Associate Director, Investment Tax

Position Summary

Reporting to the Executive Director, Tax, the Associate Director, Investment Tax serves a key role in the Tax Department and in managing investment income from university operations and various forms of investment entities, including domestic and foreign corporations, partnerships and trusts related to the University.

Responsibilities

• Track, analyze and interpret tax information received from investment managers, including federal and state partnership Schedules K-1 and equivalents, audited financial statements, capital account statements, and international disclosures.

• Maintain and update the tax basis of all investments across the portfolio, tracking capital contributions, distributions, and adjustments.

• Monitor net investment income excise tax threshold, analyze related organization inclusion, assist with tax planning and structuring of investment transactions, and mitigate tax risks.

• Lead all aspects of the University’s investment income computation, including but not limited to computation of interest, dividends, rents, royalties, student loan interest, subpart F income, GILTI inclusion, and related organization income.

• Prepare the quarterly and annual US current and deferred income tax provisions in accordance with ASC 740.

• Prepare the annual Endowment tax calculation on realized investment appreciation.

• Track investment income of the University, provide tax projection on investment returns, and identify strategic planning opportunities with input from Columbia Investment Management Company (“IMC”), under the supervision of the Executive Director, Tax.

• Perform legal entity analysis to determine tax implications of investment vehicles and collaborate with the Office of General Counsel, IMC, and external advisors on financial, legal, operational, and tax matters, including the review of tax documents, legal documents and contracts.

• Perform 457(b) plan analysis to determine tax implications on plan designs, modification, implementation and monitor end-to-end operational processes covering data collection, modeling, tax determination, participant allocation or recovery, reconciliation, documentation, and ongoing compliance.

• Gather, review, and analyze investment and operation information for a wide variety of international, federal, and/or state computations and tax filings.

• Partner with operational units to ensure compliant processes and operations, and assist in the development of an approach to monitor processes to ensure continued tax compliance throughout the University.

• Conduct periodic in-house reviews of various procedures, or processes to ensure ongoing compliance with tax-related regulations and will make recommendations to the Executive Director, Tax, Controller or other senior management to enhance and reinforce compliance.

• Research and remain informed about new University initiatives and changing laws that impact not-for-profit organizations and the higher education sector and be proactive in the development of the related University policies and procedures incorporating the changes in the laws.

• Support the broader finance team, liaise with other business units, and perform other special projects as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance
• Minimum of five years related experience in the asset management industry

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in an applicable field
• CPA
• Experience in public accounting, higher education or non-profit
• Experience using tax return preparation software and programming language such as Python

Other Requirements

• Knowledge of tax regulations affecting endowments, private equity, hedge funds, and other alternative investment vehicles required.
• Knowledge in partnership taxation, pass-through entities, blocker entities, international tax regimes such as CFC, PFIC and complex multi-entity structuring required.
• Comprehensive understanding of domestic and international entity structure required.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel) required.
• Must be detail-oriented with strong organizational, managerial and problem-solving skills, and able to manage and meet deadlines.
• Must be able to demonstrate excellent research, analytical, critical thinking, interpersonal, oral and written communication skills.
• Must be able to work well with all levels of employees, be flexible in nature, have sound judgment with an open and collaborative style that encourages teamwork and cooperation beyond the immediate team to the broader organization.
• Must have a passion for excellent customer service and commitment to exceptional quality.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.