance with applicable laws and regulations, both from the funds- perspective and an investor tax reporting perspective. To that end, the FUND TAX MANAGER must interact with key business partners to ensure that appropriate tax calculations and requirements are met. FUND TAX MANAGER will ensure that appropriate support is dedicated in the execution of established strategic tax policies for the funds.

- The FUND TAX MANAGER will interact with both staff and upper management in the Global Fund Tax Department. Additionally, the FUND TAX MANAGER will work closely with manager level colleagues across FTS.

- The FUND TAX MANAGER may also provide input into budgetary discussions and is responsible for monitoring adherence to applicably allocated budgets.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

(Not applicable for European jobs)

- An ability to work in an office environment, including sitting for extended periods of time and work on a computer for extended periods of time, is required.

- Ability to articulate information to both internal and external customers in a manner that is clear and easily understood

- Ability to maintain a professional image

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY

- The FUND TAX MANAGER may supervise multiple supervisory and/or staff level individuals and is required to provide applicable feedback, coaching, guidance and other requirements so as to ensure that the local team is working effectively.

- Ensure that staff performance issues are resolved and appropriate feedback is provided

- Supervise/manages nonexempt and exempt staff; makes hire, recommend termination and promotion of staff.

DESIRED LEADERSHIP SKILLS

- The FUND TAX MANAGER leads the local Fund Tax Department and must be able to provide direct guidance, feedback and leadership to the local staff members. FUND TAX MANAGER must be able to manage staff in a matrix reporting environment, where resources are shared amongst the team. FUND TAX MANAGER is also responsible for the assessment of short-term and longer-term professional development needs of their staff and to help position the staff with development opportunities.