Manager, Tax & Accounting

Overview

Oversee the organization’s tax policies and objectives. Monitors reporting and planning to ensure compliance with applicable tax statutes.

Context 

Strada Education Foundation is a national nonprofit social impact organization that supports programs, policies, and organizations that strengthen connections between education and employment in the U.S., with a special focus on helping those who have faced the greatest challenges securing economic opportunity through postsecondary education or training (PSET). Our new strategic plan focuses on five strategic pillars: clear outcomes, quality coaching, affordable PSET, work-based learning, and employer alignment. 

We work with partners in education and training, nonprofit organizations, industry, startups, and public policy. We leverage strategic philanthropy, investments, research, communications, advocacy, and collaborating organizations as tools to help advance equitable pathways to opportunity. Strada aspires to be a nonprofit partner of choice working with education and training providers and leaders, policymakers, and peer organizations. Strada offers a dynamic, collaborative, and inspiring professional environment that provides learning and professional development opportunities, both within the organization and with external partners.

Four core areas of responsibility:

• Complete quarterly calculations of Strada Collaborative’s Public Support Test. (30%)




• Complete all applicable federal, state, property and sales tax returns for Strada and affiliates. (30%)




• Help with tax strategy and education of board members, executives and/or senior leadership team members as applicable in the nonprofit area. (25%)




• Include the right parties and all impacted personnel in tax decisions/conclusions that will impact each department’s area. Additionally, suggest to others in the organization that they include the ‘right’ people in the room when decisions are being made. (15%)

Compliance

• Responsible for the coordination, organization, and/or preparation of the federal and state tax returns including all related analysis and support. 
• Responsible for review and maintenance of physical and economic nexus and taxability of goods/services for Strada and Strada affiliates.
• Work alongside legal to determine SOS filings and subsequent State Department of Revenue filings.
• Manage Sales and Use Tax process, including: collaboration with business development to understand revenue streams/invoicing, collection of sales tax exemptions, maintenance of Avalara, collecting and remitting sales and use tax.
• Supervise compliance of property tax returns including filing property tax exemptions where applicable.
• Creation and ongoing maintenance of internal policies and procedures on determining property tax filing requirements.
• Preparation of Form 5500s for Strada’s health, life and severance plans.
• Work with the legal team to identify and resolve unrelated business income (“UBI”) related issues and make estimated UBI payments – specifically the treatment of UBI silos for tax exempt organizations and nonprofits.
• Deliver value through continuous process improvement in the tax compliance and reporting area.
• Maintain quarterly calculations of Strada’s Public Support Test.

Strategy and Leadership

• Provide enterprise-wide strategic leadership over Strada’s state and federal tax compliance program (including Strada’s various tax exempt and for-profit subsidiaries). 
• Develop, monitor, and advise on an enterprise-wide public support test strategy (both contribution revenue and program service revenue) for Strada and its affiliates. 
• Gain a thorough understanding of the public support tests (509(a)(1) and (a)(2)), contributions vs. program service revenue and limitations of both tests.
• Provide suggestions and ideas to increase Strada’s public support percentage.
• Collaborate with legal, business development and operations to maintain the most effective and efficient entity tax structure of Strada and affiliated operations/activities. 
• Assist with tax strategy and education of board members, executives and/or senior leadership team members as applicable in general and nonprofit tax areas.
• Work with legal, finance and accounting and operations for ongoing enhancement of the shared service model for Strada’s various operations and affiliated nonprofit and for profit entities including the methodology and process documentation for billing shared services, shared costs and split allocations across our network.
• Assist the Corporation Development team with due diligence efforts for new company acquisitions.
• Assist with the valuation process of target companies with external valuation firms.
• Assist the Chief Accounting Officer with tax planning issues and special projects as requested.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

The Person: Qualifications and Experience

• Degree in Accounting / Tax Graduate Degree in Taxation and CPA, preferred but not required 
• Five (5) years or more of related Nonprofit work experience.
• Strong analytical and research skills.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
• Understand and implement statutory and regulatory guidelines and requirements.
• Strong technical, communication, organizational and writing skills

Committed to providing equitable pathways to opportunity through PSET, particularly for individuals who have faced significant barriers. Demonstrated alignment with Strada's guiding values, commitment to building a strong and healthy workplace culture, and working in a collaborative environment.

Adept at operationalizing strategy and effectively communicating strategic endeavors within the organization and in external contexts, both verbally and in writing. Particular skill in designing annual plans, monitoring progress, and refining plans as needed. Adaptable with tolerance for ambiguity. Able to problem-solve and navigate varied viewpoints. Capacity to refine efforts based on evidence that change is needed. Ability to lead efforts to visualize and monitor change. Capability to see and support innovative ideas and opportunities across the organization, and to embed innovation within operational plans. Capabilities in taking the perspective of others and adapting an agenda and approach – toward a shared aim - accordingly.

Ability to effectively utilize a hypothesis-driven approach to problem solving, with effective quantitative and communication skills. Ability to take on broad-reaching and sometimes ambiguous questions while working collaboratively and cross-functionally with Strada team members across the organization.

Ability to translate innovative, strategic ideas into tangible, actionable steps, as well as to effectively monitor progress and partner with others on identifying improvements during implementation to increase the likelihood of successful execution.

Commitment and professional experience advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within and organization, including incorporating stakeholder perspectives in the design, implementation, and evaluation of strategic efforts.

Demonstrated ability to cultivate, grow, and manage positive, mutually beneficial relationships at all levels of an organization and with partners outside the organization. Strong communication, interpersonal and relationship management skills—including identifying and working through challenges—underscored by strong judgment and emotional intelligence. Proven collaborator, able to work with colleagues at all levels in the organization.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to Strada’s organizational vibrancy, employee experience, and mission. Strada is Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workplace-certified by Diversity for Social Impact, a strategic professional and organization development company dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion to drive social impact worldwide. We strongly encourage applicants from people of color/the global majority, immigrant, bilingual, and bicultural individuals; people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA2S+ and gender nonconforming communities; and people with other diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. We believe every member on the team enriches our workplace by exposing us to a broad range of ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and discover, design, and deliver critical insights and solutions.