Sr Manager, Tax

The Sr Manager, Tax is responsible for leading a tax team through the successful completion of income, franchise, and other tax compliance obligations. This includes managing and overseeing the accurate and timely preparation and review of federal, state and local tax workpapers, tax returns, partner allocations and Schedule K-1 reporting, and REIT compliance for Equity Residential and its related entities. This role may also include strategic or consultative activities, such as research memos, budgets, schedules, etc. to support various transactions, initiatives, and information requirements of the Tax Department, other departments, and/or external customers. The Sr Manager, Tax is expected to leverage experience and judgement in risk assessment, decision making, department policy, and team development. As necessary, the Sr Manager, Tax also assists the supervisor in tax planning, process development, and internal documentation. 

Please note: Our current onsite work schedule requires attendance from Monday through Thursday each week, with remote work permitted on Fridays.

Who You Are:

• Organized, Flexible, and Detail and Action-Oriented. You have a keen eye for detail and pride yourself on delivering quality work. You multitask well, re-prioritize accordingly, and meet deadlines consistently. You keep your cool during stressful situations, remain resilient, and quickly find solutions in order to meet the changing needs and priorities of the business.
• A Collaborator and Trusted Team Player. You enjoy partnering with others —whether internal or external— and build constructive working relationships that foster cooperation in order to get work done and deliver great results. You are united with teammates and follow through on commitments.  You respond in a timely manner.
• Process Management.  You have experience effectively developing processes and you know how to organize resources —including people— to accomplish tasks quickly and successfully.
• Proactive, Productive, and Motivated. You take initiative, manage your work efficiently, meet your  deadlines, and consistently go above and beyond to contribute quality work and to assist other team members and business partners. In short: you enjoy investing extra energy to reach your goals.
• Strong Communicator. You have strong writing and speaking skills which are clear and effective, helping you connect well with others. 
• Problem Solver.  You are intellectually curious, a creative thinker and you like to dig to find  answers.  You know how to recognize important issues and are skilled at coming up with creative ways to resolve issues quickly.

What You’Ll Do:

Tax Return and REIT Compliance

• Reviews internally and externally prepared tax filings before they are filed, focusing primarily on the timely and accurate filing of partnership tax returns.  Prepares or reviews any related correspondence with outside tax authorities. Ensures department processes are appropriately followed in all matters. 
• Reviews partnership and corporation legal documents and correspondence as needed to ensure correct and timely preparation of tax returns.
• Manages and reviews EQR’s section 1031 exchange calculations, record-keeping and tax reporting. Proactively tracks estimated taxable gains/losses on EQR transactions and the attendant tax consequences they create. 
• Prepares tax returns and various tax filings as necessary.

Planning / Process Improvement

• Manages and monitors the due date database and develops and oversees compliance timeline for each filing period.
• Looks for, recommends and implements process improvements and technology solutions in order to ensure greater efficiency and/or improved quality of the tax return process and greater integrity in the tax filings.
• Keeps abreast of changes in tax legislation and filing requirements and communicates the impact of these changes to management and staff.  Incorporates changes into the compliance process.  
• Monitors the formation, dissolution, acquisition and transfer of entities in order to ensure that all tax filing obligations are captured in the due date database and late filings are avoided.   Considers the impact of entity changes and timely incorporates those changes into other areas, including apportionment, budget, non-resident withholding, etc.
• Participates in planning for future events (acquisitions, dispositions, mergers, etc.), and incorporates these transactions into the compliance process and tax projections, and ensures proper tax return presentation.

Supervisory / Leadership Responsibilities

• Partners with supervisor and other tax department leadership to accomplish objectives by recruiting, hiring, training and motivating a high-performing staff.  
• Supervises and is responsible for the workload, timeliness and productivity of staff including the preparation, review and filing of federal, state and local tax returns, estimates and extensions, REIT compliance and miscellaneous state and local filings, including franchise tax returns and annual reports.
• Communicates job expectations, coaches and counsels staff on job performance and disciplinary issues. Monitors individual and team performance against objectives. Provides relevant and timely feedback for improvement, recommendations and guidance in defining career paths and professional development plans.
• Maintains timely, regular, open and clear communication with Head of tax, supervisor, tax department team members, and customers.

Research, Analysis and Audit Documentation

• Anticipates, analyzes and advises supervisor/s and senior management of the income and franchise tax impact and REIT implications of contemplated transactions and changes in tax law, providing schedules and supporting calculations.
• Prepares and revises tax projections, forecasts, and budgets for Equity Residential and related entities. Provides analysis of variances.
• Conducts tax research as needed for the accurate preparation of tax returns.
• Gathers and reviews management and accounting information. Obtains any necessary clarification, requests additional information and communicates with various departments concerning any problems that arise.  Determines workpaper presentation and standards for tax workpaper files and filing system. 
• Participates in ASC 740 compliance and calculation of the effective tax rate, deferred tax assets and liabilities and tax reserves, as directed by the supervisor.
• Reviews and directs compliance with tax department’s Sarbanes-Oxley 404 internal controls.
• Provides information in support of any tax audit to which Equity Residential and related entities may be subject. Works with outside tax counsel engaged for audit defense under direction of supervisor. Contacts outside accounting firms periodically concerning the resolution of tax issues and presentation of tax and financial accounting information.  Responds to review points raised by the auditor on tax returns, quarterly REIT compliance, and tax provision.

Miscellaneous

• Represents the Company in a professional manner at all times. Consistently maintains a professional courteous attitude when dealing with residents, coworkers and the general public.
• Performs other duties as necessary.

Requirements:

Knowledge/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting or master’s degree preferred. 
• Approximately six (6) plus years of total related tax experience preferred (particularly with partnership taxation experience).  At least two years of public accounting experience with partnership tax emphasis is also desirable.  Experience supervising and training staff is beneficial.  
• Must possess strong analytical communication and follow-up skills and have a good working knowledge of partnership and corporate, federal and state taxation. 
• Proficiency using computerized spreadsheets and databases required.  Exposure to Onesource Income Tax and FAS fixed assets preferred. 
• Must be able to manage several concurrent processes to achieve the desired result of satisfying all deadlines for the provision of tax information to the various users of the information – tax authorities, auditors, outside counsel, outside partners, supervisor, upper management, other departments etc. 
• Must be able to regularly reassess priorities, anticipate and plan workload needs, communicate progress and maintain flexibility. 
• Presents findings in a clear and understandable written format.

Salary: $150,000 - $184,000 per year; in addition to base salary, a discretionary 16% annual bonus is provided.

The successful candidate's starting pay will be determined based on job-related skills, experience, and qualifications.

Highlights of the wellbeing benefits for Full-time employees include:

• Physical Wellbeing: Medical, dental, vision care and wellness programs
• Social Wellbeing: Paid holidays, annual vacation time, paid sick leave, new parent benefits, adoption assistance
• Financial Wellbeing: Competitive Compensation, 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan, Rent Discounts, FSA/HSA, and company-paid life & disability insurance
• Community Wellbeing: Paid Community Service Hours
• Career Wellbeing: Leadership Development, Tuition Assistance

Learn more about our Total Wellbeing program here.

Equity Residential is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunities for all job applicants and employees. No job applicant or employee will be discriminated against because of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, sexual/gender identity, age, disability, pregnancy, national origin, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Equity Residential is committed to hiring a diverse workforce. Equity Residential has a smoke-free workplace environment.