Monica Castelo Email & Phone Number

Houston, TX, US

Madrid, Madrid, ES

• Manage an Indirect Tax Department team and ensure the ERP system is communicating with Vertex 0 tax application properly.
• Manage/Lead transaction tax audits, review and analyze data sampling, compile supporting documentation, and maintain audit reporting/schedules.
• Oversee sales, use tax compliance, and ensure monthly tax compliance is optimal.
• Provide monthly review of the transaction tax general ledger accounts and reconciliations.
• Initiate business process improvements (BPI) to streamline tax reporting processes, implement solutions, ensure the company is following taxing authority guidelines, and improve cross-functional procedures to save time.
• Research renewable industrial revenue bond incentives in the applicable states and create guides to maintain the tax incentives in the renewable space.

• Manage staff members and work with cross functional teams to ensure the ERP systems are communicating with Vertex 0 Tax Application
• Oversee audits, analyzing data sampling and compiling supporting documentation for tax exempt transactions in addition to use tax reporting
• Review contracts with global teams to determine permanent establishment (PE), nexus in the US, and taxability status of each transition
• Research and discern tax statutes for 45 state plus DC related to oil and gas, utilities, exploration and production, manufacturing, renewables (wind turbine & solar power), software, and services to limit company’s.
• Work with executive leadership to develop tax strategies to optimize business decisions and limit company’s tax liability
• Document, create guidelines, policy enhancements and provide tax training for cross functional departments

St. Louis, MO, US

• Managed, developed, and trained an Indirect Tax Team of 4
• Prepared and oversaw tax compilation reporting for sales and use tax monthly filing by a third party
• Reported GST/HST, PST Tax monthly filing and manage Canada audits as well as reviewed VAT tax issues and compliance
• Managed Month-end close responsibilities, reconcile GL accounts related to sales and use tax, research and resolve any un-reconciled items monthly
• Led and supported sales tax audits requested and analyzed data supporting the audits (tax data reports/invoices/tax exemptions certificates, shipping documents, etc.)
• Documented audit lessons learned, updated systems and procedures, and trained cross functional teams to improve tax reporting. (Sales Representatives, Credit/Collection and Accounts Payable Teams)

Houston, Texas, US

• Filed and managed domestic sales, use, excise tax, Canada GST/HST, and PST tax returns
• Led audits, compiled sales tax reports, tax exemption certificates for audit periods, reviewed audit findings, and improved internal tax reporting processes to limit tax liability
• Managed company business licenses, tax permit requirements and responded to tax notices timely
• Reviewed multiple VAT returns monthly and quarterly for 18 countries and managed VAT refunds, provided monthly updates for executive review and addressed any outstanding refund VAT issueso Country codes: AT, BE, BG.
• Researched & discerned tax laws, documented, and resolved outstanding transaction tax issues
• Reconciled and analyze tax accounts monthly, and researched any outstanding balances

Worldwide, OO

• Multistate tax consultant for various sales, use, and excise tax matters, advised on tax strategies based on tax laws to limit tax liability and audit exposure for our clients
• Analyzed accounts of interest and invoices for sales and use tax managed audits and audit defense projects
• Managed a staff of ten, filed fuel and alternative fuel tax returns monthly, quarterly, and annually to ensure state and federal tax compliance laws were met (Excise Tax Reporting)
• Composed voluntary disclosure, abatement, and protest letters to limit client penalties, interest, and tax liabilities
• Researched and discerned sales and use tax statutes (45 States & DC) regarding oil and gas products manufactured and/or exploration, chemical, utility, minerals, products manufactured and resold, food, beverage.

• Prepared monthly, quarterly, annual multi-state sales and use tax returns using Vertex Sales Tax software
• Managed a team of two that processed tax returns, completed annual license renewals and registrations
• Resolved functional, technical tax issues to keep Vertex software operating at its highest level of efficiency and accuracy
• Set up Vertex EFT/electronic filing features to meet unique state requirements and maintain multiple sales tax rates by jurisdiction
• Created taxability sales and use tax matrices for multi-state quick reference; i.e. resellers, state/local government, non-profit/exempt organizations, K-12/universities schools, etc.
• Addressed state tax notices, amended tax returns, and completed tax forms to remedy outstanding tax issues

Round Rock, Texas, US

• Prepared monthly/quarterly executive summaries including attrition analysis and headcount reports
• Designed, developed, and standardized metric reporting for cross functional teams
• Provided data analysis to support key functions and improved over all reporting efficiency by 30%
• Reported monthly benefit accruals and vendor invoicing for accounting close process

Round Rock, Texas, US

• Managed Word Wide Procurement Finance Rebate and Alliance portfolio, month-end close activities including balance sheet account reconciliations, journal entries, intercompany billing, and booked accruals monthly
• Reconciled billed/unbilled receivables, credit memo (contra payables), prepaid short-term/long-term accounts monthly, and provided Qu and YoY flux analysis commentary for rebate and alliance accounts
• Implemented and enforced critical internal controls practices and external reporting, maintained source documents for JE transactions, achieved satisfactory audits and passed all CSA/SOX testing
• Prepared global monthly balance sheet reviews for management, performed aging analysis action plans on past due balances monthly, communicated weekly rebate variances to global teams, and monitored rebate trends

Round Rock, Texas, US

• Managed a staff of two and led a special tax project team reducing short paid tax report by $5M; received Michael Dell individual “Above and Beyond” award
• Trained remote/local collection and sales teams on tax guideline requirements
• Decreased average tax resolution cycle time by 50% initiating BPI (Business Process Improvements) methodology
• Researched tax laws and facilitated resolution options for large corporate accounts with tax issues ranging from $1M to $5M

Round Rock, Texas, US

• Managed/reconciled Large Corporate Account $2.5M collection portfolio
• Analyzed daily bad debt and aging reports for all segments
• Interfaced with cross functional departments to research and resolve customer account issues

• Prepared and filed monthly multi-state sales and use tax returns using Vertex, researched and discerned state tax statutes relating to current/outstanding tax issues and worked with cross functional departments to.
• Compiled records for audit review, responded to audit questions, and provided supporting documents for booked entries, exempt sales, and records of business operations
• Worked on audits for multiple states, reviewed audit findings and improve internal tax reporting
• Researched manufacturing and service tax laws to limit company’s tax liability

• Managed a team of 14 skip trace collectors and 7 direct reports. Coached and mentored skip trace collection team to exceed quarterly metric goals
• Analyzed collection accounts, created collection reporting tools, incentive programs and shared best business practices.
• Reported customer credit analysis based on TRW/Experian, Equifax, and TU Credit Bureaus