Job Summary:The Senior Manager oversees the Utility User Tax audit operations to ensure timely, accurate, and compliant completion of projects. This position serves as the department's leading expert on the interpretation and application of tax laws, providing final decisions and guidance on complex audit matters. The Senior Manager is responsible for developing and managing the annual department budget, monitoring financial performance, and ensuring resources are used efficiently. In addition, this role manages staffing needs, including hiring, training, and performance management, to build and maintain a high-performing audit team. The Senior Manager also represents the department in client meetings and site visits, fostering strong professional relationships and ensuring client satisfaction. The primary focus area is utility user taxes.
Duties and Responsibilities:- Oversee audit operations to ensure audits are completed accurately, efficiently, and within established timelines.
- Provide expert-level interpretation and application of tax laws and regulations to complex audit situations.
- Serve as the final authority on audit determinations and tax law application issues.
- Review and approve audit findings, reports, and recommendations prior to final issuance.
- Develop, implement, and manage the annual audit budget; monitor expenses and ensure fiscal responsibility.
- Develop and track KPI's.
- Analyze workflow, staffing, and productivity to improve efficiency and resource allocation.
- Recruit, train, mentor, and evaluate audit staff; make recommendations and decisions regarding hiring, promotions, and terminations.
- Coordinate and oversee legal representation activities for audits contested in court.
- Collaborate with legal counsel to ensure accurate presentation of facts, documentation, and audit positions in formal proceedings.
- Maintain positive client relationships through regular communication, site visits, and professional consultation.
- Ensure all audit activities comply with established policies, procedures, and applicable laws.
- Identify and implement process improvements to enhance audit quality, consistency, and client satisfaction.
- Provide strategic direction and leadership to support departmental goals and organizational objectives.
- Demonstrates compliance with all company policies and/or regulations
- All other duties as assigned
- Travel as required
Education and Experience:- Bachelor's Degree in Accounting
- 5-12 years of related experience (utility user tax experience)
- State and local tax knowledge or experience is preferred
- A CPA or CIA certification is preferred but not required
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:- Advanced knowledge of state and local tax laws, regulations, statutes, and procedures required
- Strong professional background including advanced knowledge and experience with corporate accounting, direct and indirect transactional taxes, and other business accounting functions with the ability to analyze tax sensitive general ledger accounts
- Intermediate/advanced tax research skills
- Sound knowledge of accounting principles and strong analytical skills
- Self-starter, with the ability to organize, plan and direct
- Professional, customer service oriented, tactful, dependable, and flexible
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to work effectively with personnel at all levels of the Company
- Strong working knowledge of Accounting Systems and Microsoft office
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including diplomacy, flexibility, and dependability
Work Environment- The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate as the employee works in an office setting, at an individual workstation, using telephone and computer
Physical Demands- Must be able to remain in a stationary position for most of the day
- Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a printer/copy machine
- This position needs to occasionally move about inside the office
- The person in this position frequently communicates via telephone
