Tax Manager

Welcome to Warner Bros. Discovery… the stuff dreams are made of.

Who We Are…

When we say, “the stuff dreams are made of,” we’re not just referring to the world of wizards, dragons and superheroes, or even to the wonders of Planet Earth. Behind WBD’s vast portfolio of iconic content and beloved brands, are the storytellers bringing our characters to life, the creators bringing them to your living rooms and the dreamers creating what’s next…

WBD has a co-sourcing arrangement with EY, so as well as working alongside the WBD tax team, the role will involve developing relationships and working with the EY co-source tax team in the UK and India, as well as liaising with the WBD finance teams in both the UK and Poland. This role requires a strong background in tax compliance, excellent organizational skills, and the ability to work effectively with multiple systems.

Your Role Accountabilities…

• Balance Sheet Reconciliations: In line with the quarterly reporting deadlines:

Take ownership of the balance sheet reconciliation process. Proactively liaise with EY to ensure all balance sheet reconciliations required each quarter (and possibly monthly) are prepared and signed off in the system in line with the accounting timelines. Ensure all entity accounts with tax balances have balance sheet reconciliations prepared. Proactively engage with EY to ensure follow up of any reconciling items and timing differences identified within 90 days of the balance sheet reconciliation date. Take ownership with EY of the process of transferring the reconciliations from Cadency to Blackline and ensuring the reconciliations are automated.

• Provision to Returns (PTR): In line with the corporation tax compliance process in EMEA countries:

Take ownership of the PTR process, including tracking that PTRs are prepared for tax return submissions and engage with the US tax team if a PTR is not posted in the same period as a tax return is submitted. Prepare PTRs for all entities where not prepared by EY, including analysis of US GAAP – local GAAP adjustments. Ensure that deferred tax and payable balances post the PTR booking made in the ledgers are correct and can be validated to appropriate support and proactively liaise with EY to ensure that OTP tax software is updated for discrete accounting entries.

• Cash Forecasting: In line with monthly forecasting and the payment timelines of UK and EMEA jurisdictions:

Set up a robust cash forecasting model for Europe, following the merger. Ownership of tax cash payments, including identifying and ensuring that all tax payments for EMEA are made by the due dates and correctly reflected in the accounting ledgers and appropriately tracked. Additional support for Nordic cash payments to ensure CIT payments are accounted for correctly and deal with issues with VAT and payroll payments if the tax authorities account for these differently. Set up a process to ensure EY are advised of the cash tax payments so that the OTP software system is correct each quarter. Ad hoc assistance with the preparation of tax payments required, to include appropriate support / review EY calculations of cash payments. Assist with claims made for UK or EMEA tax cash refunds. Liaise with Finance and FP&A where income forecasts are required.

• Software Management:

Proactively support with the move to SAP 4 HANA. Tax lead for working with EY to ensure OTP is up to date and agrees to WBD’s records, such as linking SAP cash tax payment postings directly to OTP. Challenge current processes to look for efficiencies from automation, including Cadency/Blackline. Support with the move to UK corporation tax “making tax digital”.

• Other Tax Tasks: Including, but not limited to:

Support with US GAAP reporting, calculating annual effective tax rates and ensuring accounting for any quarterly tax charges is accurately reflected in the ledgers. Review of tax journals to ensure correct amounts are booked each quarter. Support for EMEA tax compliance, including review of tax returns for submission. Support with withholding tax, including ensuring correct claims made on tax returns. Support with audit queries. Downloading trial balances and journals from SAP. Updating trackers.

Requirements:

• Qualified accountant with at least 2 years’ post qualification experience, preferably with in-house tax experience.

• Strong knowledge of tax accounting, including US GAAP.

• SAP experience, and experience in interrogating accounting systems preferred.

• UK tax compliance and reporting experience.

• Attention to detail and the ability to work to tight US quarterly reporting deadlines.

• Resilience to work within a wider UK tax team following on from a merger, with an interest in improving combined processes from the 2 separate companies.

Hybrid Working: This role is advertised as a Hybrid work model, that combines remote and in-office work, following our current company policy and to be agreed with your Line Manager.

Championing Inclusion at WBD: Warner Bros. Discovery embraces the opportunity to build a workforce that reflects the diversity of our society and the world around us. Being an equal opportunity employer means that we take seriously our responsibility to consider qualified candidates on the basis of merit, regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, disability or any other category protected by law.

If you’re a qualified candidate with a disability and you require adjustments or accommodations during the job application and/or recruitment process, please visit our accessibility page for instructions to submit your request.