Lead Counsel, State and Local Tax
As a member of MassMutual?s Law Department, the Lead Counsel is responsible for providing legal advice and counsel to help minimize the state and local tax burden of the parent organization and its subsidiaries.? This attorney will be an integral part of MassMutual?s corporate law team, which is responsible for supporting the legal needs of MassMutual?s corporate units, including the corporate finance, state government relations, distribution, and withholding and payroll tax areas.? The successful candidate is expected to be proficient in, and to engage in the practice of, all areas of state and local tax law. The successful candidate will join an engaged team of tax professionals who work to reduce the Company?s exposure to tax risk, ensure ongoing Company compliance with applicable state and local tax laws, consult regularly with the Company?s business teams and other members of the Law Department to maintain a cohesive Company tax strategy, and ensure adequate programs are developed and implemented with MassMutual to mitigate potential tax issues that may negatively impact the Company.? The candidate will promote an environment that fosters and supports diversity and inclusion and reflects MassMutual?s mission and goals.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Support MassMutual?s business strategy, goals and objectives by providing high quality legal advice with particular focus on the Company?s state and local tax matters
- Provide MassMutual?s Corporate Tax Department with research, planning and legal advice to develop a comprehensive company tax strategy and to? minimize MassMutual?s tax exposure, and help develop sound tax return positions
- Advise on state?and local tax controversies, including IDR responses, appeals process, tax litigation and audit procedures
- Provide legal support for all aspects of the Company?s state and local tax compliance
- Manage various operational tax inquiries and issues as they develop within MassMutual?s business operations
- Provide technical support to the MassMutual State Government Relations team to evaluate the potential impact of proposed state tax legislation and Treasury regulations on MassMutual and its subsidiaries? business interests
- Actively participate in life insurance industry forums and committees, such as the American Council of Life Insurers; present and advocate MassMutual?s views on pending legislation and regulatory activity
- Provide senior management with advice, legal opinions, memorandums and recommendations pertaining to tax issues relevant to the Company
- Collaborate effectively and build trust with legal and business professionals across all divisions of the company
- Develop a network of national tax advisors, including representatives of tax law firms and accounting firms, who will assist in providing excellent and efficient tax advice and who will support MassMutual?s inclusion and diversity goals
- Ideal candidate has experience with state and local tax issues, including state and local income/franchise tax, premium tax, and sales and use taxes.? Other areas of practice include withholding and payroll taxes, property taxes, and state tax credits.
CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS:
- Must have significant state and local tax law experience (prior experience with premium taxes a plus, but not required)
- JD degree from an accredited U.S. law school
- Admitted to a state bar; must be admitted to Massachusetts bar or registered as in-house counsel within 6 months of start date
- 6+ years in a respected law firm(s), government and/or corporate law department (or similar experience) with SALT practice
- Experience advising high level corporate executives or clients
- Excellent judgment and legal and business acumen; ability to think like a business person, to integrate legal and business issues and to partner with business leaders
- Strong ability to develop professional relationships with clients, legal colleagues and business leaders across the organization
- Commercially minded, but with a keen attention to risk and ethics
- Demonstrated leadership, integrity, professionalism and collegiality
- Strategic, creative and innovative
- Capable of inspiring confidence in others
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Team orientation; works well with others and is someone who fosters and encourages teamwork across organizations and functions
- Ability to travel (less than 15%)
- Must be authorized to work in the US without sponsorship now or in the future
#LI-DNP