Senior Tax Specialist-International

The Senior Tax Specialist ? International is responsible for the delivery of a full range of tax services for all domestic and foreign divisions of MeadWestvaco Corporation. Responsibilities include interacting closely with internal clients to provide innovative tax planning, consulting, and compliance assurance; overseeing the completion of multiple, foreign tax returns; implementing organizational restructuring; complying with Sarbanes-Oxley requirements; and working closely with peers in the federal and state tax areas.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

- Accurate and timely completion of U.S. tax compliance for foreign source income.

- Developing, maintaining and improving processes for financial and tax data.  These processes include data gathering procedures and systems applications for performing planning and compliance functions.

- Participates with senior tax personnel and outside tax advisors as necessary, in the development and implementation of tax savings opportunities related to foreign source income, both for U.S. tax savings and foreign tax savings.

- Participates in developing responses to IRS audit inquiries and in the resolution of audit issues related to the international tax area.

- Provides guidance and assistance to other tax personnel in performing federal and state income tax compliance as it relates to foreign source income, and in the determination of financial statement tax effects of such income.

- Provides guidance and assistance as to the proper reporting of foreign income and foreign tax expense in the determination of the Tax Department?s input into the corporate business planning process, and the determination of the consolidated income tax provision for such plan.

- Provide account reviews for adherence to Sarbanes-Oxley requirements that analyze general ledger income tax accounts including but not limited to: current taxes payable, LT deferred income taxes, current deferred income taxes, accrued tax cushion, income tax expense, tax contingencies, and other LT liabilities as it relates to tax transactions.

- Maintain related tax internal control processes and schedules for foreign source income and reporting.

- Review and analyze transactions for tax implications as it relates to foreign source income.

- Participate in complex tax planning. 

- Participate in the development and implementation of strategies to achieve desired tax and operational objectives.

- Research international tax laws, work with outside consultants, and prepare necessary reports on tax issues. 

- Work with other functional areas (Accounting, IS, HR, Legal, etc.) to improve processes to achieve tax-related and operational efficiencies. 

- Direct and monitor tax returns for a number of business entities; plan, execute, direct, and complete tax projects related to foreign source income in a number of countries for a number of internal customers.


REQUIREMENTS:

- Bachelor?s degree in Accounting preferred.

- 5 ? 8 years experience; preferably a CPA with public accounting experience, and/or a Masters in Tax, as
well as multi-national corporate experience.

- Knowledge and experience with FAS 109 and Sarbanes-Oxley 404 requirements

- Experience with tax software, including CorpTax and SAP.

- Strong communication skills

- Team player

- Adhere to the highest degree of professional standards and ethics.

- Provide tax planning, consulting, and compliance expertise to business units.

- Deliver a full range of International Tax services including tax return preparation and review, tax research, preparation of technical memorandums, drafting company correspondence, and defense against IRS audits.

- Maintain active communication with business locations to manage expectations, ensure satisfaction, make sure deadlines are met, and lead change efforts effectively.

- Work closely with Finance team managers and staff to assure tax team goals and objectives are consistent with those of other Finance departments, and ensure timely completion of all reporting requirements.


QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS:
- Bachelor?s degree with a major in Accounting.

- CPA or MBA in Finance.

- Twelve to Fifteen years of tax experience.

- Broad in-depth technical proficiency and knowledge in tax and tax accounting.

- Experience acquired through a combination of ?Big 5? public accounting and the tax department of a large multi-national corporation.

- Excellent analytical, technical and tax accounting/technology skills with proficiency in US GAAP, tax compliance, corporate consolidated returns, and international reporting.

- Proficient experience with one of the major software tax compliance and planning systems.

- Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities in a fast-paced, results-based team environment.

- Analytical skills for reviewing financial data and business transactions.

- Excellent communication skills.

- Ability to travel to various company sites as needed.


Business Unit :
Corporate
Reports To :
Manager, International Taxes