Tax Assistant Manager

The Tax Assistant Manager supports the Tax & Corporate Finance Head in leading the organization's tax function, ensuring effective delivery of tax compliance, tax reporting, tax advisory, tax risk management, and strategic tax initiatives. The role is accountable for managing the day-to-day operations of the Tax team, driving the achievement of team objectives, and ensuring the timely, accurate, and compliant execution of tax-related responsibilities across the organization.

Position Responsibilities:

• Lead the execution of all applicable Philippine national and local tax compliance requirements, ensuring accurate, complete, and timely submission of tax filings, regulatory reports, and compliance with BIR regulations, including EOPT requirements and other emerging tax regulations.
• Provide oversight of tax compliance and reporting activities, including eDST, Transfer Pricing, branch tax compliance reviews, and implementation of legislative and regulatory developments across the organization.
• Establish and maintain effective tax governance, compliance monitoring, internal controls, and risk management frameworks, while identifying emerging tax risks and driving appropriate mitigation strategies.
• Lead tax audit and regulatory examination activities, including preparation, reconciliation, review of documentation, resolution of audit findings, and management of complex tax audit matters involving BIR, LGU, and other regulatory authorities.
• Manage relationships with external auditors, tax consultants, and regulatory agencies, and provide strategic recommendations on audit exposures, settlement options, and risk mitigation initiatives.
• Oversee tax accounting and financial reporting activities, including deferred tax assets and liabilities, DTA recoverability assessments, tax provisions, tax disclosures, financial close requirements, pension accounting implications, BSSI reconciliations, and tax-related aspects of IFRS 17 compliance and reporting.
• Direct transfer pricing compliance, documentation, governance activities, and the review of related-party transactions, international tax matters, cross-border transactions, and tax planning opportunities involving foreign investments and multinational operations.
• Serve as a trusted adviser to Finance, Actuarial, Investments, Legal, Procurement, Operations, Technology, and other business functions by providing tax guidance on strategic projects, transformation initiatives, business transactions, and enterprise-wide programs.
• Present tax implications, risks, and recommendations to senior management and project steering committees, and champion digital transformation, automation, standardization, and continuous improvement initiatives within the tax function.
• Lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing Tax team through effective people leadership, including performance management, coaching, capability development, succession planning, resource allocation, and achievement of departmental objectives and organizational priorities.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree in Accountancy and Certified Public Accountant (CPA).
• Minimum 7-10 years of progressive experience in taxation, tax compliance, tax accounting, audit, and tax advisory, preferably within financial services, insurance, banking, or a multinational organization.
• At least 2-3 years of people leadership experience, including direct supervision, performance management, coaching, mentoring, and talent development.
• Proven experience managing tax compliance, tax reporting, BIR audits, LGU audits, regulatory examinations, tax accounting, deferred tax reporting, tax provisioning, and financial statement reporting.
• Strong knowledge of Philippine taxation, including Ease of Paying Taxes (EOPT) requirements, tax governance, compliance frameworks, risk management, and internal controls.
• Strong understanding of tax accounting, deferred taxes, and financial reporting requirements; knowledge of IFRS and IFRS 17 tax implications is highly desirable.
• Familiarity with transfer pricing, international taxation, tax treaties, and cross-border transactions.
• Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional projects, strategic initiatives, process improvement programs, and managing stakeholder expectations in a complex business environment.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, stakeholder management, communication, influencing, project management, and decision-making skills, with the ability to operate effectively in a dynamic and highly regulated environment.

When you join our team:

• We’ll empower you to learn and grow the career you want.
• We’ll recognize and support you in a flexible environment where well-being and inclusion are more than just words.
• As part of our global team, we’ll support you in shaping the future you want to see.

About Manulife and John Hancock

Manulife Financial Corporation is a leading international financial services provider, helping people make their decisions easier and lives better. To learn more about us, visit https://www.manulife.com/en/about/our-story.html.

Manulife is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At Manulife/John Hancock, we embrace our diversity. We strive to attract, develop and retain a workforce that is as diverse as the customers we serve and to foster an inclusive work environment that embraces the strength of cultures and individuals. We are committed to fair recruitment, retention, advancement and compensation, and we administer all of our practices and programs without discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, religion or religious beliefs, creed, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), sexual orientation, genetic characteristics, veteran status, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status, disability, or any other ground protected by applicable law.

It is our priority to remove barriers to provide equal access to employment. A Human Resources representative will work with applicants who request a reasonable accommodation during the application process. All information shared during the accommodation request process will be stored and used in a manner that is consistent with applicable laws and Manulife/John Hancock policies. To request a reasonable accommodation in the application process, contact [email protected].

Hybrid