Senior Director - Managed Services Outsourcing Operations

Job Description:

JOB SUMMARY:

The Senior Director, Managed Services Operations, is responsible for overseeing and managing the day-to-day tax operations of a large team of tax compliance professionals while developing and executing long-term strategic initiatives. In this capacity, the Senior Director will provide strategic leadership and oversight for our Vertex Managed Services Sales and Use Tax Compliance Outsourcing services portfolio, while identifying and capturing new market opportunities. This senior leadership position is responsible for driving operational excellence, managing cross-functional teams, ensuring the efficient delivery of managed services to our customers, with the intent to support a differentiating managed services experience resulting in higher customer retention and service revenue growth. The role requires a strong background in financial operations, process optimization, transformation, and team leadership, with specific emphasis on tax compliance services, as well as a proven track record of P&L management and business development.

This position serves as a key member of the Managed Services Leadership Team reporting directly into the Vice President of Managed Services and will participate in executive-level strategic planning sessions to shape the future of the organization.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop and implement strategic operational plans to optimize service delivery, improve efficiency, and drive business growth while maintaining quality standards
• Establish ambitious yet achievable OKRs for the department, with clear accountability mechanisms
• Overall operational ownership of the returns process from the tax compliance teams, with authority to implement process changes as needed
• Lead and oversee daily operations of the Sales and Use Tax Compliance services, ensuring timely and accurate delivery of client deliverables while continuously improving service levels
• Design and implement comprehensive performance metrics and reporting systems to monitor operational effectiveness and identify areas for improvement, including predictive analytics capabilities
• Manage operational budget and resource allocation to maximize efficiency and profitability, with P&L responsibility for the Managed Services business unit under the CS&S organization
• Develop and execute strategies to increase profit margins and reduce operational costs without compromising quality
• Work with product management, treasury and the innovation team to improve and prioritize manual and automated processes, with final decision-making authority on technology investments
• Support digital transformation initiatives to increase automation and reduce manual intervention
• Identify and help to solve system issues with business application cross functional leaders, serving as the bridge between technical and business stakeholders
• Act as an escalation point for internal and external customers, with authority to make high-level decisions that may impact internal cross-functional teams
• Represent the company in high-profile client meetings and industry events
• Work with Customer Support and Customer Success to resolve customer issues and develop proactive strategies to prevent future issues
• Ensure customer tax returns and related data, prepared by returns teams, are reviewed for accuracy in accordance with tax quality compliance standards, relevant regulations, and internal control guidelines
• Establish and maintain a rigorous quality assurance program with regular audits and continuous improvement measures
• Ensure SOC 2 controls related to the compliance process are continuously updated and followed
• Develop and oversee comprehensive risk management strategies for the organization
• Develop and implement succession planning for key leadership positions
• Collaborate with senior leadership to align operational strategies with overall business objectives and contribute to the company's strategic planning process
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with key customers, vendors, and internal stakeholders, serving as the primary executive sponsor for major accounts
• Negotiate and manage strategic vendor partnerships and outsourcing relationships
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives and process optimization across the portfolio
• Support major change management and business transformation initiatives
• Must be available for compliance team escalations, as the nature of this service typically requires weekend work between the 5th and the 20th of each month
• Develop a crisis management plan and serve as incident commander during critical operational disruptions
• Support the company’s strategy to expand the service portfolio and enter new markets
• Occasional travel may be required

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Determine appropriate resourcing of staff in order to achieve goals and objectives
• Direct management of department heads and team leaders across multiple functional areas
• Oversee the recruitment, development, and retention of top talent within the tax compliance team
• Define annual team OKRs aligned with corporate goals
• Conduct regular performance evaluations and provide coaching and mentorship to direct reports
• Manage, coach, develop, and mentor tax returns processing people leaders to achieve personal and business goals
• Manage and coach employees and/or managers on all human resource related processes including onboarding, performance management, succession planning, employee relations, selection, terminations, compensation and rewards
• Lead change management initiatives to drive improvements and efficiencies
• Recognize others’ contributions and share credit for success
• Own attainment of high employee satisfaction and retention; lead development of program and initiatives within group to attain high employee satisfaction
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement
• Lead and develop high-performing teams while promoting cross-functional collaboration

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Expert knowledge of operational management principles and best practices, including advanced process optimization methodologies
• Strategic vision with the ability to translate strategy into actionable plans
• Strong understanding of Sales and Use Tax compliance requirements
• Specific knowledge of multi-state tax preparation software and preparation of monthly SUT returns
• Understand various business entities (i.e. retail, software, manufacturing, leasing, etc.) and the related SUT compliance details involved
• Demonstrated experience with financial reporting, analytics, and treasury operations
• Advanced financial modeling and forecasting capabilities
• Proven ability to develop and implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
• In-depth knowledge of SOX compliance and other regulatory frameworks
• Excellence in project management and resource optimization
• Experience with agile methodology for large-scale projects
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Outstanding leadership and team-building capabilities
• Executive presence and the ability to influence at all levels of the organization
• Demonstration of excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, communicating effectively with customers, executives, leaders, program/initiative owners, stakeholders, and other audiences
• Proficiency in data analysis and performance metrics
• Experience with business intelligence tools and data visualization
• Strong business acumen and strategic thinking abilities
• Innovative thinking and growth mindset
• Change management expertise
• Negotiation and conflict resolution skills

EDUCATION AND TRAINING:

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree or PhD in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or related field preferred
• Minimum of 15 years of progressive experience in operations management
• At least 8-10 years of management experience leading multiple disciplines
• Experience managing organizations of 50+ employees
• Professional certifications in project management (PMP), operations management (CSCP), or Lean Six Sigma (Black Belt) preferred
• Tax-specific certifications such as CPA, CMI, or similar credentials beneficial
• Demonstrated track record of successful leadership in a managed services environment
• Experience with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and business intelligence tools
• Prior P&L responsibility for business units of $10M+ annually
• Experience leading digital transformation initiatives

Other Qualifications
The Winning Way behaviors that all Vertex employees need in order to meet the expectations of each other, our customers, and our partners.

• Communicate with Clarity - Be clear, concise and actionable. Be relentlessly constructive. Seek and provide meaningful feedback.

• Act with Urgency - Adopt an agile mentality - frequent iterations, improved speed, resilience. 80/20 rule – better is the enemy of done. Don’t spend hours when minutes are enough.

• Work with Purpose - Exhibit a “We Can” mindset. Results outweigh effort. Everyone understands how their role contributes. Set aside personal objectives for team results.

• Drive to Decision - Cut the swirl with defined deadlines and decision points. Be clear on individual accountability and decision authority. Guided by a commitment to and accountability for customer outcomes.

• Own the Outcome - Defined milestones, commitments and intended results. Assess your work in context, if you’re unsure, ask. Demonstrate unwavering support for decisions.

COMMENTS:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals in this position. Other functions may be assigned, and management retains the right to add or change the duties at any time.