DUTIES:
1.Directs the preparation of the federal and state tax and informational returns and reports.
2.Supervisory responsibilities.
3.Advises on state and US local taxation issues.
4.Assists with special projects and the US income tax audit.
5.Stays abreast of new or proposed tax legislation. Advises Management of Tax of impact on Company and planning alternatives to avoid or mitigate any negative impact.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:
Individual must be able to identify and communicate issues in a non-structured and changing environment.
Must be able to deal with ambiguity, where there is no clear answer and judgment is required.
Must be able to deal with detail while at the same time be able to spot issues.
Must be able to mentor junior tax members and assist in their career development.

SUPERVISION:
Conducts performance appraisal and salary reviews for directly supervised personnel and has approval for indirectly supervised personnel. Recommends staff additions, promotions, salary adjustments, and terminations. Provides immediate supervision as necessary for management of U.S. tax matters.

DUTIES:
1.Develop, implement and maintain internal processes and controls around consolidated tax reporting.
2.Facilitates quarterly tax accrual process by working with worldwide tax personnel and domestic accounting and forecast groups.
3.Reviews/prepares quarterly domestic tax provision, including FIN 48 computations.
4.Assists with quarterly external reviews and audits.
5.Prepares quarterly tax accrual management reports. II
6.Prepares tax information for quarterly SEC filings and Earnings Releases.
7.Prepares/maintains domestic tax basis balance sheet. II
8.Reviews/prepares annual domestic tax budget.
9.Works with worldwide tax personnel and domestic budget group to arrive at an annual consolidated ETR.
10.Works on various tax research projects impacting tax accrual calculations.
11.Assists Tax Compliance group with annual domestic fil

DUTIES: AUTHORITY
IA is charged with ensuring the following Department objectives:
1. Compliance with established Company policies and procedures,
2. Adequate and appropriate application of accounting and operating controls,
3. Accountability and safeguarding of assets,
4. Compliance of general business practices with applicable government laws and regulations,
5. Integrity and security of the Company’s data systems and,
6. Effectiveness and efficiency of business processes.

The Auditor will conduct the activities described below in support of the above Department objectives.

The work of Auditors is generally organized into review engagements of locations and business processes. These engagements generally consist of three phases 1) Planning, 2) Fieldwork, and 3) Reporting. The role of the Auditor in each of these phases is described below.

Planning: The Auditor is responsible for completing various aspects related to planning for the engagement. The Engagement Manager will assign the areas that the Auditor will be responsible for completing. In general, Auditors must be capable of completing the following items. II
• Generating and analyzing data from Company software and databases related to the entity being reviewed. II
• Conducting interviews with various Company personnel relevant to the area the Auditor is reviewing. II
• Use data gathered and interviews conducted to prepare a written report that will need to be presented to the Engagement Manager and will be incorporated into a formal planning document. II
• Performing any steps of the review engagement that may be conducted prior to the beginning of fieldwork.
II
Fieldwork: The Auditor is responsible for performing various portions of the review as assigned by the Engagement Manager. II
• Review engagements generally have a written work program that outlines the steps and areas to be reviewed by the Auditor. Auditors should ensure that these programs are completed in a timely and thorough manner. II
• Completion of the work program will entail working closely with the client to gather, discuss, and analyze relevant information to the area under review. II
• Document with work papers the steps performed in the workprogram. Work papers must be of sufficient quality to be reviewed by external auditors. II
• Preparation of memorandum to management regarding issues identified during the course of the review. III
• Review and thoroughly discuss issue memorandum with the client and Engagement Manager. III
• Participate in closing meeting with the client and other team members. II

Reporting: All Reporting is carried out by the Engagement Manager.

