Senior Sales Tax & Excise Specialist - Oil & Gas

Hilcorp Energy Company; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Hilcorp Energy Company is seeking a Senior Sales Tax Accountant in Houston to manage multi-state sales, use, motor fuels, and excise tax compliance. The role analyzes tax rules, supports audits, and guides internal teams on taxability and data integrity.

The position requires strong analytical skills, deep Texas tax knowledge, and experience with oilfield operations. Collaboration with accounting, AP, and operations is essential for accurate tax treatment.

Qualifications

• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in sales and use tax or indirect tax, preferably within the oil and gas industry.
• Strong knowledge of state and local sales and use tax laws and regulations, with emphasis on Texas.
• Experience supporting state and local tax audits, including audit defense and interaction with taxing authorities.
• Experience with indirect tax compliance, tax research, planning, refund opportunities, and tax controversy matters.
• Experience analyzing tax implications of oil and gas operational activities, including drilling, production, and facilities.
• Experience with motor fuels and excise taxes preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage sales and use, motor fuels, and excise tax compliance activities across multiple states and legal entities, including preparation, review, reconciliation, and timely filing of tax returns.
• Research and interpret state and local sales and use tax, motor fuel tax, and excise tax laws and regulations as they apply to upstream oil and gas operations.
• Review purchase and operational transactions to determine proper tax treatment and identify potential tax exposures, exemptions, or overpayments.
• Provide tax guidance to Accounting, Accounts Payable, Operations, and other business groups regarding the taxability of purchases, services, equipment, fuel usage, and operational activities.
• Support sales and use, motor fuel, and excise tax audits by gathering documentation, analyzing transactions, preparing workpapers, responding to auditor requests, and assisting with development of tax positions.
• Identify and pursue tax savings and refund opportunities, including transaction analysis, exemption reviews, refund claim preparation, and supporting documentation.
• Assist with tax controversy matters, including researching technical issues, developing factual support, preparing responses, and coordinating with taxing authorities and outside advisors.
• Monitor legislative, regulatory, and administrative developments and evaluate potential impacts to Hilcorp’s operations and tax obligations.
• Review and maintain tax rates, tax codes, exemption information, and system tax determination rules to promote accurate tax treatment.
• Analyze large volumes of transactional and operational data using SAP, Excel, and other tax or reporting systems to identify errors, trends, exposures, and opportunities.
• Perform tax account reconciliations and investigate differences between tax returns, general ledger accounts, tax accruals, and underlying transaction data.

Skills

Sales tax expertise

Tax research

Communication skills

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in accounting, finance or closely related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Advanced Excel

Job description

Hilcorp Energy Company is seeking a Senior Sales Tax Accountant in Houston to manage multi-state sales, use, motor fuels, and excise tax compliance. The role analyzes tax rules, supports audits, and guides internal teams on taxability and data integrity.

The position requires strong analytical skills, deep Texas tax knowledge, and experience with oilfield operations. Collaboration with accounting, AP, and operations is essential for accurate tax treatment.