Tax Scheduling & Planning Manager

Lucas Horsfall•Pasadena, CA

7d•$80,000 - $120,000•Hybrid

About The Position

At Lucas Horsfall, a Tax Scheduling & Planning Manager oversees the day-to-day operational workflow of the tax department, with primary responsibility for staff scheduling, workload distribution, and process efficiency during peak filing seasons and year-round engagements. This is a senior-level role combining hands-on project & operational management with strategic planning to ensure the department meets client deadlines, regulatory due dates, and internal capacity targets. This role will be performed in a hybrid environment out of our Pasadena, CA office location.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Accounting, or related field
5+ years of experience in operations, scheduling, or practice management, ideally within an accounting/tax/professional services environment
Proven experience managing projects and complex scheduling systems
Strong proficiency in scheduling/practice management software (e.g., CCH Axcess, Karbon, ProSystem fx, or similar) and Microsoft Office/Excel
Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage competing deadlines under pressure

Nice To Haves

Experience specifically within a CPA firm or corporate tax department
Familiarity with accounting, tax season cycles, IRS deadlines, and e-filing requirements
Comfort working with utilization and capacity data to inform resourcing decisions.
An awareness of staffing needs based on historical filing volume and upcoming deadlines (e.g., March 15, April 15, extension deadlines)
Project management certification (PMP) a plus

Responsibilities

Develop and manage the master scheduling system for all tax preparers, reviewers, and support staff across tax season and off-season periods
Coordinate staffing against engagements across offices & tax service lines (individual, business, trust & estate, international)
Allocate client engagements based on staff capacity, expertise, and certification levels (e.g., CPA, EA)
Monitor real-time workload distribution and rebalance assignments to prevent bottlenecks or burnout
Resolve scheduling conflicts and escalated staffing requests quickly, professionally, and with sound judgment.
Lead weekly staffing calls; communicate assignment decisions clearly and ensure all changes are reflected in the scheduling and practice-management systems.
In Partnership with Head of Tax, design and refine departmental workflows, including document intake, review cycles, and e-filing processes across offices to improve turnaround and throughput.
Establish and track key metrics of projects such as turnaround time, return accuracy, and on-time filing rates to Identify recurring bottlenecks and create efficiency
Coordinate with Tax Professionals, Directors/Partners on resource allocation for complex or high-priority engagements
Facilitate communication between preparers, reviewers, and client-facing staff to keep engagements on track
Prepare, review and monitor regular operational and utilization reports for department leadership; maintain accurate records of engagement status and deadline compliance.
Serve as the single point of contact for scheduling and capacity questions from the professional staff and partners.
Oversee deadline tracking across the client portfolio to ensure no filings are missed
Coordinate extension filings across offices and triage urgent or escalated client requests
Serve as a liaison between the tax team and other departments (audit, advisory, admin) on shared resources
Maintain accurate records of staff hours, engagement status, and deadline compliance
Prepare regular operational reports for department leadership
Ensure scheduling practices align with firm policies and applicable labor regulations