Head of India Tax

Entity:

Finance

Job Family Group:

Tax Group

Job Description:

This is a role within the Castrol organisation and the successful candidate will become part of the Castrol ring-fence.  If you are part of the ring-fence, it is expected that your employment will move with Castrol to new ownership.

Are you ready to join a team that’s driving the future of lubricants & beyond and setting new industry standards? Discover how our diverse and hard-working people at Castrol are shaping the industry – and how you can be part of this journey.

We’re seeking versatile guides who share our passion for innovation and excellence. Bring your outstanding perspective, collaborative spirit, and challenge our thinking as we continue to lead the way in the lubricants' market & build businesses beyond lubricants. This is your chance to learn, grow, and thrive in a dynamic and inclusive organization.

Apply now!

Castrol is a global leader in lubricants and part of the bp Group, one of the world’s largest energy companies. In India, Castrol is a publicly listed company, leading in the Automotive, Industrial, and Marine lubricant sectors. With iconic brands, relentless innovation, strong customer relationships, and a team of highly motivated employees, we have maintained our market leadership in India for over a century. Our robust manufacturing and distribution network in India helps us reach consumers through more than 135,000 outlets.

At Castrol, success knows no bounds. We offer a fast-paced learning environment where you can develop your career, whether in specialized functions or on a general management track. Castrol India has a proud legacy of championing top talent for leadership roles, both locally and globally!

Role Overview:

The Head of India Tax is responsible for leading and overseeing all tax matters relating to Castrol's operations in India and Pakistan. The role acts as a senior tax leader, the principal holder of relationships with fiscal authorities and senior business leaders, and is accountable for ensuring effective tax governance, compliance and risk management across the organisation.

The Head of India Tax will have primary accountability for managing all tax audits, enquiries, investigations and disputes, whilst ensuring that tax compliance, governance, risk management and advisory support are delivered effectively through a combination of internal teams, outsourced providers, external advisers and joint venture support arrangements.

The role provides leadership and oversight across all taxes affecting the business, including Corporate Income Tax, Indirect Taxes, Employment Taxes and Transfer Pricing. Support is provided through a combination of internal resources, a service agreement with a joint venture partner (bp) and its third-party service providers, support from Castrol CC and external advisers. The role holder retains overall accountability for the quality, integrity and effectiveness of all tax activities delivered through these arrangements.

The Head of India Tax will be a member of the Castrol Head of Tax Leadership Team and will actively contribute to the development and delivery of Castrol's tax strategy, governance framework, risk management approach and leadership agenda.

Role and Responsibility

Reporting to the Castrol Head of Tax, the Head of India Tax will be a key contributor to the delivery of Castrol's tax strategy and objectives, providing tax expertise across all aspects of the business and actively contributing to the Castrol Tax Leadership Team.

Business Partnering and Advisory

• Provide tax advice and support to Castrol's commercial operations in India and Pakistan across all taxes.

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with business leadership teams to understand commercial strategies and business objectives and provide tax support that enables informed decision-making.

• Provide practical and commercially focused tax advice on business initiatives, restructurings, supply chain changes, new business opportunities and strategic projects.

• Work with internal customers and external advisers to identify solutions that appropriately balance business objectives, compliance requirements and tax risk management.

• Monitor developments in tax legislation and policy and provide guidance on the impact of those developments on the business.

• Support engagement with industry groups, government bodies and fiscal authorities on matters affecting the business.

Tax Risk Management, Governance and Compliance

• Work with the Castrol Tax Leadership Team to identify, assess and manage tax risks in accordance with Castrol's governance framework and ethical principles.

• Maintain oversight of all direct and indirect tax compliance activities performed by internal teams, external providers and joint venture partners.

• Ensure the timely and accurate completion of tax filings, Corporate Income Tax compliance, transfer pricing documentation and all associated compliance obligations.

• Oversee tax payment obligations, tax reporting requirements and compliance calendars across the jurisdictions within scope.

• Manage the design, documentation and monitoring of tax compliance processes and controls, working closely with Finance teams and external service providers.

• Oversee tax governance processes and ensure appropriate controls are in place to support compliance with local regulatory requirements.

• Support forecasting and monitoring of cash taxes and, where required, provide oversight of tax accounting and reporting activities.

• Ensure compliance with all applicable tax laws, regulations and filing obligations across the jurisdictions within scope.

• Continuously review tax compliance arrangements to ensure they remain effective, efficient and aligned with business requirements.

Tax Authorities, Audits and Controversy Management

• Act as the primary relationship holder with fiscal authorities across the jurisdictions within scope.

• Develop and maintain constructive and professional relationships with tax authorities and relevant government bodies.

• Lead the management of all tax audits, enquiries, investigations and disputes.

• Coordinate responses to tax authority requests and ensure appropriate governance and documentation is maintained.

• Work with tax authorities, government bodies and external advisers to resolve tax disputes and achieve appropriate technical and commercial outcomes.

• Provide leadership and oversight in relation to significant tax risks, uncertain tax positions and tax controversy matters.

Tax Operations and Compliance Oversight

• Oversee all tax activities delivered through outsourced providers, external advisers, joint venture support arrangements and Transitional Service Agreements.

