Director, Tax

Company Overview

Deepgram is the leading platform underpinning the emerging trillion-dollar Voice AI economy, providing real-time APIs for speech-to-text (STT), text-to-speech (TTS), and building production-grade voice agents at scale. More than 200,000 developers and 1,300+ organizations build voice offerings that are ‘Powered by Deepgram’, including Twilio, Cloudflare, Sierra, Decagon, Vapi, Daily, Cresta, Granola, and Jack in the Box. Deepgram’s voice-native foundation models are accessed through cloud APIs or as self-hosted and on-premises software, with unmatched accuracy, low latency, and cost efficiency. Backed by a recent Series C led by leading global investors and strategic partners, Deepgram has processed over 50,000 years of audio and transcribed more than 1 trillion words. There is no organization in the world that understands voice better than Deepgram.

Company Operating Rhythm

At Deepgram, we expect an AI-first mindset—AI use and comfort aren’t optional, they’re core to how we operate, innovate, and measure performance. Every team member who works at Deepgram is expected to actively use and experiment with advanced AI tools, and even build your own into your everyday work. We measure how effectively AI is applied to deliver results, and consistent, creative use of the latest AI capabilities is key to success here. Candidates should be comfortable adopting new models and modes quickly, integrating AI into their workflows, and continuously pushing the boundaries of what these technologies can do. Additionally, we move at the pace of AI. Change is rapid, and you can expect your day-to-day work to evolve just as quickly. This may not be the right role if you’re not excited to experiment, adapt, think on your feet, and learn constantly, or if you’re seeking something highly prescriptive with a traditional 9-to-5.

What You'll Do

• Stand up the tax function from foundation. You're our first dedicated tax hire, working from a clean slate with outside advisors. Set the operating model, the positions, the calendar, the tooling.
• Own the multi-state nexus picture — payroll, customer, and economic nexus across our remote workforce and customer footprint. Build the registration and compliance roadmap and execute it.
• Define and defend US federal tax positions — R&D credit (§41), §174, capitalized software, equity comp deductions, pre-IPO restructuring.
• Build our international tax foundation. We're early in global expansion and you'll own the design from the ground up — transfer pricing model and intercompany agreements, IP location and migration, GILTI/FDII, entity structure, permanent establishment risk.
• Build the sales and use tax operating model — taxability, nexus monitoring, registrations, returns, exemption certificates. Strong opinions on the right tooling.
• Quarterback external tax advisors — direct, scope, and decide what stays in-house. Today: Big 4 federal compliance. You'll scope SALT, international, and transfer pricing engagements as needed.
• Partner with the Director, Technical Accounting & FR on equity comp (ASC 718 / IRC 409A), business combinations (ASC 805 / §338, PPAs), capitalized software, and complex financing instruments.
• When the time comes, build our first ASC 740 provision.