Indirect Tax Manager - Washington, DC

Cogent Communication; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 115,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

PTO

Short-term disability

Long-term disability

Life Insurance

Holidays

Parental Leave

401(k) with employer match

Stock options

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Cogent Communications is seeking an Indirect Tax Manager to lead the U.S. indirect tax compliance, reporting, and operations across jurisdictions. This role will work with Tax, Accounting, Finance, Legal, Operations, and business teams to ensure compliance in a fast-paced, publicly traded environment.

The position manages sales and use tax, property tax, business licenses, and regulatory filings, with ERP/Avalara systems experience preferred. On-site in the Washington, DC area.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Tax, or related field required.
• 5–8 years of progressive experience in state and local or indirect taxation.
• Strong experience with U.S. sales and use tax compliance and research.
• Experience with property tax, business licenses, and other state and local tax compliance matters.
• ERP and tax technology systems experience; familiarity with Great Plains, Avalara, or similar platforms is a plus.
• Strong Microsoft Excel skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage the Company’s sales and use tax compliance process, including preparation, review, and filing of monthly, quarterly, and annual returns.
• Oversee sales and use tax registrations, account maintenance, exemptions, and jurisdictional requirements.
• Monitor changes in state and local sales and use tax laws, rates, rules, and filing requirements.
• Research and advise the business on sales and use tax implications of new products, services, transactions, contracts, and business initiatives.
• Partner with Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Billing, and other business functions to identify and resolve indirect tax issues.
• Manage all indirect tax audits, notices, and inquiries.
• Oversee the Company’s personal property tax compliance requirements.
• Review property tax renditions, filings, and payments.
• Coordinate with internal teams to ensure accurate reporting of taxable property.
• Review property tax assessments and assist with appeals, protests, and related correspondence.
• Oversee business license and registration requirements across jurisdictions.
• Maintain records of licenses, deadlines, and jurisdictional requirements.
• Provide indirect tax guidance on contracts, transactions, expansions, new locations, and changes.
• Research and interpret state and local tax laws and communicate changes.
• Identify opportunities to automate and streamline indirect tax compliance and reporting activities.
• Directly manage and develop one Indirect Tax staff member.
• Promote accountability, accuracy, and continuous improvement.

Skills

Tax research

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Problem-solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance/Tax

Tools

Great Plains

Avalara

Job description

Company

Cogent Communications is a global, Tier 1 facilities-based ISP, consistently ranked as one of the top five networks in the world and is publicly traded on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the ticker symbol CCOI. Cogent specializes in providing businesses with high speed Internet access and Ethernet transport services. Cogent's facilities-based, all-optical IP network backbone provides IP services globally. Since its inception, Cogent has unleashed the benefits of IP technology, building one of the largest and highest capacity IP networks in the world. This network enables Cogent to offer large bandwidth connections at highly competitive prices. Cogent also offers superior customer support by virtue of its end-to-end control of service delivery and network monitoring.

A competitive base salary and a full benefits package including; Health, Dental, Vision, Paid Time Off (PTO), Short- and Long-Term Disability, Life Insurance, Holidays, Parental Leave, 401(k) plan with employer match, stock options, and an Employee Assistance Program. Most benefits take effect within 30 days of employment, and some require a waiting period.

Job Intro

The Indirect Tax Manager is responsible for managing the Company’s U.S. indirect tax compliance, reporting, and operational tax functions. This role will oversee sales and use tax, personal property tax, business licenses, federal regulatory filings, and other state and local indirect tax matters across the Company’s jurisdictions.

The Indirect Tax Manager will serve as a key resource to the Tax, Accounting, Finance, Legal, Operations, and business teams on indirect tax matters and will be responsible for ensuring the Company remains compliant with applicable federal, state, and local indirect tax requirements.

This position combines technical tax knowledge with hands‑on compliance management, process improvement, and cross‑functional partnership. The successful candidate will be comfortable working in a fast‑paced, publicly traded company environment, and managing multiple deadlines and priorities.

