State Tax Manager

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For over 50 years, AmeriLife has been a leader in the development, marketing and distribution of annuity, life and health insurance solutions for those planning for and living in retirement.

Associates get satisfaction from knowing they provide agents, marketers and carrier partners the support needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving industry.

Job Summary

Responsible primarily for state and local income tax compliance for AmeriLife and their lower-tier affiliates, as well as assisting the Senior Tax Manager with respect to state tax planning and risk management. The State Tax Manager will also oversee the surplus lines tax (“SLT”) function emanating from a recently completed acquisition. The State Tax Manager will initially work closely with the VP of Tax and Senior Tax Manager to establish AmeriLife’s in-house SLT capability and onboarding of the outsourced service provider and then assume responsibility to ensure the accurate and timely filing, reporting and payment of AmeriLife’s surplus lines taxes.

Job Description

Duties/Responsibilities

• Assist with the preparation and review of state and local tax returns, including income, franchise, gross receipts, and other applicable taxes, ensuring timeliness, accuracy and compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
• Conduct research and analysis regarding state and local tax issues, providing recommendations and solutions to address potential risks, as well as opportunities for tax savings.
• Review complex multi-state income tax returns prepared by the outsourced service provider, along with the preparation and review of complex state apportionment workpapers for partnerships with state and local flow-through.
• Stay relevant with changes in state and local tax laws, regulations, and judicial decisions that affect AmeriLife.
• Participate in acquisition tax matters, including integration of newly acquired entities.
• Continuously monitor changes in surplus lines tax law and tax rates through participation in surplus lines trade organizations and/or through independent tax research.  Coordinate with Operations and IT teams to appropriately capture the changes in the broker invoicing system.
• Manage external surplus lines tax inquiries and/or audits, working closely with the VP of Tax, outsourced service provider and legal counsel as needed.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, such as accounting, legal, licensing operations and treasury to ensure appropriate reporting and accounting for transactions.
• Participate in the development and implementation of tax policies, procedures, and internal controls to ensure compliance and mitigate risks.

Qualifications

Minimum Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Finance or related field of study.
• 4-6 years of multistate income and indirect tax experience in a corporate setting and/or public accounting firm.
• CPA certification is preferred.
• Be flexible, people-oriented and able to work within a team environment.
• Proficiency in tax software and research tools, as well and Microsoft Office.
• Familiarity with tax automation and technology solutions is a plus.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Must be analytical, a self-starter, motivated, and organized.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Strong tax technical knowledge coupled with hands-on detailed transactional level experience.
• Advanced knowledge of partnership taxation and state and local flow-through income tax laws and regulations.
• Knowledgeable in accounting practices and procedures.
• Excellent process and project management skills, focusing on delivering flawless quality in a highly efficient and timely manner.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment for an acquisitive organization where processes, policies and procedures are continually being developed rather than previously existing.
• Strong systems aptitude and experience with Oracle Fusion Cloud applications or similar ERP system.
• High levels of integrity, ethics, compliance with legal and regulatory rules and regulations within an internal control framework.
• Team player possessing strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build and nurture cross-functional teams and relationships both within and outside of the tax function.