Senior Tax Manager

The Senior Tax Manager holds the work that carries consequence. In practice, that means the listed groups, the regional structures, the incentive negotiations and any client with a live IRAS controversy. In-house, it usually means the regional tax mandate — several jurisdictions, the group provision, and the tax input into transactions.

Three things change at this level. Positions are taken in your name and defended to boards or audit committees. Business development becomes formal in practice, and stakeholder influence becomes formal in-house. And you begin managing managers, which means calibrating other people's judgement rather than checking their work.

It is also a decision point. Practice senior managers face the partnership timetable, typically within three to five years. Those who do not convert — or do not want to — move into Head of Tax roles, where the technical authority built here is exactly what regional groups are buying.

Where this sits: the step up from Tax Manager and Transfer Pricing Manager, feeding Head of Tax. Adjacent senior seats include Financial Controller and Head of Finance. The full ladder is in the Tax pathway.

• Lead the most complex clients or the regional in-house mandate, including listed and regulated groups.
• Own significant technical positions and their defence to IRAS, boards and audit committees.
• Direct restructuring, incentive negotiation and transaction tax work end to end.
• Oversee the group or portfolio tax provision, deferred tax and effective tax rate reporting.
• Manage tax controversy strategy, including objections, audits and advance rulings.
• Set quality standards across managers, reviewing judgement rather than schedules.
• Drive business development in practice — proposals, referrals and fee growth — or governance and policy in-house.
• Own talent outcomes for a section of the team, including promotion and retention decisions.

• Nine to thirteen years of Singapore and regional tax experience, with at least three at manager level.
• CA (Singapore), ACCA or CPA Australia complete; SCTP Accredited Tax Advisor is expected.
• Demonstrated ownership of technical positions reported to a board or audit committee.
• A record in controversy — objections or audits resolved, ideally with a documented outcome.
• Regional exposure across at least two or three Asian jurisdictions.
• In practice, a commercial record: work won, clients retained, portfolio grown.

• Lead with a defended position. A material technical call, who challenged it, and how it resolved.
• Quantify the mandate. Jurisdictions, entities, effective tax rate movement or fee portfolio, depending on the seat.
• Show board-level communication. Senior tax roles fail on explanation more often than on technique.
• Be clear on partnership versus in-house. Ambiguity at this level reads as indecision.
• Ask who owns tax risk. The answer tells you whether the role is authority or advice.