Director of Transactional Tax

Position Overview

The Director of Transactional Taxes is responsible for the strategy, governance, and execution of the company’s U.S. transactional and non-income tax obligations across all jurisdictions. This role oversees sales & use tax, excise and beverage taxes, cigarette and tobacco taxes, property tax, and unclaimed property, with a strong emphasis on automation, vendor oversight, audit defense, and scalable process design.

This is a senior leadership role suited for a tax professional who can operate at both a technical and enterprise level, partnering closely with Finance, Legal, Operations, IT, and external vendors to ensure compliance, reduce risk, and support business growth across a complex national footprint.

• Key Responsibilities
  Transactional Tax Leadership & Strategy

• Own the end-to-end strategy for U.S. transactional and non-income taxes, including:
  • Sales & use tax
  • Excise, beverage, and miscellaneous transactional taxes
  • Cigarette and tobacco tax compliance and reclaim programs
  • Property tax (personal and real estate) and unclaimed property

• Design and implement a cohesive national transactional tax framework
  , harmonizing legacy and acquired-company processes.

• Serve as the internal subject-matter authority on transactional tax matters, advising leadership on risk, structuring, and operational impacts.

• Compliance Oversight & Vendor Management

• Oversee internal teams and third-party vendors responsible for return preparation, filings, payments, and notices.

• Establish clear controls, review protocols, and performance metrics for outsourced compliance.

• Ensure accurate, timely filings across all states and local jurisdictions.

• Manage escalations related to notices, penalties, and disputes.

• Audit Defense & Risk Management

• Lead transactional tax audits and inquiries, coordinating with internal stakeholders and external advisors.

• Develop standardized audit playbooks, documentation standards, and defense strategies.

• Proactively identify risk areas and implement mitigation strategies.

• Track audit exposure, outcomes, and trends to inform leadership.

• Tax Technology & Process Improvement

• Partner with the Tax Technology & Audit Strategy team to:

• Drive automation of data ingestion, return reviews, reconciliations, and audit support
• Improve data quality and system integrations (EPR, tax engines, vendor platforms)
• Reduce manual effort and key-person dependency
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and scalability.

• People Leadership & Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Lead and develop managers and senior analysts across transactional, property, excise, and unclaimed property functions.

• Provide coaching, performance management, and succession planning.

• Collaborate closely with:

• Accounting and Finance
• Legal and Regulatory Affairs
• Supply Chain, Operations, and Procurement
• IT and Data teams
• Translate complex tax requirements into practical operational guidance.

• Qualifications
  Required

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field
• 10+ years of progressive experience in transactional or indirect tax
• Deep technical expertise in multi‑state sales & use tax and related transactional taxes
• Demonstrated experience managing audits and vendor relationships
• Proven leadership experience managing teams in a complex organization
• Strong project management, judgment, and executive communication skills

• Preferred

• CPA, JD, MST, or MBA
• Experience in large, multi‑entity, multi‑jurisdictional organizations
• Experience integrating acquired businesses or remediating fragmented tax processes
• Exposure to tax engines, ERP systems, and data automation tools
• Industry experience in retail, distribution, manufacturing, or consumer products

Bachelor's Degree - Accounting Finance, Certified Public Accountant (CPA) - American Institute of CPAs and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, Master's Degree - Taxation

C&S Wholesale Grocers, LLC

C&S Wholesale Grocers, LLC is an industry leader in supply chain solutions and wholesale grocery supply in the United States. Founded in 1918 as a supplier to independent grocery stores, C&S now services customers of all…