Financial Services – Senior - State and Local Tax, Tax Controversy

Will you shape the future or will the future shape you?

The opportunity

EY is a leader in serving the global financial services marketplace and the only professional services firm with a separate business unit dedicated to the financial services industry – the Financial Services Organization (FSO). Our focused model and bold ambition have put us at the center of the events that continue to reshape and redefine our industry, working side by side with a range of clients from our most venerable institutions to dynamic new entrants across Banking and Capital Markets, Wealth and Asset Management, Insurance, and Real Estate, Hospitality and Construction. Our purpose is to help build a financial services industry in which financial institutions are trusted and flourish, and the global economy is healthy, growing, and secure. If you have a passion for rallying together to solve complex challenges, then come join our dynamic FSO team! 

EY's State and Local Tax (SALT) team is a growing practice within the organization, and you'll see that growth reflected in your career. As a Tax Senior, you'll have the opportunity to contribute to a dynamic and expanding team that has experienced significant recent growth and aims to double in size over the next few years. With support from some of the most engaging professionals in the business, you can expect to develop your tax technical skills, management techniques, and business experience considerably. It's all about taking on new skills and responsibilities as they arise and making the most of our dedicated mentors and training programs.

Step into a pivotal role where you will advise on indirect tax regulatory changes and support compliance and reporting needs for both public and private entities. You’ll develop and implement strategies, operating models, and compliance frameworks to manage indirect taxes throughout the tax lifecycle, increasing operational efficiency and ensuring regulatory requirements are met. Key responsibilities include:

• Identifying opportunities for tax optimization, credits, and refund recovery, as well as exposure reduction.
• Managing indirect tax strategies, compliance processes, remediation, controversies, and corrective filings.
• Supporting tax process reviews and technology transformation to enhance service offerings.

Your key responsibilities

You'll likely spend most of your time on a diverse array of projects, responsibilities, and tasks, with a focus on tax controversy and advisory matters. To be successful in the role, you'll leverage your knowledge of state and local tax concepts and law while working in a highly collaborative culture where listening to and sharing information with colleagues is essential.

• Contributing to the overall success of the team by developing a thorough understanding of EY methodologies and tools
• Challenging traditional procedures and finding new approaches to address complex tax matters
• Building client relationships and demonstrating your knowledge of the financial services industry
• Staying abreast of state and local tax developments and emerging trends within the marketplace

As a Senior in Indirect Tax, you will contribute to the delivery of processes, solutions, and projects, applying sound judgment and selecting appropriate methodologies to inform recommendations. You’ll be accountable for meeting your own targets, which directly impact your immediate team, and may help coordinate the work of junior colleagues. You’ll define and execute deliverables, track project status, and maintain engagement economics reports. The role presents the challenge of working on complex issues where analysis of variable factors is required, and you’ll have the opportunity to learn through daily client interaction and exposure to diverse tax scenarios. This position would need regular travel as required by external clients.

• Make decisions based on broad policies, applying personal knowledge and experience to resolve issues.
• Implement procedures and guidelines, often working on complex issues requiring in-depth evaluation.
• Provide general guidance to others newer to the role or at a lower level.

Skills and attributes for success

• Strong tax technical skills and experience in tax research and writing, income and franchise taxes and transfer taxes
• Compliance skills as it relates to multi-state jurisdictions
• Responsible for contributing to the delivery of one or more processes, solutions, and/or projects by delivering agreed activities and applying judgment to inform recommendations.
• Accountable for meeting personal targets that impact the immediate team.
• May help coordinate the work of junior colleagues or team members.
• Meets performance objectives and metrics set locally (client service, quality and risk management, sales and business growth, solution development, and teaming).
• Defines and executes deliverables, tracks deliverable completion and project status.
• Makes decisions based on broad policies, applying personal knowledge and experience to guide decisions and resolve issues.
• Implements procedures and guidelines, working on complex issues requiring in-depth evaluation.
• Provides general guidance as needed to others newer to the role or at a lower level.

