Sr. FATCA & Withholding Tax Specialist

Sr. FATCA & Withholding Tax Specialist

Country: United States of America

Your Journey Starts Here:

Santander is a global leader and innovator in the financial services industry. We believe that our employees are our greatest asset. Our focus is on fostering an enriching journey that empowers you to explore diverse career opportunities while nurturing your personal growth. We are committed to creating an environment where continuous learning and development are prioritized, enabling you to thrive both professionally and personally. Here, you will find ample opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented colleagues from around the world, sharing insights and driving innovation together. Join us at Santander, where you are supported by a culture of engagement and a commitment to your success.

An exciting journey awaits, if you are interested in exploring the possibilities We Want to Talk to You!

USA Job Family Description: The Finance organization is responsible for leading and participating in a number of critical functions including: supporting executive management decisions making by analyzing results, assessing strategic alternatives and developing strategic plans; communicating financial results and forecasts with critical stakeholders, including executive management and Board of Directors, shareholders and regulators; managing the Company’s balance sheet, including interest rate and liquidity risks; establishes the Company’s capital policies and prioritizes investments; develops and implements controls to reduce operational risk; developing and maintaining financial data and systems. The Finance organization works across functions and Business lines in the Company, requiring a broad understanding of our business, risk and strategy.

USA Job Function Description: The Controllership function is responsible for the operations and controls surrounding accounting, tax and financial reporting of the institution. This function’s responsibilities demonstrates expertise in processing transactions, recording accounting entries, managing the general ledger and reconciliations, and interpreting and complying with technical accounting matters and financial reporting disclosure requirements. Through the Controllership function, stakeholders receive relevant insight and commentary on transaction-level and financial results for analysis and decision making. The Tax function prepares income tax returns and indirect tax filings. Provides research and advice on tax-related matters.

Essential Functions/Responsibility Statements:
-Reviews U.S. tax documentation forms, including W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E, W-8IMY, W-9, and related affidavits.            
-Review and approve complex entity classifications (e.g., NFFE, PFFI, flow-through, hybrid entities) and provide structural tax guidance.            
-Interpret IRS regulations related to FATCA (Ch. 4), NRA withholding (Ch. 3), and backup withholding (Ch. 61).            
-Help coach tax specialists on tax form validation, escalations, and best practices in due diligence.            
-Establish and maintain review workflows, including exception handling, QA controls, and documentation standards.            
-Ensure the timely remediation of invalid or undocumented accounts and assist in high-risk client reviews.            
-Help the Department manager develop internal training materials and lead onboarding and continuous learning sessions for tax specialists.            
-Partner with the Manager to ensure the team is up to date on IRS guidance, regulatory changes, and system enhancements.            
-Collaborate with Legal, Compliance, Front Office, and Operations to address FATCA/NRA documentation issues and develop client-facing solutions            
-Support internal audit reviews, IRS audits, and governance reporting needs related to FATCA/NRA compliance            
-Support the Manager with tax reporting validation (e.g., 1042-S, 1099s) and year-end reconciliation efforts            
-Prepare workpapers and ensure timely payments to the IRS in accordance with FATCA, Chapter 3 (NRA), and Chapter 61 (backup withholding) regulations. This includes calculating the appropriate withholding amounts from payments to nonresident clients and submitting payments to the IRS. Responsible for handling reversals and over-withholding adjustments      
-Reconcile the general ledger with actual withholding and payment transactions recorded in the journal entries. Investigate and correct any discrepancies through manual adjustments or coordination with the Accounting team            
Review documentation for deceased clients and validate account closures to ensure proper withholding classification and compliance with IRS