Vice President/Senior Manager, Tax Structuring

Job Description Summary

For over forty years, HarbourVest has been home to a committed team of professionals with an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to deliver impactful solutions to our clients and investing partners. As our global firm grows, we continue to add individuals who seek a collaborative, open-door culture that values diversity and innovative thinking.

In our collegial environment that’s marked by low turnover and high energy, you’ll be inspired to grow and thrive. Here, you will be encouraged to build on your strengths and acquire new skills and experiences.

We are committed to fostering an environment of inclusion that promotes mutual respect among all employees. Understanding and valuing these differences optimizes the potential of both the individual and the firm.

HarbourVest is an equal opportunity employer.

This position will be a hybrid work arrangement, which translates to 2-3 days minimum per week in the office.

We are seeking a Boston-based Vice President/Senior Manager (depending on experience) to serve as a key contributor to our global Tax Structuring team.

This newly created role will provide impactful tax support to our private wealth channel, including our growing registered fund platform, as well as advise more generally on a broad range of tax matters spanning the Firm’s diverse investments and products.

This role will report to the existing Boston-based Vice President of Tax Structuring, and is encouraged to work across jurisdictions with Boston-, London- and Singapore-based Tax Structuring colleagues, as well as with the Boston-based team focusing on tax compliance matters, to support internal and external clients on a broad range of tax matters spanning the Firm’s diverse global investments and offerings.

What you will do:

Transactional Support

• Work closely with investment teams on transactions for HarbourVest funds and accounts, including transactions for HarbourVest-managed regulated investment companies, to identify tax risks and opportunities through participation in weekly reviews of pending investments and assistance with initial tax due diligence.
• Supervise, and collaborate with, external legal and accounting advisers.
• Make risk assessments and identify creative solutions to meet Firm and client objectives.
• Act as liaison to internal teams, including tax compliance, accounting, and client services to ensure ongoing obligations with respect to investments are satisfied.
• Work with outside advisers to identify transactions requiring blockers, aggregators, AIVs, or other structures.
• Keep track of transactional structures and determinations.

Product Development:

• Assist in the creation of new products, including future regulated products, at each stage of development and throughout the life of the product.
• Participate in analysis of entities/vehicles newly proposed for the HarbourVest platform.

Client & Fundraising Support:

• Assist with the drafting and maintenance of fund FAQs and standard written responses to tax-related investor inquiries.
• Work with HarbourVest’s internal Investor Relations and Client Service teams to ensure timely delivery of requested information.

Ongoing activities

• Help draft policies and procedures and update standard forms and checklists.
• Stay on top of developments in US tax laws impacting alternatives fund managers.
• Update fund documentation, as needed.
• Prepare materials for and lead trainings on tax topics for internal customers.

What you bring:

The ideal candidate brings significant experience with the tax issues impacting: regulated investment companies, including the structuring and operation of RICs investing in private equity or credit; open- and closed-end private markets funds; the investors in RICs and private markets funds, with particular emphasis on the private wealth segment; and asset managers. The ideal candidate also will have experience with the tax considerations relating to structuring and operating credit, infrastructure and secondary funds and in evaluating and negotiating credit, infrastructure and secondary transactions.

The ideal candidate is practical, creative, solutions-oriented, and brings a positive and professional attitude to interactions with internal and external clients alike.

The position requires effective management of diverse responsibilities; a high level of organization; excellent oral and written communication skills; and personal initiative.

Education Preferred

Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent experience

Experience

Meaningful relevant experience (at least 8 years for VP role, and at least 5 years for Senior Manager role) at a law firm, accounting firm, or in-house tax department at an investment manager.

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