Principal - Canadian Cross Border Tax

Leadership Opportunity | Pathway to Partnership

Salary Range: $170,000 - $220,000

Ready to take the next step in your tax career with a firm that values leadership, flexibility, and growth?

Smythe LLP is seeking a collaborative, technically strong, and people-focused Principal - Canadian Cross Border Tax to join our growing Cross Border Tax practice in downtown Vancouver.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Canadian tax professional to take a leadership role in our canadian Cross Border Tax practice, advising Canadian companies and multinational groups on complex tax matters. You'll work closely with clients, Partners, Managers, and professionals across jurisdictions to identify opportunities, solve complex tax issues, and deliver practical, commercially focused advice.

Beyond technical expertise, we're looking for someone who enjoys developing people, building trusted client relationships, and contributing to the growth of a practice. For the right individual, this role offers a clear pathway to Partnership.

The Opportunity

As a principal, you will lead complex Canadian cross border tax engagements while taking increasing responsibility for clients, teams, and practice development. We are specifically seeking someone with deep Canadian corporate cross-border tax expertise - FAPI, foreign affiliates, EIFEL, CRIC/FAD, financing, withholding, treaty and international restructuring - rather than primarily US personal tax/global mobility experience.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Advise Canadian companies and multinational groups on complex inbound and outbound tax matters.
• Lead cross-border tax planning, advisory, and compliance engagements from issue identification through implementation.
• Advise on EIFEL, FAPI, foreign affiliates, surplus calculations, withholding tax, treaty interpretation, foreign reporting, intercompany financing, thin capitalization, shareholder loans, and foreign exchange.
• Address complex matters involving FAD, CRIC rules, upstream loans, PLOI elections, and other Canadian cross border tax provisions.
• Prepare and review technical analysis, calculations, elections, memoranda, and compliance filings.
• Identify Canadian tax implications of cross-border transactions, reorganizations, financing arrangements, and multinational structures.
• Coordinate with foreign advisors and tax teams on multi-jurisdictional matters.
• Act as a trusted client advisor, providing practical and commercially focused tax solutions.
• Lead, mentor, and develop high-performing tax teams while reviewing work for technical quality.
• Work closely with Partners on complex engagements, client strategies, and solutions.
• Support business development, client growth, proposals, and practice-building initiatives.
• Contribute to the continued growth and development of Smythe's Canadian Cross Border Tax practice.

What You Bring

We're looking for someone who combines strong Canadian Cross Border tax expertise with sound judgment, leadership ability, and a genuine interest in working with people.

You will ideally bring:

• CPA designation.
• 5+ years of Canadian tax experience, with a focus on cross-border taxation.
• Experience advising Canadian subsidiaries of multinational groups and/or Canadian companies with foreign operations.
• Strong knowledge of Canadian cross border tax principles and the ability to apply them to practical client situations.

Experience with Cross Border tax matters including:

• Intercompany financing and thin capitalization
• Part XIII and Regulation 105 withholding
• Foreign affiliate rules, surplus calculations, and PLOI elections
• FAPI, upstream loans, and shareholder loan rules
• Foreign affiliate dumping and CRIC considerations
• Treaty-based withholding and foreign exchange issues
• Foreign reporting and EIFEL
• Ability to identify issues independently, perform technical analysis and calculations, and determine when complex matters require escalation or specialist input.
• Experience preparing or reviewing technical memoranda, calculations, elections, and compliance filings.
• Strong engagement management skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex tax matters clearly to clients and colleagues.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor, coach, and develop tax professionals.
• Strong client relationship-building skills and a commercial mindset.
• A collaborative, entrepreneurial, and growth-oriented approach.

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary of $170,000 - $220,000
• Discretionary bonus program
• RRSP matching
• 4 weeks (20 days) vacation
• Extended health benefits

What Sets Us Apart

• Flexible hybrid work environment
• Canadian Tax core in-office days: Wednesdays & Thursdays
• Additional firm-wide office closure days
• "Leading at Smythe" leadership development programs
• Young and collaborative Partnership group
• Local BC firm with global reach through Allinial Global
• Clear advancement opportunities
• Smythe is prepared to support relocation for the right candidate