Shenouda Azer
Santa Ana,CA
Summary
Experienced Indirect Tax Accountant with a strong understanding of tax regulations, compliance procedures, and financial analysis. Skilled in minimizing tax liabilities and optimizing financial strategies to achieve business objectives.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Sr. Tax Accountant
Pacific Dental Services
08.2023 - 04.2024
- Led the overhaul of the Indirect tax reporting system, enhancing documentation accuracy and compliance; achieved a 35% reduction in tax penalties and improved reporting efficiency by 80%
- Composed detailed tax memoranda that enhanced cross-team communication and facilitated data-driven decisions, boosting overall operational efficiency and reducing fiscal discrepancies
- Identified and applied property tax classification categories and trending factors, resulting in 80% reduction in tax liabilities for the company
- Resolved complex tax inquiries from dental offices and PDS departments, demonstrating expertise and ensuring accurate tax compliance for the company
- Utilized Thomson Reuters Compliance, EPIC, and Oracle Cloud ERP to conduct analysis, research, and compile reports, resulting in accurate and timely tax filings
- Improved efficiency by 80% in assisting with state & local tax audits & appeals, resulting in reduced compliance costs for the company
- Improved training program resulting in a 75% increase in staff productivity and accuracy, positively impacting tax department efficiency
- Strong organization and follow-up skills including the ability to handle competing priorities and meet all deadlines and commitments.
Tax Accountant (Contract)
Envista holdings corporation
02.2023 - 05.2023
- Canada GST/HST (monthly), Mexico VAT (monthly), Singapore GST (quarterly) analysis and compliance
- Managed exemption certificates for Envisat Holding corporate subsidiaries, maintaining 100% accuracy and compliance, leading to efficient tax reporting and minimizing potential audit issues
- Identified and processed tax credits for Envisat Holding corporate subsidiaries, resulting in an increase in tax savings for the company
- Streamlined sales & use tax compliance process, meeting all deadlines, which led to improved tax reporting accuracy
- Handling notices from the states and negotiating with the state to solve outstanding tax liabilities
- Successfully resolved notices from the states, saving the company money in potential penalties and interest, improving cash flow and avoiding unnecessary costs
- Updated taxability matrices and tax rates leading to reduction in tax liabilities and increased cost savings
- Reduced overdue business license renewals through proactive management, ensuring compliance and avoiding penalties
- Monitor the implementation and maintenance of the tax engine software to ensure accurate tax determination and rate updates
- Established effective communication channels across teams, resulting in improved understanding of tax requirements and deadlines, leading to seamless tax compliance.
Financial Analyst
Siemens Healthineers
06.2022 - 01.2023
- Perform reporting and forecasting process for Ultrasounds Productivity Program (CNI/OPW)
- Align permanently across all Ultrasound locations in the United States, South Korea, and Germany on targets during forecasting and the annual budgeting process
- Perform budget/forecast/actual variance analysis and drive mitigation measures to ensure targets can be achieved
- Support Strategic Purchasing department to meet all corporate reporting and analysis requirements
- Align with corporate SHS department, provide analytics, and monthly commentary
- Perform monthly data analytics, tool/FC updates and standard reporting via SCM tool
- Create, analyze, comment, and distribute Key Financial Data package during monthly and quarterly closing process
- Provide Head of BPC and CFO with analytical review of BA's financial performance
- Prepare presentations on BA's financial performance for Internal Business Reviews and Board Meetings
- Support annual budgeting process, monthly FC process and actual reporting for each SP and LP cost centers
- Analyze and communicate expenses to cost center owners and managers on a monthly basis
- Support annual budgeting process and Planband preparation
- Prepare visual presentation of key financial parameters for the Budget presentation
- Training junior analyst and serving as their informal mentor, sharing best practices and providing them with career advice.
