Director, Global Employment Tax

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We’re seeking a future team member for the role of Director, Global Employment Tax to join our Global Payroll team. This role is located in New York.

Role Summary

The Director, Global Employment Tax is a strategic and technical leader responsible for overseeing the governance, design, and execution of employment tax advisory and operations across all jurisdictions in which BNY operate. This role leads global employment tax compliance, risk management, and transformation efforts to ensure accurate, timely, and compliant outcomes while enabling scalability, automation, and regulatory readiness.

Working in close partnership with Finance, Corporate Tax, Payroll Accounting, Legal, Global Mobility, Payroll Operations, and Technology, this leader translates complex regulatory requirements into sustainable operating models, controls, and systems. In partnership with Corporate Tax, the role serves as the enterprise authority on employment tax matters, advising senior leadership on employment tax exposure, regulatory developments, and workforce-related strategic decisions.

Key Responsibilities

Global Employment Tax Strategy & Governance

• Define and execute the global employment tax strategy, balancing compliance, risk mitigation, financial accuracy, operational efficiency, and cost optimization.
• Establish and maintain a global employment tax governance and control framework, including policies, standards, reconciliation requirements, and escalation protocols.
• Serve as the enterprise lead for employment tax matters, including audit readiness, regulatory inquiries, and remediation planning.
• Advise senior leadership on employment tax implications related to workforce strategy, M&A, entity expansion, global mobility, and evolving operating models.

Domestic Employment Tax Compliance

• Oversee country-specific domestic employment & payroll tax compliance requirements, including but not limited to:
  • U.S. federal, state, and local tax account management, including account setup, filings, reconciliations, and periodic balancing.
  • U.K. annual tax obligations, including Senior Accounting Officer (SAO) documentation, P11Ds, and PSA preparation.
  • Other jurisdiction-specific obligations as required.
• Ensure timely filings, accurate remittances, and complete statutory reporting across relevant jurisdictions.

Cross-Border & Mobility Tax Oversight

• Provide subject matter leadership across global employment tax areas, including:
  • Expatriate and cross-border employment taxation
  • Shadow payroll and mobility-related tax obligations
  • Equity and incentive taxation, including RSUs, PSUs, ESPP, and bonuses
• Interpret and operationalize complex global employment tax legislation in alignment with internal policies, controls, and processes

Tax Account Reconciliation & Financial Controls

• Partner with Payroll Accounting to establish and maintain global standards for employment tax general ledger account setup, mapping, and usage across regions, legal entities, and payroll vendors.
• Collaborate on monthly, quarterly, and annual employment tax account reconciliations to ensure:
  • Timely clearance of employment tax liabilities
  • Resolution of reconciling items
  • Alignment across payroll systems, tax filings, and the general ledger

Compliance, Risk & Audit Management

• Monitor global regulatory developments and proactively assess business impact, compliance readiness, and control requirements.

Required Qualifications

Experience

• 12–15+ years of progressive employment tax experience within a large, complex multinational organization and/or a Big 4 or global advisory environment.
• Demonstrated success leading global employment tax or mobility tax programs.
• Proven experience resolving complex employment tax accounting issues, including historical imbalances and audit findings.
• Experience partnering with senior stakeholders, including the CFO, Controller, Head of Tax, and Internal Audit.

Technical Expertise

• Deep knowledge of global employment tax regulations and frameworks.
• Strong understanding of payroll and finance systems, including data flows between payroll, tax engines, and the general ledger.
• Experience with equity compensation taxation and cross-border payroll considerations.
• Audit, controls, and SOX experience strongly preferred.

Leadership & Strategic Skills

• Executive-level communication and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Ability to translate employment tax issues into clear financial risk assessments and remediation plans.
• Strong judgment, prioritization, and decision-making skills in high-risk environments.
• Ability to lead through influence within a global, matrixed organization.

Preferred Credentials

• CPA strongly preferred; JD, LLM (Tax), or equivalent credentials also valued.
• Experience supporting M&A, global expansion, or large-scale payroll and finance transformations.
• Experience in a public company environment and under external audit scrutiny.

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Our Benefits and Rewards:

BNY offers highly competitive compensation, benefits, and wellbeing programs rooted in a strong culture of excellence and our pay-for-performance philosophy. We provide access to flexible global resources and tools for your life’s journey. Focus on your health, foster your personal resilience, and reach your financial goals as a valued member of our team, along with generous paid leaves, including paid volunteer time, that can support you and your family through moments that matter.

BNY is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer - Underrepresented racial and ethnic groups/Females/Individuals with Disabilities/Protected Veterans.
BNY assesses market data to ensure a competitive compensation package for our employees. The base salary for this position is expected to be between $130,000 and $240,000 per year at the commencement of employment. However, base salary if hired will be determined on an individualized basis, including as to experience and market location, and is only part of the BNY total compensation package, which, depending on the position, may also include commission earnings, discretionary bonuses, short and long-term incentive packages, and Company-sponsored benefit programs. 

This position is at-will and the Company reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, change in geographic location, Company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.