Estate & Trust Tax Manager

Jackson Thornton•Montgomery, AL

About The Position

Jackson Thornton, an accounting and consulting firm serving clients across Alabama, is seeking a Tax Manager with public accounting experience. The Tax Manager owns assigned engagements from planning through Principal review, often acts as the client service contact, and reviews complex tax returns, tax authority notices, and research engagements. The role applies professional judgment to work supported by automation and AI-enabled tools, identifies tax planning and advisory opportunities throughout the year, and participates in engagement billing. The manager develops, trains, and motivates team members, including people working remotely or on shared-service teams, and may serve as a Career Advisor. The role offers the opportunity to manage client relationships, build specialized tax expertise, and contribute to business development and community involvement. Jackson Thornton joined the Ascend network as of May 2026.

Requirements

B.A. or B.S. degree in Accounting or a related field.
CPA license required; EA or JD/LL.M. also considered.
Five or more years of public accounting experience focused on tax.
Strong federal and state tax compliance knowledge, with experience reviewing complex returns.
Working knowledge of tax research, preparation, and AI-enabled review tools.
Proven ability to manage multiple complex engagements while developing team members.
Strong project management, communication, and interpersonal skills, including with remote teams.

Nice To Haves

Estate and trust return experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage assigned engagements from planning through Principal review.
Review complex individual, corporate, partnership, trust, and estate returns, tax authority notices, and research engagements.
Serve as the primary client contact and business advisor for assigned clients.
Identify tax planning and advisory opportunities throughout the year.
Delegate work with engagement economics and team development in mind, including work prepared by shared-service or outsourced teams.
Develop and coach team members across in-person, hybrid, and remote settings; provide timely feedback and evaluation input.
Monitor engagement progress, staffing, out-of-scope work, and billing input.
Use AI-enabled research and review tools appropriately while retaining ownership of conclusions delivered to clients.
Represent clients at audits, document tax advice, and monitor team adherence to quality assurance and ethical standards.
Support business development through referral sources, networking, proposals, and expanded services.