Tax Associate

About the Role

The Tax Associate owns the tax filing calendar across MK Distro and affiliated retail entities. This is a monthly-cycle role built around excise tax on tobacco and vapor products, plus sales and use tax and the reporting behind it. You'll work directly with ownership and outside collection agency, pull your own numbers out of the ERP, and be the person who makes sure nothing is ever filed late. If you like owning a calendar end to end instead of being one small piece of a large tax department, this is that role.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and file monthly state excise tax returns on tobacco and vapor products for MK Distro and affiliated entities
• Prepare and file sales and use tax returns across every state where we're registered, on their required frequency
• Own the tax calendar — due dates, filing frequencies, payment deadlines, and license renewals across every jurisdiction we operate in
• Pull and reconcile the purchase and sales data behind every return out of our ERP (Zoho); tie filings back to the general ledger
• Maintain PACT Act and other regulatory reporting obligations for tobacco and vapor shipments
• Collect, validate, and track renewal of resale and exemption certificates from wholesale customers
• Maintain state and local tobacco/vapor distributor licenses, permits, and bonds
• Reconcile tax accruals and prepare clean supporting schedules and workpapers for outside CPA on federal and Texas franchise filings
• Respond to notices, information requests, and audits from the Texas Comptroller and other state taxing authorities
• Monitor nexus as we grow and flag new registration requirements before they turn into exposure
• Track rule changes in tobacco and vapor taxation and tell us what they mean for us
• Document filing procedures so the process is repeatable and doesn't live in one person's head

Qualifications

• 21+ (required to handle tobacco/vape products)
• 2+ years preparing and filing sales/use or excise tax returns, in-house or in public accounting
• Working knowledge of multi-state filing requirements and state taxing authority portals
• Strong analytical skills and fluency with Excel/Google Sheets
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field — or equivalent hands-on filing experience

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with excise-taxed categories (tobacco, vapor, alcohol, or fuel)
• Familiarity with Texas Comptroller filings — sales & use, tobacco products, franchise
• Experience with PACT Act reporting
• Experience supporting multiple legal entities under common ownership
• Exposure to an ERP (Zoho a plus)
• CPA candidate, EA, or actively pursuing certification

What You'll Bring

• Detail-obsessed and deadline-driven — monthly filings don't move, and neither do you
• Strong with Excel/Google Sheets (pivot tables, lookups, reconciling large data sets)
• Comfortable pulling and cleaning data out of an ERP rather than waiting for someone to hand you a report
• Clear, professional written communication for correspondence with state agencies
• Able to own a calendar independently without being chased
• Sound judgment and discretion with confidential financial information