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Lambda, a leader in AI cloud infrastructure serving tens of thousands of customers globally, is seeking a Head of Tax to lead enterprise tax strategy and operations. This is a director-level role reporting to the CFO/CAO, requiring 4 days per week on-site in San Francisco, San Jose, or Bellevue (Tuesday is the designated remote day).
Key Responsibilities:
Enterprise Tax Leadership & Strategy: Own Lambda's global tax strategy, risk profile, operating model and multi-year roadmap aligned with company growth, capital structure and infrastructure deployment. Advise the CFO, CAO and other executives on material tax exposures, alternatives and recommended actions. Establish governance for tax involvement in contracts, financings, entity formation, site selection, acquisitions and compensation decisions.
Tax Reporting & Compliance: Own ASC 740 including quarterly and annual provision processes, forecasts, effective tax rate analysis, deferred tax accounting, valuation allowances and uncertain tax positions. Direct outsourced federal, state and international income tax compliance. Lead tax audits and controversy, including the current IRS examination, and oversee ownership change analyses under IRC Section 382.
Transactions & Growth Infrastructure: Lead tax analysis for project financings, special purpose entities, debt and equity structures, intercompany arrangements, major contracts and data center development. Provide technical guidance on leases under IRC Section 467, asset acquisitions under IRC Section 1060, executive compensation and other material matters. Integrate tax into land acquisitions, leased data centers, construction, power arrangements and equipment procurement before commitments are locked.
International Tax & Expansion: Lead tax workstreams for new foreign data centers and market launches, covering legal entity structure, permanent establishment, transfer pricing, withholding, VAT/GST, customs, financing and local compliance. Establish scalable intercompany policies, agreements and data flows. Own international matters directly during initial transition, then assess timing and scope for an international tax deputy.
Systems, Controls & Team: Define tax requirements for finance transformation initiatives including ERP, billing and tax engines. Build documented controls and data ownership suitable for public company expectations. Set clear scopes and accountability for external advisers. Lead, coach and develop a lean team across provision, income tax, indirect tax, international tax and operations.
Hands-On Leadership: Personally lead highest-risk or most ambiguous matters. Review and challenge calculations, workpapers, contracts, models, returns and adviser conclusions. Translate technical tax questions into clear business choices for executives. Step into execution gaps during close cycles, audits, transactions and system implementations while building repeatable processes.
Requirements:
- Approximately 12+ years of progressively responsible corporate tax experience, including meaningful in-house leadership experience in a complex, rapidly changing business
- Deep command of ASC 740 with demonstrated ability to own a provision process, assess uncertain positions and communicate judgments to senior finance leadership and auditors
- Strong federal corporate tax and international tax foundations with practical experience across transactions, tax attributes, controversy and multi-state matters
- Experience directing external advisers and outsourced compliance while maintaining internal control, documentation and decision ownership
- Ability to move comfortably between strategy and execution, including reviewing detailed work, drafting technical positions and driving cross-functional projects to completion
- Executive presence without unnecessary formality; able to explain complex issues clearly, make recommendations and identify what requires escalation
- Track record of building teams, prioritizing limited resources and creating durable processes in environments where facts and timelines change quickly
- Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, taxation or related field; CPA, JD, MST or comparable advanced qualification strongly preferred
Nice to Have:
- Experience in technology, cloud infrastructure, data centers, energy-intensive operations, equipment leasing or other capital-intensive and internationally expanding businesses
- International structuring, transfer pricing, withholding, VAT/GST, customs and foreign legal entity implementation
- Project finance, special purpose entities, debt structures and large fixed asset investments
- State and local tax incentives, property tax and sales/use tax issues associated with construction and equipment deployment
- Pre-IPO readiness, public company controls or SEC reporting environments
- Tax technology, ERP reporting, procure-to-pay, billing or fixed asset system implementation