Tax Accountant
Siemens
07.2020 - 06.2022
- Sales tax and other related indirect compliance activities
- Timely submission of sales tax compliance data to partners to meet filling requirements
- Complete filling refund requests and follow up on refunds filled
- Document, comply, monitor, evaluate internal state and local tax policies and procedures and recommend alternatives to ensure compliance and reduce tax overspending
- Recommend and implement process changes that reduce potential exposure
- Prepare and conduct multi-state and local tax training
- Identify, communicate, and conduct strategic audit/ refunds to recover sales/use tax exposure amounts and overpayments
- Provide client service to multi-state companies with state and local tax issues, including compliance, advisory services
- Research and analysis of tax codes and regulations to build internal tax guide and books
- Manage exemption certificate database to ensure it stays current and accurate
- Train site personnel on exemption certificate process.
Tax Accountant
Mazda North American Operations
04.2019 - 11.2019
- Prepare and file all state & local sales and use tax returns before internal due dates & accurately, including remitting any payments to the state and local governments
- Ensure compliance with sales & use tax reporting requirements and laws
- Perform research for responding to internal and external queries related to sales/use taxes issues
- Prepare monthly account reconciliations related to sales/use tax and unclaimed accounts by the 20th of each month
- Prepare sales/use tax amounts for forecast/budget
- Respond to sales & use tax related inquiries from taxing jurisdictions
- Resolve tax notices 10 days prior to the due date indicated on the notice
- Update desktop manual for sales/use tax and unclaimed filing process
- Maintain, verify and update sales tax rates in SAP
- Monitor sales tax exemption certificate expiration dates and collect updates as required
- Review compliance procedures and provide recommendations for improvement
- Complete and/or assist with other ad hoc analysis and special projects as needed.
Tax Accountant
St John Knits
10.2017 - 11.2018
- Prepare and file monthly/quarterly/annual sales and use tax returns
- Updated state tax rates across company worksheets quarterly, ensuring compliance and accuracy; improved financial reporting efficiency and reduced tax filing errors
- Point person with all sales tax auditors during the audit examination process
- Train accountant and A/P personnel on sales and use tax regulations and answer their questions regarding sales and use tax accrual as needed
- Making sure all accounts are accurately reconciled
- Assist with annual budgeting and monthly forecasting processes
- Help in preparing income tax state and federal
- Perform Bank reconciliation
- Respond to notices and inquiries made by the sales taxing authorities
- Analyze financial data and create financial models for decision support
- Recommend actions by analyzing and interpreting data and making comparative analyses
- Assisting in preparing 1120s tax forms
- Fixed assets and depreciation project
- Prepared unsecured property tax work paper.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Business Finance -
California State University - Dominguez Hills
12.2016
Skills
- SAP, Concur
- Vertex, CCH
- AvalaraCertCapture
- Riacheckpoint
- NetSuite
- Oracle
- Power BI
- Coast analysis
- Cost reduction project
- Bank Reconciliation
- Problem solving
- Staff Training
- Account Reconciliation
- Ability to manage multiple projects and meet tight deadlines
- Strong organizational and analytical skills
- Advanced Excel knowledge
- Research and documentation
- Auditing experience
- GAAP understanding
- State and Local Tax Expertise
- Financial Data Analysis
- Tax Computation
- Tax Preparation
- Budget Preparation and Analysis
- General ledger reconciliations
- Decision-Making
- Relationship Building
- Journal entry preparation
- Team Building and Leadership
- Documentation and Reports
- Account reconciliation processes
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Strong organizational skills
- Critical Thinking Capacity
- International Tax Knowledge
- Federal and state tax returns
- Team Leadership Qualities
Memberships Honors
- Finance Association Membership
- CSUDH Dean’s Honor List - Spring 2016
Timeline
Sr. Tax Accountant
Pacific Dental Services
08.2023 - 04.2024
Tax Accountant (Contract)
Envista holdings corporation
02.2023 - 05.2023
Financial Analyst
Siemens Healthineers
06.2022 - 01.2023
Tax Accountant
Siemens
07.2020 - 06.2022
Tax Accountant
Mazda North American Operations
04.2019 - 11.2019
Tax Accountant
St John Knits
10.2017 - 11.2018
Bachelor of Science in Business Finance -
California State University - Dominguez Hills