Associate Tax Director – Brazil

ABOUT THE WELLA COMPANY

Together, WE enable individuals to look, feel, and be their true selves.

Wella Company is one of the world's leading beauty companies, comprised of a family of iconic brands such as Wella Professionals, Clairol, OPI, Nioxin and ghd. With 6,000 employees globally, presence in over 100 countries, Wella Company and its brands enable consumers to look, feel, and be their true selves. As innovators in the hair and nail industry, Wella Company empowers its people to delight consumers, inspire beauty professionals, engage communities, and deliver sustainable growth to its stakeholders. For additional information about the Wella Company please visit

The Role:

We are seeking an experienced and strategic Associate Tax Director to serve as the Brazil Country Tax Lead within our international tax function. This individual will be responsible for overseeing all tax matters across Brazil, including direct and indirect taxes, international tax planning, tax accounting and compliance, tax audits and controversies, transfer pricing, and tax automation initiatives. The role also plays a critical leadership function in anticipating and responding to Brazilian tax reform developments and managing a small local tax team.

Key Responsibilities:

Tax Strategy & Compliance

• Act as the principal tax advisor for all Brazilian tax matters within the organization.

• Ensure full compliance with local tax laws and regulations, including IRPJ, CSLL, PIS/COFINS, IPI, ICMS, ISS, and others.

• Lead the preparation, review, and timely submission of all required tax returns and filings.

• Partner with internal finance and business teams to ensure compliance, identify risks and optimization opportunities.

International Tax & Transfer Pricing

• Coordinate and support cross-border tax planning, withholding tax analysis, and treaty application.

• Manage local implementation of global transfer pricing policies and documentation requirements.

• Collaborate with HQ on global intercompany pricing models and audit defense strategies.

US GAAP Tax Accounting & SOC controls

• Oversee the preparation and accuracy of tax provisions under US GAAP (ASC 740) and BR GAAP and corporate reporting requirements.

• Manage Uncertain Tax Position (UTP) analyses (under ASC 740) and support quarterly and annual US GAAP tax reporting requirements.

• Perform tax-related internal controls in accordance with SOX requirements.

• Ensure documentation and operational effectiveness of tax control activities.

Controversy Management

• Support internal and external audits, including coordination with external advisors and auditors.

• Monitor tax credits and ensure accuracy of tax positions.

• Represent the company in tax audits, disputes, litigation and with documenting self-identified tax exposures.

• Develop and implement defense strategies and manage relationships with tax authorities.

• Maintain proper documentation to support tax positions.

Tax Automation & Process Improvement

• Drive continuous improvement in tax processes, including automation initiatives.

• Partner with IT and finance to implement or optimize tax technology solutions (e.g., e-invoicing, SPED, SAP enhancements, JB1 tax, tax reform driven IT upgrades.

Tax Reform Readiness & Implementation

• Monitor proposed and enacted Brazilian tax reform developments.

• Assess impact on the business and lead readiness, scenario modeling, and implementation planning.

• Act as key advisor to senior leadership on reform implications

Team Leadership & External Collaboration

• Manage a local team comprising 5 tax specialists and contractors (if any).

• Foster a culture of accountability and collaboration.

• Oversee day-to-day interaction with the external tax compliance provider (BPO), ensuring quality, timeliness, and service-level adherence.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Law, Finance, or related field; advanced degree or certification (e.g., MBA, LL.M., CPA) a plus.

• Tax experience with a focus on Brazilian direct and indirect taxes.

• Deep knowledge of Brazilian indirect and direct taxation (e.g., IRPJ, CSLL), with exposure to international tax and transfer pricing.

• Prior experience in a global organization is required; strong collaboration skills are essential -global-to-local cooperation is key at Wella.

• Solid understanding of tax accounting under US GAAP is required.

• Fluency in English.

• Experience with ERP systems (e.g., SAP) and tax technology tools is preferred.

EEO OPPORTUNITIES

The Wella Company wants to meet the aims and commitments set out in its equality policy. This includes not discriminating under the Equality Act 2010 and building an accurate picture of the make-up of the workforce in encouraging equality and diversity.

We offer equal employment opportunity to qualified individuals without regard to race, religion or belief, color, national origin, age, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital or civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Wella Company with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities.

We strongly believe that cultivating a diverse workplace gives a company strength. The combination of unique skills, abilities, experiences and backgrounds creates an environment that produces extraordinary results.