U.S. Tax Manager at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP in Chicago, Illinois

Job Description:

SOM, one of the most influential design firms in the world, is seeking innovative, creative, independent, and critical thinkers who aspire to the highest standards of excellence. Join our collaborative design practice as a U.S. Tax Manager for the opportunity to build a strong and thriving career.

At SOM, we are a collective committed to shaping a better future for our clients, communities and planet. We aspire to create the most sustainable, impactful work through creative, interdisciplinary teams with all the resources and diversity of a global firm.  We value those who are passionate about excellence, innovation, integrity, inclusivity, and collaboration. Together we can achieve great things.
 

Success at SOM Means

• Ideas:  We believe in a meritocracy of ideas.  We look to everyone to actively contribute to the discourse in the firm.  




• Knowledge:  We believe that expertise is the result of lifelong learning.  We are not expected to know everything, but rather to passionately pursue answers, develop new skills and deepen our knowledge. 




• Product:  We strive for excellence in the concept, quality, and delivery of our work. 




• Individual: We value individuals who bring the highest standards of professionalism and personal integrity in the way they work.  Each person can develop and contribute their wealth of attributes, skills and knowledge to support the overall health of the firm.




• Team: We value the power of interdisciplinary integration.  A positive team culture in which everyone collaborates openly towards common goals is essential. 




• Firm: We have a history of making transformative contributions to the profession and our communities. We are constantly innovating and attempting to bring new approaches, solutions and processes to our work.

Position Responsibilities

• Prepares income and transaction tax calculations for various domestic jurisdictions, reviews/submits relevant filings.




• Researches domestic tax laws and regulations.  Provides guidance on application to key stakeholders.




• Computes, consolidates, and communicates quarterly and annual flow-through income items to partner tax advisors.




• Participates in the computation of Foreign source income, maintains book to tax workpapers related to domestic operations, maintains computations related to the IC-DISC entity and computes/tracks various state PTE and non-resident taxes.




• Reviews and oversees the filing of various transaction tax returns including the Washington state excise tax, Sales & Use Taxes, Chicago Lease Transaction Tax and the New York City commercial rent tax.




• Coordinates the preparation of various U.S. tax credits and incentives.




• Researches state and local tax laws and regulations to determine tax exposure.




• Assists with the development and implementation of internal policies and procedures to ensure compliance with applicable state and local statues, regulations and tax legislation.




• Prepares and assists with tax audits as required.




• Demonstrates an eagerness to take on special projects, including analyzing tax consequences of new trades or businesses, actively participating in corporate and partnership structure analysis, and collaborating with systems group on ways to optimize financial system setup for tax purposes.




• Collaborates with Financial reporting team on application of depreciation methods.




• Maintains the U.S. tax calendar (OneSource Tax Calendar)




• Maintains current knowledge of all applicable tax codes.  Looks at current tax practices and helps to identify opportunities to save capital.




• Assists with other tasks and responsibilities as may be required.  

Leadership Responsibilities

• Demonstrates the ability to assimilate tax results, develop management level summaries, and communicate/present results (both oral and written) to key stakeholders in a concise and professional manner.




• Develops and engages in talent strategy to find specialists, leaders, and future professionals for the firm through resume review and interviews.




• Develops a clear and consistent work plan in collaboration with team members to achieve the project budget, deliverables, and schedule.




• Manages relationships with external advisors while demonstrating the ability to maintain/develop consulting budgets with the goal to drive efficiencies and maximize savings.




• Develops and maintains relationships with partner tax preparers, demonstrating good customer service skills while maintaining a smooth and predictive annual tax reporting cycle.




• Actively engages in internal and external professional development opportunities.




• Contributes to the implementation of sustainable strategies in all project assignments and the associated development of staff knowledge.




• Contributes to the development of standards, policies, and procedures.




• Collaborates cross departmentally to achieve maximum efficiencies for the finance department.




• Protects SOM from financial and legal risk.

Minimum Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree in Tax, Accounting, Auditing or Business Management required 




• 5 plus years’ experience or equivalent knowledge, skills and abilities




• Experience with Partnership taxation




• Advanced degree and/or certification desirable




• Strong knowledge of tax regulations, principles and procedures




• Strong analytical competence




• Proficient in Microsoft office & Google office suites




• Ability to prepare and present complex written and oral reports




• Ability to perform standardized and complex statistical computations




• Detail-oriented, proactive and capable of effectively managing multiple task, projects and deadlines




• OneSource Tax Calendar Administration experience preferred, but not required

Are you ready to join a team of creative professionals working on transformational projects around the world? Take advantage of this exciting opportunity to build a better future with SOM. 

Our Benefits:

Health and Wellness: Medical, dental, vision, disability, and life & accident insurance

Savings: 401K matching, pre-tax spending accounts, and employee discount programs

Work/Life Balance: Hybrid/Flexible schedules, paid family leave, paid vacation, backup child and elder care, and an employee assistance program

Professional Development: Reimbursement for professional licenses, associated renewals, and exam fees as well as specialized in-house career development 

Compensation for this role is based upon experience, qualifications, location, and education and typically ranges from $125,000 to $145,000.

Our Culture:

Our creative, interdisciplinary teams work like small, dynamic studios, with all the resources and diversity of a global firm. Here, you’ll collaborate with industry experts on some of the most exciting and transformative architecture, engineering, and planning projects in the world.

We believe an inclusive environment improves our teams, our firm, and our communities and are passionate about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Our DEI Action Plan was created to bring meaningful change to our profession, starting with our own culture and practices. 

We are proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Visit this page to learn more about SOM's employment policy as well as additional information such as a privacy notice for California residents and how to apply offline.

For more about SOM: www.som.com

Portfolios must be submitted for all design positions (Architecture, Interiors, Planning, etc). Applications without work samples will not be reviewed.  Portfolios should be one PDF attachment, 10-20 pages, maximum 5 MB. Submit portfolios as part of your application in the section where the application asks you for your Resume or CV.