Tax Accountant

Tax Accountant

About the Department:
The University Controller's Office is a department within the Finance Division. The office has business units covering the following areas: general accounting, cash services, asset management, financial reporting, payroll, accounts payable, debt, and the university's tax compliance.

The University Controller's Office works to advance NC State as a leader in fiscal accountability and responsibility through a partnership with our campus community, strong partnerships with our peer groups, improvements in the University's financial systems and internal controls, and efficient and effective business operations. The office continues its attention toward collaborative efforts and providing fiscal leadership, oversight, accounting, reporting, training, and outreach services that exemplify the highest standards of quality, performance, and service. Having professional staff and managers with imagination, knowledge, and people skills is paramount in the successful implementation of these goals.

The University Controller's Office is responsible for fiscal accountability, accuracy, and reporting of the university with a net position of approximately $2.0 billion, including timely and accurate payment of monthly and biweekly wages to over 18,000 staff, faculty, student workers, and temporary employees, over 117,000 vendor payments annually, and management of a $550 million external debt portfolio.

Essential Job Duties:
The Tax Accountant is an accounting professional position within the Controller's Office, reporting to the Tax and Compliance Manager. This role primarily focuses on ensuring institutional tax compliance, mitigating risks, and utilizing the financial system for tax compliance related to State, Federal, and International taxation. Responsibilities include managing multi-state Sales and Use Tax, analyzing complex Unrelated Business Income Tax (UBIT), reviewing invoices for Federal and State tax implications and tax withholding, assisting in producing guidance for campus, and interpreting tax legislation as it arises.

Professional Knowledge - 50%

• Utilize comprehensive knowledge of GASB, GAAP, and complex federal and state tax regulations to address financial issues in higher education
• Serve as a technical resource by providing guidance on accounting principles and leading the development of tax practices
• Leverage advanced Accounting Information Systems (e.g., PeopleSoft, SAP, Oracle, Banner) for accounting duties to maintain financial integrity
• Proactively analyze changing requirements for management, audits, and reporting, implementing necessary modifications to systems and processes.
• Prepare and review technical documentation for the Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) to ensure accuracy and compliance
• Filing of Form 990-T
• Overseeing all aspects of Information Reporting and Nonresident Alien (NRA) taxation, including compliance with 1099 and 1042-S forms
  • Daily or Unscheduled Items:
    • Monitor various tax worklists of accounts payable vouchers for a variety of tax issues
    • Review payments to Nonresident Aliens (NRA) to determine taxability, withholding rates, tax treaty benefits, and information reporting and semi-monthly reporting of federal and state withholdings
    • Review new Nonresident alien individual and entity onboarding requests
    • Monitor and review accounts payable for NC 4% personal services tax. The position will work with departments on the tax and report to payroll bi-weekly for remittance to NC DOR
    • Preparation of Sales Tax Exemption Certificates
    • Assist in the preparation and provision of Form W-9 to University vendors
    • Provide support to other areas of the Controller's Office as needed
  • Monthly Duties
    • Prepare various sales tax reports and Journals from multiple campus departments
    • Prepare NC DOR Sales Tax Returns from multiple campus departments and electronically submit to NC DOR
    • Review and prepare monthly payments to employees, including awards, moving expenses, and gift cards for accurate tax reporting to University Payroll
    • Review and analyze a multitude of Information Reporting payments for accurate yearly reporting
    • Review and analyze various incomes that may or may not be unrelated business income.
  • Quarterly Duties
    • Prepare NC DOR Sales and Use Tax Quarterly Claim for Refund
    • Ad Hoc reporting as needed
    • Quarterly BE-125 survey for submission to the Bureau of Economic Analysis
  • Yearly Duties
    • Assist in 1099 processing, review, mailing, and problem resolution Periodic review and problem resolution monthly if necessary
    • Assist in the preparation and filing of 1042-S.
    • Assist in the annual preparation of the University Financial Statements
    • Annual filing of Form 990-T and various tasks, revenue review, and analysis of unrelated business income
    • Renew annually various sales tax exemptions in other states
    • Renew and apply for the annual IRS Form 6166
    • 4-H assistance with annual filing

Communication and Interpersonal Skills - 10%

• Serve as an expert advisor by simplifying complex tax regulations for university leaders, accountants, and financial managers to aid informed decision-making
• Present findings and strategic recommendations to leadership, clearly conveying the implications of complex data to influence financial policy
• Act as a polished ambassador when interacting with external taxing authorities and auditors, building strong relationships that promote compliance
• Review and edit colleagues' work for technical accuracy and clarity, adjusting communication style to meet the needs of different audiences
  
  

Decision Making and Problem Solving - 20%

• Investigate and resolve complex tax, financial reporting, and accounting issues across the campus
• Serve as the primary technical resource, guiding non-standard problems
• Research policies and regulations to ensure compliant and sound solutions
• Utilize authority to implement solutions for most tax and accounting issues, ensuring organizational protection
• Act as a knowledge leader, offering expertise on complex technical issues within central finance and campus operations
  
  

Financial Monitoring and Analysis - 10%

• Analyze new tax regulations for their financial impact and advise management on strategies to address issues like UBIT losses
• Oversee complex tax and accounting challenges, ensuring compliance with internal controls and regulations
• Design and implement accounting systems, audit tax returns, and develop monitoring plans for unusual activities
• Prepare financial reports, advise on fiscal management, and provide training on new financial systems

Minimum Education and Experience:

Other Required Qualifications:

• Demonstrated ability to independently research, interpret, and apply complex federal and state tax regulations to make sound, defensible determinations.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel is essential, including the ability to skillfully manage large data sets and utilize complex formulas, pivot tables, and data analysis functions.
• Proven ability to clearly and concisely communicate complex tax and financial findings, both verbally and in writing, to colleagues, management, and campus stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 3-5+ years of progressive, direct tax accounting experience.
• Experience within a large, complex organization (5,000+ employees), such as a high-volume employer, a large university, or another major tax-exempt organization.
• Hands-on experience with a large-scale ERP system (e.g., PeopleSoft, SAP, Banner, or Oracle).
• Demonstrated ability to build queries and extract data using system-native reporting tools or SQL.
• Direct experience with non-resident alien (NRA) taxation, including 1042-S reporting and tax treaty analysis.
• Experience with UBIT (Form 990-T) and multi-state sales and use tax compliance.
• Experience in tax information reporting and analysis to provide information returns such as 1099-MISC and 1099-NEC
• A CPA license or a Master's degree in Taxation or Accounting is highly preferred.

Posting Number: PG194377EP
Position Number: 00109145
Anticipated Hiring Range: $73,000 - $76,000

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