Company Overview:
Shell Mobility & Convenience proudly operates over 200 Timewise convenience stores and Shell gas stations in Texas and New Mexico. Our friendly team provides great customer service while supporting our employees with growth opportunities. Shell Mobility & Convenience is based in Houston, Texas and became part of the Shell Group in 2022. Join our friendly and hard-working Team!
Position Summary:
The Tax Manager is responsible for leading the Company’s multi-state indirect tax compliance and activities, with primary accountability for fuel excise tax, sales and use tax, gross receipts tax, and other transaction-based taxes. This position ensures timely and accurate compliance with federal, state, and local indirect tax requirements while minimizing tax risk and supporting operational and commercial objectives.
The Tax Manager serves as a key business partner to Finance, Operations, Fuel Supply, Retail Operations, Real Estate, Procurement, and Mergers & Acquisitions teams. The role provides technical guidance on fuel taxation, sales and use tax matters, transaction structuring, and taxability determinations across a large, multi-state retail and fuel distribution footprint.
Key Responsibilities
Multi-State Sales and Use Tax Compliance
- Lead all aspects of multi-state sales and use tax compliance, including return preparation, review, filing, and payment processes.
- Oversee taxability determinations for fuel products, convenience store merchandise, foodservice offerings, loyalty programs, gift cards, coupons, and promotional activities.
- Ensure compliance with state and local tax registration, nexus, reporting, and remittance requirements.
- Manage exemption certificate collection, validation, retention, and audit readiness.
- Monitor changing state tax laws, marketplace rules, and regulatory developments impacting business operations.
- Partner with Operations and Procurement to ensure proper tax treatment of purchases, capital projects, maintenance activities, and vendor transactions.
Fuel Excise Tax Compliance and Advisory
- Manage federal and state fuel excise tax reporting and compliance programs.
- Oversee fuel tax filings, reconciliations, tax payments, and regulatory reporting requirements.
- Review fuel movement transactions, rack activity, bulk fuel purchases, exchanges, blending activities, and inventory transfers for proper tax treatment.
- Collaborate with Fuel Supply and Commercial teams to evaluate tax implications of new fuel products, supply arrangements, and transportation structures.
- Support fuel tax licensing, permitting, and registration requirements across jurisdictions.
- Ensure compliance with state motor fuel tax regulations and related recordkeeping requirements.
Audit, Controversy, and Risk Management
- Lead state and local indirect tax audits, including sales and use tax, fuel tax, and related transaction tax examinations.
- Manage relationships with taxing authorities and external advisors.
- Respond to notices, audit inquiries, information requests, and assessments.
- Identify areas of compliance risk and implement corrective actions to minimize penalties and exposure.
- Coordinate refund claim opportunities and voluntary disclosure initiatives where appropriate.
- Maintain documentation supporting tax positions and compliance requirements.
Business Support and Tax Advisory
- Provide practical tax guidance to operational and commercial teams regarding indirect tax implications of business activities.
- Review contracts, vendor agreements, customer arrangements, and strategic initiatives for indirect tax considerations.
- Advise on tax consequences of acquisitions, divestitures, restructurings, and new market expansions.
- Support new store openings, acquisitions, and integration activities to ensure tax compliance requirements are implemented timely.
- Partner with Accounting and Finance teams to ensure proper recording and reporting of indirect tax liabilities.
Systems, Process Improvement, and Controls
- Drive automation and continuous improvement initiatives within indirect tax compliance processes.
- Enhance data analytics, exception reporting, and compliance monitoring capabilities.
- Develop and maintain indirect tax policies, procedures, and internal controls.
- Collaborate with ERP and tax technology teams to improve tax determination, reporting accuracy, and process efficiency.
- Support internal control frameworks related to indirect tax processes.
Qualifications
Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business, or related field required.
- CPA, CMI (Certified Member of the Institute for Professionals in Taxation), or other relevant tax certification preferred.
- Master’s degree in Taxation preferred.
Experience
- 7+ years of progressive indirect tax experience.
- Demonstrated experience managing multi-state sales and use tax compliance programs.
- Strong experience with fuel excise tax reporting and compliance required.
- Experience supporting convenience retail, fuel distribution, wholesale fuels, transportation, logistics, or multi-location retail organizations strongly preferred.
- Experience managing state tax audits and regulatory examinations.
- Experience supporting acquisitions, integrations, and business expansion initiatives preferred.
Technical Knowledge
- Multi-state sales and use tax regulations
- Federal and state fuel excise tax laws
- Motor fuel tax reporting requirements
- Gross receipts and transaction-based taxes
- Nexus analysis and state registration requirements
- Tax research and indirect tax planning
- Audit defense and tax controversy management
- Exemption certificate administration
- ERP systems and tax engines (Avalara, Vertex, PDI, SAP, Oracle, or similar)
- Advanced Microsoft Excel and data analytics tools
Leadership Competencies
- Strong business acumen and operational mindset.
- Ability to translate complex tax regulations into practical business guidance.
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
- Strong project management and organizational skills.
- Effective collaboration across Finance, Operations, Fuel Supply, Legal, Procurement, and Executive Leadership.
- Ability to balance compliance obligations with commercial objectives.
- Demonstrated capability to influence decisions across a decentralized, multi-state organization.
Success Measures
- 100% of required indirect tax returns and filings are completed accurately and on time.
- Fuel excise tax and sales/use tax audits are managed with minimal assessments and penalties.
- Indirect tax controls operate effectively with no material deficiencies.
- Compliance risks are identified and mitigated before becoming financial exposures.
- Tax technology and process improvements reduce compliance costs and manual effort.
- Business stakeholders receive timely, practical, and actionable indirect tax guidance.
- Acquired locations and new business operations are integrated into compliance processes without disruption.
Tax opportunities, credits, and refund claims are identified and realized where appropriate