Senior Tax Accountant

FirstEnergy at a Glance

We are a forward-thinking electric utility powered by a diverse team of employees committed to making customers’ lives brighter, the environment better and our communities stronger.
 

FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, FirstEnergy includes one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, and a regulated generating fleet with a total capacity of more than 3,500 megawatts.

About the Opportunity

This is an open position with the FirstEnergy Service Company, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp [SC00]

The Consultant, Tax Accounting, functions as a subject matter expert in the areas of income tax accounting, related tax financial reporting, and Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) compliance.  The Consultant performs technical tax accounting research, drafts detailed memoranda to document positions, and provides guidance and advice to leadership concerning the income tax accounting impacts of business operations and strategic transactions.  The Consultant dedicates a significant portion of time to providing direct tax accounting support for the company’s regulated business strategy, including rate case filings and discovery responses, and serves as a critical liaison between Tax and other areas of the company. Based on the seniority and experience required for this position, the Consultant is expected to function proficiently and independently with minimal oversight, serve as a coach to others in the Tax Department (but will not have direct reports), and lead various projects. 

The ability to work remotely within the United States may be available based on business need.  This option is not available in the states of California, Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New York, Oregon or Washington at this time.

Responsibilities include:

• Performing independent research and analysis concerning the tax accounting implications of various transactions, which may include collaboration with the general accounting research team to supplement accounting memoranda
• Providing tax analysis, advice, and documentation to support various quarterly, annual, and ad hoc regulatory filings for the electric transmission and distribution segments of the company
• Annual, monthly, and quarterly financial reporting of taxes, with emphasis on reviewing/approving journal entries and account reconciliations for income tax related balance sheet accounts
• Preparing and/or reviewing tax components of various financial reporting documents, including but not limited to SEC and non-SEC filings, federal and state regulatory filings, and internal reporting
• Critical analysis and management of the effective tax rate, including providing detailed explanations for variances and period-over-period fluctuations and identifying issues that may impact the forecasted rate
• Designing and documenting tax controls and processes to comply with Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) requirements
• Interacting with the company’s independent auditor during quarterly or annual closing and financial reporting
• Supporting financial forecasts by reviewing temporary and permanent book-tax differences impacting segment and consolidated taxable income and effective tax rates, and effectively communicating results
• Participating in special projects in the Tax or Controller’s departments, or representing the Tax department on cross-functional teams throughout the company
• Contributing to the preparation and/or review of aspects of the consolidated federal income tax return, as needed
• Providing outstanding service and responsiveness to internal stakeholders
• Demonstrating a commitment to safety
• Demonstrating a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as all other FirstEnergy core values and behaviors

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting required
• Minimum 10 years’ work experience is required in a public accounting firm or public company corporate tax department, with at least 7 years’ focus on income tax accounting and financial reporting.
• CPA or Master’s degree in taxation preferred
• Demonstrated expertise with ASC 740 income tax accounting principles and SOX controls; experience with ASC 980 regulated operations preferred
• Prior experience leading project teams and/or managing direct reports
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to synthesize complex technical accounting concepts and effectively explain the business impacts to management 
• Promote an environment of compliance and high ethical standards
• Critical thinking skills and high learning agility
• Previous regulated utility experience preferred
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), experience with SAP preferred, and ability to learn other company specific applications
   

Benefits, Compensation & Workforce Diversity

At FirstEnergy, employees are key to our success. We depend on their talents to meet the challenges of our changing business environment. We are committed to rewarding individual and team efforts through our total rewards philosophy which includes competitive pay plus incentive compensation, a company-sponsored pension plan, 401(k) savings plan with matching employer contribution, a choice of medical, prescription drug, dental, vision, and life insurance programs, as well as skills development training with tuition reimbursement. Please visit our website at www.firstenergycorp.com to learn more about all of our employee rewards programs. FirstEnergy proudly supports workforce diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with a disability. No recruiters or agencies without a previously signed contract. Unable to sponsor or transfer H-1B visas at this time.

Safety

Safety is a core value for FirstEnergy and is essential to all of our business activities. We ensure employees have the tools, information, and processes to perform their duties in a manner that assures safety for themselves, their co-workers, our customers and the public. Our goals are to provide a safe work environment, to maintain an accident-free, injury-free workplace, and to promote and maintain public safety. To meet these goals, we dedicate ourselves to achieving world-class safety standards.

Position Classification

Exempt 
 

FirstEnergy Human Resources Team