Sr. Manager of Tax

First Watch Restaurants, Inc.•Bradenton, FL

13d

About The Position

The Senior Manager of Tax is a key member of the tax function, responsible for supporting the Company’s income tax provision, compliance, tax reporting, controls, and process improvement activities. The Senior Manager will help execute the Company’s tax strategy, ensure timely and accurate compliance and reporting, and provide practical tax support to internal stakeholders.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting required
Active CPA license required
7+ years of relevant tax experience, including meaningful public accounting and/or public company tax experience
Strong ASC 740 and income tax compliance experience required
Public company reporting and SOX/control experience strongly preferred
Experience with multi-state taxation required
Demonstrated ability to review workpapers, identify issues, document conclusions, and communicate practical recommendations
Experience managing projects, deadlines, advisors, and/or staff
Strong tax technical and research skills, with ability to analyze complex matters and escalate conclusions appropriately

Nice To Haves

Master’s in Taxation preferred
Restaurant, food and beverage, hospitality, or other multi-unit, consumer-facing industry experience preferred but not required
Prior formal people-management experience preferred but not required for otherwise strong candidates

Responsibilities

Manage and review federal, state, and local income tax compliance workstreams, including coordination with external advisors and internal stakeholders
Support the quarterly and annual income tax provision process under ASC 740, including preparation and/or review of key schedules, rate reconciliation items, deferred tax analyses, uncertain tax positions, and related documentation
Prepare and review tax-related financial statement support and disclosure tie-outs in a manner that is complete, accurate, and audit-ready
Assist with sales and use tax, property tax, and related compliance matters, including coordination with internal teams, vendors, and advisors as needed
Execute and strengthen tax controls, review procedures, and documentation standards consistent with public company expectations
Maintain organized, supportable workpapers and review evidence that demonstrate precision, completeness, and accountability
Partner with internal audit, accounting, and external auditors to support efficient execution of SOX and financial statement audit procedures
Conduct tax research and technical analysis to support business initiatives, tax accounting conclusions, compliance positions, and planning opportunities
Identify and escalate tax risks, opportunities, and judgmental matters to the VP of Tax with clear analysis and recommended next steps
Support cash tax forecasting, state tax planning, credits and incentives, and legislative monitoring as assigned
Manage day-to-day responses to income, indirect, and property tax notices and audits, including information gathering, support preparation, advisor coordination, and status tracking
Maintain clear documentation of audit positions, open items, deadlines, and escalation matters
Help improve the scalability, transparency, and reliability of tax processes through better workpaper design, calendar discipline, data quality, automation, and use of technology
Support efforts to standardize recurring tax processes, improve handoffs, and reduce reliance on ad hoc knowledge or manual procedures
Serve as a practical tax resource for Accounting, FP&A, Treasury, Legal, HR, IT, Operations, and other stakeholders, escalating complex or sensitive matters to the VP of Tax as appropriate
Translate tax requirements and risks into clear, actionable guidance for non-tax audiences
Manage and coach tax team members and external advisors on assigned workstreams, deliverables, documentation standards, and deadlines
Model accountability, responsiveness, and high-quality execution across the tax function
Demonstrate readiness for expanded leadership responsibilities through consistent ownership, judgment, and continuous improvement