Compensation

Base Salary Pay Range: $115,000 - $125,000/yr

Specific offers within the listed pay ranges are determined by a variety of factors such as experience, education, skills, certifications and business needs.

Responsibilities

Sales and Use Tax

• Manage the Company’s sales and use tax compliance process, including preparation, review, and filing of monthly, quarterly, and annual returns.


• Oversee sales and use tax registrations, account maintenance, exemptions, and jurisdictional requirements.


• Monitor changes in state and local sales and use tax laws, rates, rules, and filing requirements.


• Research and advise the business on sales and use tax implications of new products, services, transactions, contracts, and business initiatives.


• Partner with Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Billing, and other business functions to identify and resolve indirect tax issues.


• Manage all indirect tax audits, notices, and inquiries.

Property Tax

• Manage the Company’s personal property tax compliance requirements.


• Review of property tax renditions, filings, and payments.


• Coordinate with internal teams to ensure accurate reporting of taxable property.


• Review property tax assessments and assist with appeals, protests, and related correspondence, as appropriate.

Business Licenses and Regulatory Filings

• Oversee the Company’s business license and registration requirements across applicable jurisdictions.


• Manage renewals, registrations, fees, and related regulatory filings.


• Maintain accurate records of licenses, registrations, filing deadlines, and jurisdictional requirements.


• Coordinate with Legal, Finance, Operations, as necessary, to ensure timely compliance.

Tax Research and Business Support

• Research and interpret state and local tax laws and regulations and communicate relevant changes, as appropriate.


• Provide indirect tax guidance on contracts, transactions, business expansions, new locations, and operational changes.


• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments that may impact the Company’s indirect tax obligations.

Process Improvement and Technology

• Evaluate and improve indirect tax processes, controls, and procedures.


• Identify opportunities to automate and streamline indirect tax compliance and reporting activities.


• Maintain/enhance tax calendars, documentation, standard operating procedures, and internal controls.


• Ensure indirect tax positions and compliance activities are well documented and support is maintained.

People Management

• Directly manage and develop one Indirect Tax staff member.


• Establish priorities, monitor deadlines, and review completed work.


• Promote a culture of accountability, accuracy, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Tax, or a related field required.


• 5–8 years of progressive experience in state and local or indirect taxation.


• Strong experience with U.S. sales and use tax compliance and research.


• Experience with property tax, business licenses, and other state and local tax compliance matters.


• Telecommunications industry experience preferred, including exposure to telecommunications‑related sales and use taxes, gross receipts taxes, regulatory fees, surcharges, excise taxes, or other industry‑specific state and local tax requirements.


• Experience managing or reviewing multi‑state indirect tax compliance.


• Experience with ERP and tax technology systems; familiarity with systems such as Great Plains, Avalara, or similar platforms is a plus.


• Strong Microsoft Excel skills.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong technical knowledge of U.S. state and local indirect taxes.


• Knowledge of telecommunications industry tax and regulatory requirements is a plus.


• Ability to research complex tax issues and communicate conclusions clearly.


• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously.


• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.


• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills.


• Ability to independently identify issues, develop solutions, and exercise sound judgment.


• Strong written and verbal communication skills.


• Ability to work effectively with individuals at all levels of the organization.


• Comfortable operating in a deadline‑driven, highly regulated public company environment.


• Ability to balance hands‑on execution with strategic thinking and process improvement.

Key Success Factors

The successful candidate will be a hands‑on tax professional who can independently manage the Company’s day‑to‑day indirect tax responsibilities while also identifying opportunities to improve processes, strengthen controls, and reduce compliance risk. The individual should be comfortable serving as the subject‑matter expert for indirect tax matters and partnering with both the Tax Department and broader business organization.

Experience in the telecommunications industry will be particularly valuable given the complex state and local tax, regulatory fee, licensing, and compliance requirements applicable to the industry.

This role requires the ability to work on‑site five days per week.

Cogent Communications is an Equal Opportunity Employer.