Head of Tax and Audit

As a valued employee of the British Council, you already help us deliver our mission to support peace and prosperity by building connections, understanding and trust between people in the UK and countries worldwide. For over 90 years we have shaped brighter futures through education, arts, culture, language, and creativity.

We work with people in over 150 countries and reach over 700 million people.

We connect. We inspire.

• Number of positions: 1
• British Council Pay Band: 7
• Employment Type:
  
  Indefinite Contract Local
• Location:
  
  Noida, India
• Deadline to receive applications: 21st October 2026.

The main purpose of this role is to lead the tax, audit, financial reporting and compliance functions of BC Education India Private Limited, a business of strategic importance to the British Council. The role provides a single point of senior accountability for taxation, statutory and regulatory compliance, Internal Controls over Financial Reporting (ICFR), financial governance and audit management. The role holder is responsible for ensuring the integrity and accuracy of financial reporting, maintaining a strong internal control environment and delivering compliance with British Council policies and Indian statutory requirements.

The role will oversee the preparation and review of financial statements, tax filings and regulatory submissions, while driving the implementation and ongoing effectiveness of the ICFR framework. The role will work closely with the Managed Service Provider (MSP) to ensure the financial accounts are completed correctly and in a timely manner, and numbers are reported accurately to the UK Group and its auditors.

• Lead statutory financial reporting, management reporting, tax returns, and regulatory filings.
• Manage month-end and year-end close processes.
• Ensure compliance with accounting standards, British Council policies, and statutory regulations.
• Review complex financial transactions and tax implications.
• Identify and mitigate financial risks through strong controls.

• Oversee corporate tax, GST, withholding tax, transfer pricing, and statutory reporting.
• Act as the primary contact with tax consultants and regulatory authorities.
• Manage tax audits, assessments, notices, and litigation.
• Provide tax advisory support for commercial and business decisions.

• Lead statutory audits, tax audits, transfer pricing audits, and ICFR activities.
• Manage auditor relationships and ensure timely closure of audit observations.
• Maintain and strengthen the Internal Controls over Financial Reporting (ICFR) framework.
• Ensure compliance with FCCF, PEC, and other governance requirements.
• Drive continuous control improvements and remediation actions.

• Oversee receivables, collections, revenue recognition, and ageing reviews.
• Ensure timely resolution of outstanding balances.
• Monitor deferred revenue accounting and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Address aged or unusual balance sheet items.

• Oversee the fixed asset lifecycle, including capitalization, depreciation, impairment reviews, disposals, and asset reconciliations.
• Ensure compliance with British Council policies and applicable accounting standards for fixed assets.
• Review the accuracy and completeness of the Fixed Asset Register and associated accounting records.
• Ensure physical verification, insurance coverage, and proper documentation.

• Build relationships with auditors, tax advisors, shared services, Group Finance, and business leaders.
• Provide governance and compliance guidance on business initiatives.
• Support finance transformation, process simplification, and standardization.
• Drive operational excellence and service delivery.

• Lead, coach, and develop the Finance Control team.
• Manage performance and capability development.
• Support succession planning and workload prioritization.
• Foster a culture of accountability, compliance, and continuous improvement.

• Good Financial Reporting, Accounting, Closing and Compliance skills. Excellent IT skills and proficient in Excel.
• Effective communication and influencing skills, able to relay complex financial information in an easy-to-understand way.
• Highly organised and deadline oriented. Building relationships at all levels of the organisation.
• Flexibility, independence, and…