Other:
Participate in projects to identify processes in need of improvement, and facilitate and participate in improving these processes. II
This may involve work with personnel from other departments as a team to:
1) Map current business processes
2) Measure business processes through various metrics and identify gaps
3) Analyze metrics and gaps for improvement opportunities
4) Present improvement methods to Senior Management
5) Participate in redesign of business processes II
The Auditor may participate in other projects not specifically identified above in support of the department’s role of insuring a strong internal control environment, and maintaining effective and efficient business processes. II

PREREQUISITES:

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting with 2-5 years public accounting

experience desired.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position reports to the Controller.

Preparation of monthly Consolidated Financials

Review of balance sheet account reconciliations

General ledger account adjustments and accruals

Preparation of financial reports including, but not limited to:

Status Report

Hour Report

Quarterly billing reports

Job profitability Reports

Customer reports and related analysis by region

Develop solid understanding of Microsoft-based Accounting system

SKILLS & ABILITIES:

The Company is growing and vibrant. The candidate should thrive in

such an environment while possessing and demonstrating the

following skills and abilities:

Self-motivated and goal-orientated

Professional verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills

Proven capabilities in problem identification and resolution

Detailed in the execution of work

Moderate to advanced user of Microsoft Excel and Access and of a computer

(windows-based applications)

Willing to work a flexible schedule and extra hours as necessitated by internal and/or external deadlines.

Diane Delgado LeMaire – dcd@fittsroberts.com -WordPress for BlackBerry

Diane Delgado LeMaire – dcd@fittsroberts.com -WordPress for BlackBerry

Houston ranked No. 19 on Brooking’s Global MetroMonitor report, which analyzed large metropolitan areas’ gross domestic product, employment, income and population rates.

Although Houston fared well — the report found income increased 5.5 percent and employment increased 2.5 percent since 2010— almost all other North American markets fell in the rankings.

This is part of a worldwide trend, as more market growth shifts to developing economies in Asia and Eastern Europe, the report found. Surprisingly, half of the 40 weakest metropolitan markets were either in the U.S. or the U.K.

Dallas was the only other U.S. market to get a strong economic growth ranking at No. 36.

The other markets that beat Houston were mainly in China, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, which all had multiple cities in the top 10 ranks.

Looking back at 2011 it’s becoming very clear that Houston is leading the country out of the great recession! And it’s not only job creation where the region is showing signs of strength. Increases in foreign trade, industrial production, home sales and airport traffic all point to the fact that the Houston region’s economy is on its way back to its pre-recession numbers.

• October saw our region reach the point where it had recouped more than 101 percent of the jobs it lost in the recent recession, which hit the region beginning September 2008. Since January 2010, when we began the road to recover, the Houston region has gained 153,000 jobs.
• Perhaps just as significant, the Greater Houston Partnership is forecasting an approximate net gain of 84,600 jobs for the region in 2012 – with factors that drove job growth in ’11—high energy prices, advances in exploration technology, strong demand for Houston’s exports, a weak U.S. dollar, and in-migration of residents from other places, both domestically and abroad – driving the economy again next year!
• This year has seen a whopping 28.5 percent increase in the combined value of imports and exports through the Houston-Galveston Customs district, going from $154.4 billion during the first nine months of last year, to $198 billion through the first nine months of this year. The Houston district should set a record this year.
• Industrial production also appears to be healthy. The Houston Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) rose to 61.3 in October, up from 60.8 in September and 54.7 a year ago, according to the Institute for Supply Management-Houston. Readings above 50 indicate growth in production over the next three to four months; readings below 50 suggest contraction. The Houston PMI has remained above 50 for 26 consecutive months.
• The Houston Association of Realtors® Multiple Listing Service reported that the area had a 6.6 month inventory of single-family homes in November, an improvement from 7.7 month inventory it reported November 2010.
• The Houston Airport System handled 50.0 million passengers in the 12 months ending October 2011. Annualized passenger traffic has trended upward from the recession low of 47.7 million in August 2009.

The Greater Houston Partnership, along with its Members, will continue to work to take this momentum we’ve built in 2011 into 2012 – guaranteeing another record-breaking year for the Houston region!