General Summary:
This position provides strategic leadership to business partners across Unum Group and directs activities and influences business decisions/outcomes. As a team leader of highly technical resources, this role effectively manages and develops this staff in a manner consistent with the Company’s talent management goals and objectives. Responsibilities will include the development, implementation, and enforcement of tax policies and procedures that will improve the overall operations, consistency, controls, process efficiency, and effectiveness of the enterprise. This position provides leadership in highly complex federal and state income tax issues.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead financial analysis with team members that serve to inform and ground business decisions. Collaborate with subject matter experts, provide quality financial analytics and exercise judgment to drive optimum solutions for complex issues. Provide concise, cohesive, well-articulated explanations to support recommendations.
• Seek out and maintain cooperative, productive cross-functional partnerships throughout the global enterprise.
• Model positive change management, leading individuals and teams through new operating models and methodologies, creating opportunities for discussion and deliberation.
• Build agility and resilience within teams and broader Finance organization to drive transformation.
• Provide coaching and mentoring to assist individuals in achieving their full potential. Build bench strength and core competencies for the organization.
• Seek out opportunities to increase business knowledge and create visibility within the organization.
• Maintain a comprehensive working knowledge of Unum Group9s finance functions, processes, reporting systems, and requirements.
• Provide leadership involvement and/or direct management for the following areas of responsibility:
  • Lead the day-to-day activities of corporate income tax staff, serving as a resource and mentor for the entire team. Responsible for hiring, performance management, talent development and compensation decisions affecting assigned staff. Proactively participate with other managers in talent management and development.
  • Must have and maintain a strong foundation in accounting for income taxes under both US GAAP and statutory accounting bases. Recognize and explain highly complex income tax reporting issues to business and financial accounting partners. Support the quarterly and annual tax accounting and reporting activities.
  • Lead the forecasting process for income tax expense to support Unum Group9s financial plan and forecast. Maintain strong business partnership with Unum Group9s financial and business planning and analysis teams. Partner effectively with business lines to drive effective and efficient forecasting of income taxes for US GAAP and statutory bases.
  • Consult and partner with other finance divisions and business partners to address tax issues and meet organizational objectives. Deliver professional and timely tax insights, guidance, and/or strategy to internal and external customers. Partner with various business leaders to understand business operations; proactively identify tax planning opportunities. Develop and lead tax-related training for business partners where appropriate.
  • Develop and lead technology strategies and tax technology roadmap for efficiently obtaining information from the Company9s financial systems necessary to carry out all income tax functions including, but not limited to, the federal and state income tax returns, financial planning and analysis, and income tax accounting and reporting.
  • Provide leadership and vision for the tax team, working with information technology and finance partners to develop best practices with the implementation of accounting system procedures that will facilitate compliance with new tax rules and income tax reporting.
  • Research, monitor and interpret federal and state income tax statutes and legislative activity; apply, analyze, and lead others in the application of such statutes to appropriately administer the income tax laws in connection with the Company9s filing and reporting obligations. Advise the Tax management and staff on significant and relevant current developments and trends with respect to Federal and State taxation. Defend or explain the Company's position on appropriate rulings or regulations to executive management and auditors/regulators.
  • Develop strategies that maximize tax deductions for all Unum subsidiaries. Understand the impact of strategic initiatives on the Company9s tax positions.
  • Mitigate and document tax risks. Document tax controls in compliance with Sarbanes Oxley statutes and constantly monitor for updates and changes.
  • Lead and or provide support in the IRS audit of the federal consolidated income tax returns as an advocate of Unum9s filed tax position.

Job Specifications

• Bachelor9s degree and CPA with public accounting experience or equivalent experience in corporate tax department of large corporation, including insurance and/or corporate tax with significant work experience.
• Master9s degree in taxation or JD preferred.
• Comprehensive knowledge of income tax management at practical and policy levels and the technical skills required to support it.
• Proficient in technology necessary to carry out responsibilities, including ERP and tax applications.
• In-depth understanding and application of financial services and/or insurance sector accounting preferred.
• Strong negotiation and partnership skills, across all levels of management, with ability to influence and challenge decisions and processes.
• Ability to frame up issues, options, and solutions using financial data for business decision-making.
• Experience navigating change with both individuals and teams.
• Experience working with all corporate levels including senior management and external contacts.
• Proven ability to work in fast-paced, detailed, and deadline-oriented environment by balancing multiple priorities and resources simultaneously.
• Excellent conflict resolution and facilitation skills.
• Operates with strong conceptual thinking rather than strictly in a 'rules' framework.

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Unum and Colonial Life are part of Unum Group, a Fortune 500 company and leading provider of employee benefits to companies worldwide. Headquartered in Chattanooga, TN, with international offices in Ireland, Poland and the UK, Unum also has significant operations in Portland, ME, and Baton Rouge, LA - plus over 35 US field offices. Colonial Life is headquartered in Columbia, SC, with over 40 field offices nationwide.

The base salary range for applicants for this position is listed below. Unless actual salary is indicated above in the job description, actual pay will be based on skill, geographical location and experience.

Additionally, Unum offers a portfolio of benefits and rewards that are competitive and comprehensive including healthcare benefits (health, vision, dental), insurance benefits (short & long-term disability), performance-based incentive plans, paid time off, and a 401(k) retirement plan with an employer match up to 5% and an additional 4.5% contribution whether you contribute to the plan or not. All benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of individual Plans.

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