Small & Mid-sized Business (SMB) Tax Manager

Ascend Partner Firms•Birmingham, AL

26d•Hybrid

About The Position

Ascend, backed by Alpine Investors, builds a platform for regional accounting firms to remain independent while accessing resources to grow. Jackson Thornton, an accounting and consulting firm established in Montgomery, Alabama, serves clients in six Alabama locations and has more than 200 professionals. Jackson Thornton is seeking a Tax Manager with public accounting experience. The Tax Manager owns assigned engagements from planning through Principal review, often serves 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 Tax Manager also develops, trains, and motivates team members, including those working remotely or on shared-service teams, and may serve as a Career Advisor. The position reports into Jackson Thornton's Birmingham office and offers hybrid flexibility. It is suited to someone interested in owning client relationships, developing specialized tax expertise, and contributing to a collaborative team and the community.

Requirements

B.A./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 with a focus 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

Small and mid-sized business (SMB) tax return experience.

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.