State Tax Director

SOLV Energy is a leading provider of infrastructure services to the power industry, designing, building and maintaining utility scale solar, battery storage and high voltage substation projects nationwide.

Job Description Summary

The State Tax Director / Counsel leads SOLV’s state and local tax compliance, planning, and controversy functions, focusing on both state income/franchise and indirect taxes for partnerships and corporations. This position integrates deep technical tax expertise with partnership taxation knowledge to ensure compliance, reduce exposure, and optimize tax efficiency for SOLV’s expanding renewable energy operations nationwide.

This role can be fully remote or hybrid, with regular in-office presence in San Diego, CA or Edison, NJ. Specific location details and expectations will be discussed during the interview process.

State Income & Franchise Tax

• Oversee preparation, review, and filing of all state and local income/franchise tax returns.
• Manage co-sourced arrangement for state composite and withholding filings for nonresident partners, ensuring compliance with jurisdictional requirements.
• Manage apportionment, nexus, and sourcing methodologies across multiple entities and jurisdictions.
• Provide technical advice on state tax implications of renewable project structuring, acquisitions, and reorganizations.
• Lead state audits, assessments, and appeals; negotiate favorable resolutions.
• Ensure compliance with ASC 740 and ASC 450 reporting and related tax provision documentation.
• Perform ASC 740-10 (formerly FIN 48) analyses and prepare documentation of uncertain state tax positions.
• Design, recognize, and manage SOX related issues for state income and indirect tax matters across the company.
• Ensure tax filings and tax remittances are accurately reviewed and timely processed by the team.
• Research and prepare state specific memos for identified issues or process documentation.
• Lead preparation of state income tax and indirect tax process flow documentation.

Indirect Taxes

• Direct compliance for sales, use, property, and excise taxes in all relevant jurisdictions.
• Develop and maintain taxability matrices for EPC materials, components, and services.
• Partner with procurement and project management to apply exemptions and manage tax documentation.
• Manage indirect tax audits and advocate for company positions.
• Implement and maintain indirect tax automation and reporting tools.

Strategic Planning & Advisory

• Identify and implement state tax planning opportunities consistent with SOLV’s renewable business strategy.
• Monitor and communicate state legislative and regulatory developments affecting tax obligations.
• Partner with the federal tax team to support tax compliance and tax provision requirements.
• Support project finance, mergers, and joint ventures with legal and tax analysis.
• Identify and evaluate state‑level incentive programs and renewable energy credits available to SOLV.
• Perform comprehensive risk assessments to minimize state and local tax exposures.
• Lead process improvement efforts to reduce manual processes and enhance accurate and timely reporting internally and for tax reporting purposes.
• Identify tax reporting and compliance gaps and implement solutions.
• Advise internal customers regarding applicability of state and local tax rules during contracting negotiation process and work with teams to resolve tax positions with customers.
• Maintain documentation for state-specific filing positions and legislative developments.
• Keep up to date on new income tax, sales/use tax legislation and case law to determine impact on the company.
• Review legal agreements from a tax perspective; draft specific provisions; recommend changes.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Supervise internal staff and coordinate external advisors.
• Build collaborative relationships with Accounting, Treasury, and Operations.
• Provide internal education on state tax matters and risk mitigation.
• Promote a proactive, solutions-oriented culture within the tax department.

Decision-Making Authority

Provide subject matter expertise for state tax filing positions, nexus determinations, and audit strategies. Provides authoritative tax recommendations to VP & Head of Tax affecting financial and operational decisions.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Directly supervises professional tax staff. Provides coaching, development, and performance feedback. Oversees external consultants and legal counsel as needed.

Key Relationships

Internal: VP, Tax; Project Accounting Team, Legal, Contracting, and Operations teams.

External: State and local tax authorities; Outside tax counsel and Big Four accounting firms; State tax associations.

Minimum Skills or Experience Requirements

• Juris Doctor (JD) and active bar membership preferred.
• CPA or MST preferred.
• Minimum 15 years of progressive state and local tax experience with a focus on income/franchise and indirect taxes in a public accounting or law firm setting.
• Experience in renewable energy, EPC, or construction industries strongly preferred.
• Proven expertise in multi-state compliance, apportionment, and audit management.
• Expert command of state and local tax law, including nexus, sourcing, and taxability rules.
• Ability to interpret and apply tax laws to complex business structures.
• Excellent analytical, drafting, and negotiation skills.
• Excellent communication and analytical skills with ability to explain complex tax concepts to non-tax business leaders.
• Exceptional organization and attention to detail.
• Leadership ability to manage people, projects, and cross‑functional priorities under tight deadlines.
• Proficiency with tax compliance and research systems.

Working Conditions

Office or hybrid work environment; periodic travel may be required. Extended hours during financial reporting, compliance, audit, or transaction periods.

Position Scope

Geographic Scope: Nationwide (multi-state operations)

Functional Scope: State income/franchise and indirect taxes

Span of Control: 1–3 direct reports; external advisors

Decision Scope: High – affects business profits, compliance, financial reporting, and strategic planning

Equal Opportunity Employer

SOLV Energy Is an Equal Opportunity Employer

At SOLV Energy we celebrate the power of our differences. We are committed to building diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplaces that improve our communities. SOLV Energy prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind against an employee or applicant based on race, color, age, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, or ethnicity, mental or physical disability, veteran status, parental status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Benefits

Employees (and their families) are eligible for medical, dental, vision, basic life and disability insurance. Employees can enroll in our company’s 401(k) plan and are provided vacation, sick and holiday pay.

Compensation

Compensation Range: $166,823.00 - $212,700.00

Pay Rate Type: Salary

Talent Acquisition Notice

Solv Energy does not accept unsolicited candidate introductions, referrals or resumes from third-party recruiters or staffing agencies. We require all third-party recruiters to communicate exclusively with our internal talent acquisition team. SOLV Energy will not pay a placement fee to any third-party recruiter or agency that has not coordinated their recruiting activity with the appropriate member of our internal talent acquisition team.

In addition, candidate introductions or resumes can only be submitted to our internal talent acquisition recruiting team if a signed vendor agreement is already on file and the third-party recruiter or agency has received formal instructions from our internal talent acquisition team to submit candidates for a particular job posting.

Any unsolicited candidate introductions, referrals or resumes sent by third‑party recruiters to SOLV Energy or directly to any of our employees, or received through our website or career portal, will be considered property of SOLV Energy and will not be eligible for a placement fee. In the event a third‑party recruiter submits a resume or refers a candidate without a previously signed vendor agreement, SOLV Energy explicitly reserves the right to pursue and hire the candidate(s) without financial liability to such third-party recruiter.

Job Number: J12330

Join Us

If you’re interested in a meaningful career with a brighter future, join the SOLV Energy Team.