To qualify for the role, you must have

• Bachelor’s degree required (4-year degree) with an emphasis in accounting, finance, or economics
• Typically, no less than 2 - 4 years relevant experience
• Demonstrated expertise in tax legislation and impact assessment.
• Experience in indirect tax refund and recovery review.
• Proficiency in tax planning and optimization.
• Knowledge of audit quality and remediation techniques.
• Ability to drive process improvement and optimization.
• Experience in operating model design and analysis.
• Familiarity with credit modelling.
• Understanding of data quality, accounting principles, and standards.
• Skills in risk mitigation and data analysis/interpretation.
• Knowledge of tax compliance and reporting requirements.
• Ability to use data visualization and storytelling to communicate insights.
• Experience with application and tool analysis.
• Awareness of sustainability drivers and mega trends.
• Ability to build and manage relationships.
• Demonstrated client trust and value.
• Strong communication skills with impact.
• Emotional agility and hybrid collaboration skills.
• Complex problem-solving and critical thinking abilities.
• Proven ability to drive outcomes and demonstrate learning agility.
• Commercial acumen and experience leading teams.
• Join us in our team-led and leader-enabled hybrid model. Our expectation is for most people in external, client serving roles to work together in person 60% of the time over the course of an engagement, project or year.

Ideally, you’ll also have

• Experience communicating with clients about complicated tax questions and assembling and preparing the information necessary to respond to information document requests.
• Experience communicating with tax authorities, advocating on behalf of clients and writing persuasively.
• Experience maintaining reports for engagement economics.

What we look for

We seek top performers who are analytical, adaptable, and proactive individuals who thrive in dynamic environments, demonstrate strong judgment, and are committed to delivering high-quality client service. The ideal candidate is a collaborative team player, eager to learn, and able to navigate complex challenges with confidence and professionalism.

Are you ready to shape your future with confidence? Apply today.

What we offer you
At EY, we harness our collective strength to empower you to shape your future with confidence through professional growth, personal fulfillment and an inclusive culture. Learn more at ey.com/us/careers.

• We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to the business.  The base salary range for this job is: 
• • New York City, Boston, and Washington DC Metro Areas, Washington State, and Southern California offices – $98,100 to $147,300
  • Bay Area California offices – $102,200 to $153,500
  • All other offices locations in the US, including Sacramento – $81,700 to $135,000 
• Individual salaries within these ranges are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge, skills and geography.  In addition, our Total Rewards package includes medical and dental coverage, pension and 401(k) plans, and a wide range of paid time off options.
• Under our flexible vacation policy, you’ll decide how much vacation time you need based on your own personal circumstances. You’ll also be granted time off for designated EY Paid Holidays, Winter/Summer breaks, Personal/Family Care, and other leaves of absence when needed to support your physical, financial, and emotional well-being.

Are you ready to shape your future with confidence? Apply today.                                              

• To make the most of your application experience, please limit yourself to two applications within a six-month period.
• EY accepts applications for this position on an on-going basis.
• For those living in California, please click here for additional information.
• At EY, our values set the foundation for how we work and the behaviors we expect of our people. Any misrepresentation or falsification of information or lack of integrity at any point in the recruiting process may result in withdrawal of your candidacy, revocation of an offer or immediate termination of employment.

EY  |  Building a better working world

EY is building a better working world by creating new value for clients, people, society and the planet, while building trust in capital markets.

Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow.

EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fueled by sector insights, a globally connected, multi-disciplinary network and diverse ecosystem partners, EY teams can provide services in more than 150 countries and territories.

All in to shape the future with confidence.

EY provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, pregnancy, genetic information, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other legally protected basis, including arrest and conviction records, in accordance with applicable law.  

EY is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities including veterans with disabilities. If you have a disability and either need assistance applying online or need to request an accommodation during any part of the application process,  please call 1-800-EY-HELP3, select Option 2 for candidate related inquiries, then select Option 1 for candidate queries and finally select Option 2 for candidates with an inquiry which will route you to EY’s Talent Shared Services Team (TSS) or email the TSS at [email protected].