Senior Tax Accountant

The Senior Tax Accountant position is an integral member of the Southern Company Services (SCS) Corporate Tax team and reports to the Income Tax Forecasting & Accounting Manager. This role’s primary responsibility is supporting the monthly income tax provision process for Southern Company’s unregulated businesses, including support for SEC registrant financial reporting and related tax accounting deliverables. The position is responsible for preparing and reviewing income tax calculations, journal entries, reconciliations, tax analyses, and financial reporting deliverables, while partnering with internal and external stakeholders to support accurate and timely reporting. The ideal candidate will bring strong technical tax accounting knowledge, sound judgment, attention to detail, and the ability to execute established processes by leveraging prior-year workpapers, collaborating with colleagues, and applying professional experience in an environment where formal written procedures may be limited.

• Prepare and support the monthly income tax provision process for assigned unregulated companies, including tax journal entries, current and deferred tax calculations, and detailed account analyses.
• Prepare monthly and quarterly tax reporting schedules and supporting financial reporting deliverables that summarize key income tax balances, drivers, and changes in tax positions, and communicate significant tax drivers and results to management and other stakeholders.
• Perform and review monthly and quarterly account reconciliations, tax analytics, and variance explanations to support accurate financial reporting and timely issue resolution.
• Support income tax financial statement reporting for assigned businesses, including performing tax-related financial statement tie-outs and ensuring consistency between tax provision workpapers, general ledger balances, and reported financial information.
• Support ad hoc analyses, special projects, and research related to emerging tax accounting matters affecting assigned unregulated businesses.
• Research, analyze, and help resolve tax accounting issues, business transactions, and other matters affecting the tax provision process.
• Document, maintain, and improve tax provision processes, controls, and supporting workpapers to enhance efficiency, standardization, and audit readiness.
• Prepare, coordinate, and review responses to internal and external auditor requests and other information requests, ensuring timely, accurate, and well-supported deliverables.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, or a related field required
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) designation preferred.
• Minimum of 4 years of relevant professional experience in income tax accounting and/or tax reporting required.
• Public accounting and/or large corporate tax department experience preferred, including experience with income tax accounting processes and workpapers.
• Experience with tax provision software (i.e. PowerPlan), ERP systems (i.e. Oracle), and advanced Excel-based analysis preferred.

Skills, Abilities, and Technology

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret financial data, identify issues, and develop practical solutions in a complex tax environment.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, exercise sound judgment, and deliver high-quality work in a timely manner with minimal supervisory guidance.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical tax matters clearly and work effectively with stakeholders across departments.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly identify process improvement opportunities, strengthen controls, and rapidly learn and apply accounting and tax technology concepts to support and implement efficient, reliable tax reporting processes.
• Ability to execute established processes by referencing prior-year workpapers, asking thoughtful questions, and collaborating effectively to understand existing processes and resolve questions independently.
• High attention to detail, accountability, and commitment to producing accurate, well-supported work in a deadline-driven environment.