Country Tax Lead (UA)

Our client is a Ukrainian miltech startup developing advanced technological devices for Ukraine's defense sector, and is now looking for a Country Tax Lead to strengthen our Finance team and independently manage the execution of tax strategy, tax reporting, transfer pricing, tax compliance, and tax-risk management for the Ukrainian operations.

Location: Ukraine (only)
Type: On-site|Hybrid, full-time
Start date: ASAP
About the Company and Role:

A fast-growing international defense startup specializing in the development and production of air defense systems, rapidly scaling to meet Ukraine's national defense needs.
They believe there is a strong need for new technological solutions in the defense of free people in conflicts around the world. Their team includes experienced leaders from non-defense Silicon Valley startups who have seen this need first-hand and are committed to delivering.

This is a senior individual-contributor role that will serve as the primary technical tax expert for the Ukrainian entity. The Country Tax Lead will maintain the statutory-to-tax reporting bridge, coordinate all material tax filings, support transfer-pricing compliance, manage tax audits and authority inquiries, and develop practical country-level tax policies within the company's global tax and finance framework.
The successful candidate will work closely with the Head of Finance, Financial Controllership, global Tax and Controllership teams, Legal, Treasury, Procurement, Supply Chain, Payroll, Cost Accounting, and external tax advisors. This position does not require direct people management, but it does require substantial independent judgment, strong technical credibility, and the ability to coordinate complex tax matters across internal and external stakeholders.

Responsibilities:

• Execute the company's tax strategy for Ukraine in alignment with global Finance, Tax, Legal, and business objectives.
• Serve as the primary technical expert on Ukrainian corporate income tax, VAT, withholding tax, payroll-related taxes, transfer pricing, and other taxes relevant to the company's operations.
• Maintain the statutory-to-tax bridge and prepare or review current and deferred tax calculations, ensuring accurate tax reporting for local statutory and global financial-reporting purposes.
• Own the country tax-compliance calendar and ensure all material tax returns, declarations, payments, registrations, and supporting submissions are completed accurately and on time.
• Lead country-level transfer-pricing compliance, including controlled-transaction analysis, documentation, benchmarking, and monitoring of applicable thresholds and reporting requirements.
• Review intercompany and cross-border transactions, agreements, service charges, financing, inventory transfers, and other related-party arrangements for tax and transfer-pricing implications.
• Manage tax audits, authority inquiries, information requests, and disputes, coordinating responses with Finance, Legal, global Tax teams, and external advisors.
• Assess tax risks related to significant contracts, new business models, cross-border transactions, imports and exports, manufacturing activities, and operational expansion, providing practical guidance before commitments are finalized.
• Partner with Financial Controllership to ensure tax calculations, returns, tax accounts, statutory records, and financial-reporting information are accurate, reconciled, and appropriately supported.
• Develop and maintain country-level tax policies, procedures, documentation, and internal controls within the company's global framework.
• Advise Finance, Legal, Procurement, Supply Chain, Treasury, Payroll, and other business stakeholders on tax requirements and implications relevant to their activities.
• Coordinate external tax advisors and support internal and external audits, ensuring technical advice and findings are translated into practical internal actions.
• Monitor changes in Ukrainian tax legislation, administrative practice, and relevant international tax developments, assessing their impact on the company and coordinating required actions.
• Identify opportunities to improve tax processes, data quality, documentation, controls, and automation within Odoo and related reporting tools.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's or master's degree in Accounting, Finance, Taxation, Economics, Law, or a related field.
• 8+ years of progressive tax, accounting, audit, or advisory experience, including substantial experience with Ukrainian corporate taxation.
• Demonstrated experience independently managing complex country-level tax compliance, reporting, audits, and technical tax matters.
• Deep practical knowledge of Ukrainian corporate income tax, VAT, withholding tax, and tax-accounting requirements.
• Strong hands-on experience with transfer-pricing analysis, controlled-transaction reporting, documentation, and intercompany arrangements.
• Experience preparing and maintaining statutory-to-tax reconciliations and tax-basis schedules.
• Experience supporting current and deferred tax calculations and reconciling tax reporting to accounting records.
• Experience managing tax audits, authority inquiries, or tax disputes and coordinating responses with external advisors.
• Strong understanding of Ukrainian Accounting Standards and their interaction with tax reporting.
• Working knowledge of US GAAP or IFRS sufficient to support tax provisions, deferred-tax calculations, and global reporting requirements.
• Experience in a multinational, multi-entity, or cross-border business environment.
• Strong analytical judgment and the ability to research, document, and defend complex tax conclusions.
• Strong project-management and organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple statutory deadlines and stakeholder dependencies.
• Advanced Excel or Google Sheets skills and the ability to work accurately with complex accounting and transaction data.
• Experience with ERP systems; hands-on experience with Odoo is strongly preferred.
• Clear and confident communication skills, including the ability to explain complex tax matters to finance and non-finance stakeholders.
• High integrity, discretion, and attention to detail when handling confidential and high-risk tax matters.
• Professional English proficiency sufficient for technical documentation and collaboration with global Finance, Tax, Legal, and audit stakeholders.
• Ukrainian language fluency.

 Would be a Plus:

• ACCA, CPA, Ukrainian auditor qualification, legal qualification, or another relevant professional certification.
• Big Four or other major tax-advisory experience combined with in-house tax experience.
• Experience in manufacturing, aerospace, defense, hardware, technology, or another inventory-intensive industry.
• Experience with customs, import VAT, export transactions, permanent-establishment analysis, or international tax matters.
• Familiarity with OECD transfer-pricing guidelines, BEPS requirements, country-by-country reporting, and international tax documentation frameworks.
• Experience supporting US-headquartered companies or preparing tax-reporting packages for global consolidation.
• Experience improving or automating tax reporting, reconciliations, compliance calendars, or control processes in Odoo.

The company offers:

• Full-time position & official employment
• Competitive salary (based on interview results)
• Paid vacation and sick leave according to Ukrainian legislation
• Medical & Life
• Insurance Reservation from mobilization
• Friendly and people-oriented team culture
• Have opportunities to work on an innovative and impactful product