Indirect Tax Manager

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI's technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.


Job Description:

Shield AI is seeking an experienced Indirect Tax Manager to join our growing Tax team. As Shield AI continues to expand its domestic and international operations, this role will be responsible for building and managing scalable indirect tax processes across the organization.

The Indirect Tax Manager will serve as the company's primary subject-matter expert for U.S. sales and use tax, property tax, and international VAT/GST matters. This individual will provide practical technical guidance to business partners, oversee compliance and audits, and lead process improvement and tax automation initiatives.

This is an individual-contributor role with significant functional ownership. The position will report to the Tax Director and partner closely with Accounting, Finance, Legal, Contracts, Procurement, Supply Chain, Accounts Payable, Billing, IT, and other business teams.

What you'll do:

• U.S. Sales and Use Tax
  
  • Own the company's U.S. sales and use tax function, including nexus analysis, taxability determinations, registrations, return filings, payments, and account reconciliations.
  • Review customer contracts, product offerings, invoicing arrangements, and new business activities to determine appropriate sales tax treatment.
  • Advise Accounts Payable team on use tax accruals, vendor-charged tax, exemption opportunities, and documentation requirements.
  • Manage exemption certificates and support the application of manufacturing, research and development, resale, and other available exemptions.
  • Oversee sales and use tax audits, notices, refund claims, voluntary disclosures, and other inquiries from taxing authorities.
  Property Tax
  • Oversee business personal property tax compliance, including annual renditions, assessments, payments, and reconciliations.
  • Partner with Accounting team and external service providers to ensure property tax filings are complete and accurate.
  • Review property tax assessments and identify opportunities for appeals, exemptions, abatements, and other savings.
  • Manage property tax audits and coordinate with external service providers and local taxing authorities.
  International Indirect Tax
  • Support VAT/GST compliance and advisory matters arising from the company's expanding international operations.
  • Coordinate with local finance teams and external advisors on VAT/GST registrations, returns, recoverability, invoicing requirements, and tax authority inquiries.
  • Advise on the indirect tax implications of cross-border sales, services, leases, intercompany transactions, and entry into new jurisdictions.
  • Support indirect tax due diligence and integration activities associated with acquisitions and other strategic transactions.
  Tax Technology, Processes, and Controls
  • Develop a roadmap to automate and scale the company's indirect tax function.
  • Evaluate and implement indirect tax technology solutions, including tax determination engines and compliance platforms.
  • Partner with IT, Accounting, Billing, and Procurement to integrate indirect tax requirements into the ERP system and other transaction systems.
  • Improve tax processes across the order-to-cash, procure-to-pay, and record-to-report cycles.
  • Establish and maintain taxability matrices, compliance calendars, standard operating procedures, controls, and audit-ready documentation.
  • Identify data gaps and process risks and develop sustainable solutions that improve accuracy and reduce manual work.
  • Manage external advisors and service providers.

Required qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Taxation, Business, or a related field.
• Five or more years of indirect tax experience in public accounting, industry, or a combination of both.
• Strong technical knowledge of U.S. multistate sales and use tax, including compliance, taxability research, exemptions, audits, and controversy.
• Experience with business personal property tax compliance and assessments.
• Demonstrated ability to research complex tax issues and develop well-supported, practical conclusions.
• Experience managing external advisors and outsourced compliance providers.
• Strong project-management skills and the ability to independently manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong analytical, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, high-growth, and evolving environment.

Preferred qualifications:

• CPA, CMI, JD, MST, or other relevant professional certification.
• Experience with international VAT/GST matters.
• Experience implementing or managing indirect tax technology such as Vertex, Avalara, or ONESOURCE.
• Experience with tax automation, data analytics, system implementations, or process transformation.
• Experience in aerospace, defense technology, manufacturing, software, or another business involving both products and services.
• Experience supporting acquisitions, international expansion, and public-company readiness.
• Combination of public accounting and in-house corporate tax experience.

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Full-time regular employee offer package:

Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity

Temporary employee offer package:

Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)

Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.

Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.