Senior Director, Global Tax Planning & Controversy

Block is one company built from many blocks, all united by the same purpose of economic empowerment. The blocks that form our foundational teams — People, Finance, Counsel, Hardware, Information Security, Platform Infrastructure Engineering, and more — provide support and guidance at the corporate level. They work across business groups and around the globe, spanning time zones and disciplines to develop inclusive People policies, forecast finances, give legal counsel, safeguard systems, nurture new initiatives, and more. Every challenge creates possibilities, and we need different perspectives to see them all. Bring yours to Block.

The Role

Block is looking for a Senior Director, Global Tax Planning and Controversy. Reporting to the Chief Accounting Officer, you will lead Block's global tax planning, international tax, transfer pricing strategy, M&A and investment tax activities, U.S. federal and state income tax planning, and direct tax controversy agenda and significant tax examinations and disputes. You will help shape Block's global legal-entity, financing, IP, and operating structures, and translate complex tax concepts into practical business solutions. This is a highly visible, hands-on role requiring exceptional technical judgment, commercial awareness, and executive presence.

You Will

• Develop and execute Block's global tax planning strategies in alignment with business objectives, financial priorities, and risk tolerance. Identify opportunities, evaluate alternatives, and lead the implementation of sustainable, defensible domestic and international tax planning.
• Lead international tax planning related to Block's global operations, including cross-border legal-entity structures, intellectual-property arrangements, intercompany transactions, financing, capital deployment, cash repatriation, and operating-model changes. Advise on complex U.S. international and foreign tax matters such as foreign tax credits, tax treaties, withholding taxes, permanent-establishment considerations, transfer pricing, and global minimum tax regimes.
• Own U.S. federal and state income tax planning, including consolidated return matters, financing transactions, the preservation and use of tax attributes, nexus and apportionment planning, sourcing positions, filing methodology and entity structure. 
• Analyze tax considerations for new product launches, product modifications, and new market entry or expansion efforts. Act as a thought partner to the business by collaboratively developing alternative solutions to support business initiatives.
• Monitor U.S. and international legislative, regulatory, administrative, judicial, and policy developments. Assess their potential impact on Block's global structure, cash taxes, effective tax rate, financial reporting, and compliance obligations, and develop strategies to address material risks and opportunities.
• Lead the tax aspects of domestic and cross-border acquisitions, dispositions, investments, joint ventures, strategic partnerships, reorganizations, and other corporate transactions — from initial evaluation through due diligence, structuring, modeling, negotiation, closing, integration, and tax return implementation. Develop and evaluate alternative transaction structures, advising senior leadership on cash-tax consequences, effective-tax-rate implications, use of tax attributes, and potential controversy risks.
• Partner with Corporate Development and Legal in negotiating transactions. Review, draft, and negotiate tax provisions in purchase agreements, investment agreements, commercial contracts, and other transaction documents, including tax representations, covenants, indemnities, purchase-price provisions, and withholding obligations and the allocation of pre- and post-closing taxes.
• Own Block's direct tax controversy strategy across federal, state, local, and foreign income tax examinations — from audit readiness and risk assessment through information-document requests, administrative appeals, competent-authority proceedings, settlement negotiations, and final resolution. Develop strategies for international tax controversies, including transfer-pricing disputes, permanent-establishment matters, withholding-tax and treaty-based disputes.
• Serve as a senior representative of Block in interactions with U.S. and foreign tax authorities. Develop audit-defense and dispute-resolution strategies supported by strong technical analysis, contemporaneous documentation, and quantitative modeling.
• Partner cross-functionally with Tax Reporting & Compliance, Legal, Corporate Development, Treasury, Accounting, FP&A, Product, People, Government Relations, and business leadership. Ensure domestic and international tax considerations are incorporated early in strategic and operational decision-making. Ensure that planning, transaction structures, uncertain tax positions, and audit resolutions are properly reflected in the tax provision, financial statement disclosures, and filed tax returns through close partnership and collaboration with Tax Reporting & Compliance.

You Have

• 15+ years of multinational corporate income tax experience spanning complex global tax planning, M&A, and tax controversy.
• In-house tax experience at a publicly traded multinational, advising senior executives and cross-functional partners on material tax matters.
• Deep U.S. international tax expertise: cross-border tax, foreign tax credits, treaties, withholding, permanent establishment, cross-border financing, and transfer pricing.
• Deep U.S. federal corporate tax knowledge: Subchapter C, consolidated returns, reorganizations, financing transactions, and attribute limitation rules.
• A track record of developing and executing sophisticated tax-planning strategies and leading domestic and cross-border transactions end-to-end, including negotiating tax terms and developing negotiation positions.
• Success managing significant U.S. and foreign income tax audits, developing defensible technical positions, and resolving disputes with tax authorities.
• Strong research, modeling, and technical-writing skills, with sound judgment in areas of uncertainty.
• Executive presence and a proven record of building high-performing teams.

Even Better

• Big Four accounting firm experience in addition to substantial in-house public-company experience.
• MS in Taxation, JD/LLM in Taxation, CPA, or comparable credentials.
• Background in technology, payments, fintech, digital assets, or another highly regulated industry.
• Experience with Treasury initiatives such as capital markets, global cash pooling, intercompany lending, debt restructurings, and capital allocation.
• Experience partnering with government relations or tax-policy teams.
• Experience applying tax technology, analytics, and AI to analysis, modeling, and audit readiness.

We’re working to build a more inclusive economy where our customers have equal access to opportunity, and we strive to live by these same values in building our workplace. Block is an equal opportunity employer evaluating all employees and job applicants without regard to identity or any legally protected class. We will consider qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records for employment in accordance with state and local laws and “fair chance” ordinances.

We believe in being fair, and are committed to an inclusive interview experience, including providing reasonable accommodations to disabled applicants throughout the recruitment process. We encourage applicants to share any needed accommodations with their recruiter, who will treat these requests as confidentially as possible. Want to learn more about what we’re doing to build a workplace that is fair and square? Check out our I+D page.

While there is no specific deadline to apply for this role, U.S. roles are typically open for an average of 55 days before being filled by a successful candidate. Please refer to the date listed at the top of this job page for when this role was first posted.

Block takes a market-based approach to pay, and pay may vary depending on your location. U.S. locations are categorized into one of four zones based on a cost of labor index for that geographic area. The successful candidate’s starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, qualifications, work location, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future.

To find a location’s zone designation, please refer to this resource. If a location of interest is not listed, please speak with a recruiter for additional information. 

Application Guidelines

Candidates may submit up to 9 active applications within a 60-day period. Reapplications to the same role are accepted 90 days after a previous application has been reviewed.

Use of AI in Our Hiring Process

We may use automated AI tools to evaluate job applications for efficiency and consistency. These tools comply with local regulations, including bias audits, and we handle all personal data in accordance with state and local privacy laws. 

Contact us here with hiring practice or data usage questions.

Every benefit we offer is designed with one goal: empowering you to do the best work of your career while building the life you want. Remote work, medical insurance, flexible time off, retirement savings plans, and modern family planning are just some of our offering. Check out our other benefits at Block.

Block, Inc. (NYSE: XYZ) builds technology to increase access to the global economy. Each of our brands unlocks different aspects of the economy for more people. Square makes commerce and financial services accessible to sellers. Cash App is the easy way to spend, send, and store money. Afterpay is transforming the way customers manage their spending over time. TIDAL is a music platform that empowers artists to thrive as entrepreneurs. Bitkey is a simple self-custody wallet built for bitcoin. Proto is a suite of bitcoin mining products and services. Together, we’re helping build a financial system that is open to everyone.

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