Tax Director
Office Location: Onsite, New York, NY
Harbor Group International (HGI) is a leading global real estate investment and management firm. With more than $20 billion in assets under management, the firm invests in and manages diversified property portfolios including office, retail, and multifamily properties. With over 40 years of experience in the industry and over 1,600 employees worldwide, HGI continues to look for real estate investment opportunities.
We are seeking a high performing Tax Director who will fill a leadership role on the Tax Team in the Investment Accounting Department at Harbor Group. The ideal candidate is an experienced tax accountant with a public accounting background, extensive knowledge of partnership taxation, non-U.S. investor tax compliance, and real estate industry experience. The Tax Director will manage the tax functions relating to property portfolios, alternative investments, REITs, and corporate entities. This person will oversee areas of federal, state and local tax compliance, while being the main contact with external tax advisors. The Tax Director will assist the VP of Tax and other senior leaders with tax structuring for acquisitions, dispositions, and investors, as well as non-U.S. investor tax compliance, preferred equity and mezzanine debt investments, Freddie Mac bonds, whole loans, REITs, and other complex real estate transactions.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Serve as a team leader with responsibility to communicate and collaborate with other internal Accounting & Finance team leaders, executive leadership, and the Investor Relations, Equity, Legal, and Asset Management teams
- Manage and oversee busy season timeline, K-1s and tax returns, tax payments, extensions, and delivery of Schedule K-1s to investors
- Maintain CPA Firm relationships, as well as assess and expand relationships when needed
- Review K-1s and tax returns prepared by CPA firms and coordinate tax forms and tax elections as needed
- Manage REIT and TRS elections, quarterly REIT testing, and reviewing testing memos prepared by external tax advisors
- Review income and withholding tax projections related to real property dispositions
- Oversee reconciliation of annual investor tax withholdings
- Manage year-end tax projection process for the Harbor Group general partners and select LP investors
- Facilitate and manage CPA Firm fee negotiations for new and existing work and oversee CPA firm invoice tracking and payments
- Manage annual partnership expense budgets and processing related expenses
- Oversee tax notice activity and active notice balances, and work with CPA firms to resolve tax assessments
- Work with Investor Relations to respond to investor questions related to investor tax deliverables and tax withholding
- Monitor changes in tax legislation, update management about discovered modifications, and adjust procedures to comply with new tax requirements
- Assist with research and tax structuring related to property acquisitions, dispositions, and recapitalizations
- Explore and implement new technology to increase efficiency and accuracy
- Assist Chief Accounting Officer and VP of Tax with special projects as needed
Experience, Skills and Qualifications:
The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting or an equivalent discipline
- Advanced degree in taxation preferred
- 8+ years of relevant work experience in public accounting or a combination of public accounting and the private sector
- CPA, eligible to sit for CPA exam, or Enrolled Agent preferred
- Experience with partnership taxation (Form 1065, Schedule K-1) required
- Knowledge of real estate purchase and sale transactions preferred
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage well through ambiguity and complexity
- Experience in managing a team and developing people
- Expertise in maximizing efficiency and creating new processes
- Ability to communicate effectively with senior management, external sponsors, and investors
- Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook & PowerPoint; very strong Excel skills along with the ability to learn new accounting systems
- Experience with MRI and YARDI a plus
- Understanding of Real Estate Investment Trusts is a plus
The Perks:
- Beautiful downtown office building that offers amenities such as free and covered parking, on-site dining, car washing service, a post office, a free gym, and outside green space with views of the Elizabeth River
- A comprehensive benefits package that includes an extensive list of health & retirement options, a wellness program, paid holidays, paid time off, maternity and paternity leave, and Dayforce Wallet
- An environment that supports learning & development, along with education assistance
- Annual Company Leadership Conference and Accounting Department Coaching and Employee Engagement activities
This position is based out of the New York, NY corporate office.
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