Board Direct Tax Oversight Director

The mandate

The board wants an experienced independent tax voice capable of testing whether material direct-tax matters reach directors with complete facts, balanced alternatives and clear authority. The standing question is governance quality across compliance, accounting, transactions and controversy—not substitution for a Chief Tax Officer or creation of a parallel opinion channel.

The twelve-month rhythm includes a fortnightly sponsor clinic, monthly committee attendance and four board sessions. The adviser will review selected papers, risk trends and follow-through on prior decisions. Written challenge will focus on the fact that could change the answer, the uncertainty management is carrying and whether implementation or monitoring has a named owner.

The adviser has no line authority, budget, filing responsibility, approval right or ability to instruct internal or external teams. The Director may request evidence through the Chair, press alternatives, recommend escalation and record unresolved concern. Management owns analysis and execution; directors retain reserved acceptance and oversight.

All relevant board seats, advisory clients, investments, authority roles and provider relationships must be disclosed before access. Recusal or restricted information will apply where safeguards are credible; otherwise the matter or appointment cannot proceed. Renewal is considered only after an effectiveness review and a newly stated oversight question.

What you will own

• Test the tax-risk universe and committee agenda for completeness across compliance, reporting, transactions, controversy and emerging change.
• Review selected papers for verified facts, contrary evidence, alternatives, quantified consequence, decision authority and monitoring triggers.
• Press management to separate technical conclusion, accounting treatment, cash exposure, negotiation posture and chosen risk appetite.
• Challenge whether tax issues enter transaction and operational decisions early enough to preserve lawful alternatives.
• Examine closure evidence for prior board tax decisions and distinguish implementation from reported activity.
• Facilitate two confidential rehearsals involving a late law change, authority challenge or fact inconsistent with earlier advice.
• Recommend a concise board information model focused on exposure, confidence, reversibility, lead time and action ownership.
• Deliver an annual independent opinion on oversight effectiveness, recurring weaknesses and priorities for the next governance cycle.

Candidate qualifications

• At least 20 years in senior direct or international tax leadership, including regular engagement with boards and audit committees.
• A governance challenge that materially changed a tax decision, escalation route or implementation control.
• Breadth across tax accounting, compliance, international tax, transfer pricing, transactions and controversy.
• Evidence of making uncertainty and contrary facts visible without turning advice into management direction.
• Experience evaluating board information quality and closure evidence rather than repeating management's status report.
• A conflict profile suitable for broad confidential tax access across concurrent appointments.
• Availability for two days a week, monthly committee meetings and four New York board sessions.

Working terms and boundaries

• The retainer covers two days a week for twelve months, fortnightly clinics, monthly committee attendance and four board meetings.
• The adviser has no line authority and cannot approve tax positions, direct staff, appoint providers, sign filings or accept risk.
• Technical opinion production, case work, filings and transaction execution remain outside scope unless separately commissioned.
• Conflicts are reviewed before appointment and refreshed as restricted matters enter the agenda, with recusal recorded.
• The term closes with an effectiveness opinion; renewal requires a new oversight question and explicit board approval.

Application

Applications for this mandate are received in one way only: through the India Board Terminal's application process. It is automated end to end. Your Executive Passport travels to the mandate holder in its confidential form, your answers to the three questions below are read before anything else in your file, and every stage that follows is recorded on your applications page.

There is no address to write to and no intermediary to call. The mandate holder reads what the Terminal delivers and nothing else, which is what keeps the process the same for every applicant and keeps your name out of it until you release it. Applications close on 11 October 2026. Mandate reference TAX-ADV-2026-NYC-63.