Vice President, Tax

Job Category: General & Administrative - Ionis

Requisition Number: IONIS003399

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• Posted: August 30, 2024
• Full-Time

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is headquartered in Carlsbad, California, with offices in Boston, Massachusetts, and Dublin, Ireland. For more than 30 years, Ionis has been the leader in RNA-targeted therapy, pioneering new markets and changing standards of care with our novel antisense technology. Ionis currently has three marketed medicines and a premier late-stage pipeline highlighted by industry-leading cardiovascular and neurological franchises. Our scientific innovation began and continues with the knowledge that sick people depend on us, which fuels our vision to become the undisputed leader in genetic medicine, utilizing a multi-platform approach to discover, develop and deliver life-transforming therapies.

Ionis is a challenging, motivating, and rewarding environment designed to foster innovation and scientific excellence. Our success is a direct result of our outstanding employees. We are interested in bringing together a diverse group of individuals with different skill sets and perspectives into this creative environment to be part of a productive and inclusive team. While acknowledging people are actively engaged in hybrid/remote work, we continue to invest time, money, and energy into making our workplace locations a place where our culture and employees can thrive. We believe engaging on a day-to-day basis, in person, builds solid and lasting relationships and contributes positively to our culture and innovation. From the heart of our stunning Carlsbad campus, we aim to provide a central connection point for all our employees. These facilities give us the opportunity to connect cross-functionally, collaborate, and to build on the success of our business as we continue to grow. Join us and experience our unique culture while you develop and expand your career.

SUMMARY:

We are seeking a dynamic individual to join our Finance department that will contribute to the success of Ionis. The Vice President of Tax will have overall responsibility for leading the tax function. In addition to leading the company’s tax activities, the Vice President of Tax manages the Payroll department and Treasury operations. This position reports to the Chief Accounting Officer.

The Vice President of Tax manages Ionis’ tax activities and works closely with various levels of management, auditors, and accounting personnel. This position is also responsible for advising the executive management team on the tax consequences of business decisions to support the growth of the organization. The Vice President of Tax is expected to have a hands-on approach in all aspects of the job.

The successful candidate must be a strategic thinker who is secure working in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment, must be capable of handling multiple tasks, and must possess excellent analytical, organizational, and communication skills. The Vice President of Tax must be a proactive self-starter who takes ownership of projects and can collaborate cross-functionally on complex issues.

You’ll thrive in this position if you are:

• A strong communicator—you have the demonstrated ability to successfully communicate and convey complex topics in a concise and effective manner to various levels of management.
• A master planner—you are skilled at juggling multiple priorities at one time and keeping track of deadlines without missing a step.
• Adaptable—you are at ease in a fast-paced environment and you’re able to change direction rapidly when priorities and deadlines shift.
• An Explorer—you are curious by nature and never hesitate to research and probe for answers.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Strategic Tax Planning:
  • Develop and implement long-term tax strategies to minimize the organization’s tax liability with specific emphasis on our expanding international commercial footprint.
  • Provide strategic advice to senior management on tax implications of business decisions.
  • Identify opportunities for tax savings and deferrals.
  • Develop and maintain tax policies and procedures to ensure consistent and compliant tax practices across the organization.
  • Work with internal stakeholders and external tax consultants to maximize our R&D Tax Credits.
• Tax Compliance:
  • Ensure compliance with all federal, state, local, and international tax laws and regulations.
  • Oversee the preparation and filing of all tax returns, including income, payroll, sales & use, and property taxes.
  • Oversee tax withholding compliance & reporting, including Form 1099 and 1042/1042-S.
  • Manage relationships with tax authorities and handle audits, inquiries, and disputes.
• Tax Reporting & Forecasting:
  • Oversee the accurate and timely preparation of tax provision and disclosures for 10-K and 10-Q financial statement filings.
  • Work with the finance team on tax-related aspects of budgeting and forecast planning.
• Identify and mitigate tax risks to protect the organization from penalties and interest.
• Monitor changes in tax laws and regulations and assess their impact on the organization.
• Oversee tax-related SOX controls.
• Stakeholder Communication:
  • Communicate tax strategies, risks, and compliance issues to senior management and the board of directors.
  • Prepare reports and presentations on the organization’s tax position and strategy.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for external auditors, consultants, and tax advisors.
• International Taxation:
  • Manage the organization’s international tax strategy, including transfer pricing, cross-border transactions, and global tax compliance.
  • Optimize the organization’s expanding global tax position through strategic planning and structuring.
  • Ensure compliance with international VAT requirements.
• Other responsibilities include:
• Supervising the payroll department.
• Managing Ionis’ treasury operations:
  • Ensure compliance with Ionis’ investment policy.
  • Manage relationships with Ionis’ external investment advisors.
  • Ensure excess cash is invested to deliver market returns while preserving principal.
  • Assess investments for potential tax minimization strategies.
• Leadership and Team Management:
  • Lead and develop the team, providing guidance, mentorship, and professional development opportunities.
  • Manage the department’s budget, including resource allocation.
  • Coordinate across departments (e.g., business development, legal, finance, HR).

The successful candidate must be able to proactively identify issues with respect to all the above areas.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business, Finance, or Economics.
• Masters in taxation and/or CPA, or comparable credentials is preferred.
• Minimum of 15 years of experience in either the tax division of a Big 4 public accounting firm or within the tax department of a public company. Direct experience with early commercial stage Biotech or Pharmaceutical companies is a distinct plus.
• Experience with SAP is a plus.
• Strong technical tax background.
• Experience handling IRS and/or state income tax audits and maintaining positive relationships with auditors.
• Proven track record in establishing and improving key processes to manage tax issues.
• Strong computer skills–extensive experience with Microsoft Office software (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Goal-oriented and self-motivated.
• Shows good initiative.
• Strong interpersonal skills: ability to work constructively within a team environment and with all levels of management.
• Desire to understand the business beyond merely the tax and financial aspects.
• Strong communication skills (written, oral, and presenting).
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy.
• Strong research and documentation skills.
• Tolerance for the ambiguity that comes with a high growth business transitioning to a sustainably profitable, multiproduct company.
• Able to translate broad corporate strategy into clear, specific objectives and plans; thinks several years ahead.
• Comfortable in an interrogative environment; embraces collaboration and open debate to manage projects, solve problems, and discuss challenging issues.
• Able to work efficiently and productively in an intense work environment.

Please visit our website, www.ionispharma.com for more information about Ionis and to apply for this position; reference requisition # IONIS003399.

Ionis offers an excellent benefits package Follow this link for more details: Ionis Benefits.

The pay scale for this position is $224,993 to $324,378.

NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. PRINCIPALS ONLY.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and all its subsidiaries are proud to be EEO employers.