• Ensure roles, responsibilities and accountabilities are clearly defined between all parties involved in delivering tax activities.

• Monitor service delivery arrangements to ensure compliance obligations are fulfilled accurately and on a timely basis.

• Support the transition of tax activities from TSA-supported arrangements to a sustainable long-term compliance model.

• Establish and maintain appropriate compliance monitoring and reporting processes.

• Ensure robust documentation is maintained to support tax filings, tax positions, audit activity and governance requirements.

• Work closely with Finance teams to ensure the quality and integrity of data used in support of tax compliance and reporting activities.

• Promote consistency in tax governance, controls and compliance standards across all jurisdictions within scope.

Leadership and Culture

As a senior leader within Castrol, the Head of India Tax will be expected to inspire and empower others to achieve organisational objectives while actively supporting the culture, values and strategic ambitions of the organisation.

• Directly manage, mentor and develop a high-performing team of tax professionals, promoting a culture of excellence, inclusion and professional growth.

• Provide leadership and oversight to tax resources located within India and support the management of tax activities relating to Pakistan.

Essential Experience and Qualifications

• Educated to degree level with a relevant professional tax, accounting or legal qualification.

• Extensive tax planning, advisory, compliance and risk management experience within a global or multinational environment.

• Strong knowledge of Indian tax legislation and practice, including Corporate Income Tax, GST, Employment Taxes and Transfer Pricing.

• Awareness of tax requirements affecting Pakistan and the ability to oversee compliance obligations through internal resources, external advisers and service providers.

• Significant experience managing tax authorities, audits, enquiries, disputes and regulatory interactions.

• Demonstrated experience of providing practical, commercially focused tax advice to senior business partners.

• Strong analytical, communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at all levels of the organisation.

• Experience managing external advisers, outsourced service providers and multi-party delivery models.

• Significant experience managing complex tax compliance and governance activities within a multinational environment.

• Strong understanding of tax governance, internal controls and compliance frameworks.

• Experience establishing and operating tax compliance processes and control frameworks across multiple jurisdictions.

• Experience managing tax accounting, cash tax and tax reporting requirements.

• Adaptability and resilience, with a willingness to lead and support change where appropriate.

• Proven ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams and build productive relationships across Finance, Legal, HR, Commercial and Operational functions.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to communicate complex tax concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Desirable Experience and Qualifications

• Experience within the consumer products, manufacturing or other complex multinational sectors.

• Experience supporting business separations, joint ventures, mergers, acquisitions or large-scale organisational change programmes.

• Experience handling Transitional Service Agreements and transitioning tax activities into standalone operating models.

• Experience managing tax activities across more than one jurisdiction, including through outsourced providers and external advisers.

• Familiarity with OECD tax developments and international taxation matters affecting multinational groups.

You will work with :

Outside of the wider Castrol Tax function, the Head of India Tax will develop and maintain strong working relationships with a broad range of internal and external customers to support compliance, governance, risk management and business decision-making across India and Pakistan.

Key External Stakeholders

• Fiscal authorities and government bodies.

• External tax advisers and compliance service providers.

• Joint venture partner tax and finance teams.

• Government and regulatory authorities across jurisdictions within scope.

Key Internal Stakeholders

• Castrol Head of Tax.

• Castrol Tax Leadership Team.

• India Country Leadership Team.

• Regional and global leadership teams relevant to India and Pakistan operations.

• Business leaders across India and Pakistan operations.

• Finance leadership and key Finance interfaces, particularly where tax data, reporting inputs and financial information are required.

• Local Finance and Accounting teams.

• Legal, Treasury, Human Resources, Company Secretariat, Risk and Compliance functions.

• Internal Audit and Controls teams.

• Shared service and business support teams involved in tax compliance and reporting activities.

Why join our team?

We support our people to learn and grow in a diverse and exciting environment. We believe that our team is strengthened by diversity. We are committed to crafting an inclusive environment in which everyone is respected and treated fairly.

We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform crucial job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

Travel Requirement

Some travel may be required with this role, this is negotiable

Relocation Assistance:

This role is eligible for relocation within country

Remote Type:

This position is not available for remote working

Skills:

acquisitions and disposals activity, Analytical Thinking, Commercial Acumen, Creativity and Innovation, Data Management, Digital Fluency, Direct and indirect tax compliance and accounting, Economic modelling, Financial Reporting, Influencing tax law and policy, Interpreting and applying tax law, Management of change, Managing tax dispute resolution and controversies, Project Management, Risk Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Tax advice for mergers, Tax advisory, Tax compliance process management, Tax reporting and control, Transfer Pricing

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Legal Disclaimer:

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics like race, religion, color, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, veteran status or disability status. Individuals with an accessibility need may request an adjustment/accommodation related to bp’s recruiting process (e.g., accessing the job application, completing required assessments, participating in telephone screenings or interviews, etc.). If you would like to request an adjustment/accommodation related to the recruitment process, please contact us.

If you are selected for a position and depending upon your role, your employment may be contingent upon adherence to local policy. This may include pre-placement drug screening, medical review of physical fitness for the role, and background checks.