Senior Tax Manager Job Description Example

By | August 28, 2023
Senior Tax Manager job description, duties, tasks, and responsibilities
Senior Tax Managers have the responsibility to supervise the activities and functions of the tax department.

Senior Tax Manager Job Description Example

What Does a Senior Tax manager Do?

Senior tax managers are usually employees whose primary responsibility is to coordinate the activities of the tax unit or department to render quality tax services to clients.

The senior tax manager job description entails making sure that quality tax services are rendered to individuals and businesses.

To be able to steer and control multiple operations of the tax unit, the manager must be experienced.

In doing this, he/she is expected to act as advisor to clients helping them make rational tax decisions and maximize tax engagements.

He/she must be able to manage multiple clients at a go as well as guide a team to perform tax audits, and assist individuals and business organizations in reviewing income tax returns.

It is part of the role of the senior tax manager to prepare tax reports, correspondence, and research memoranda.

He/she is equally responsible for submitting these documents to the appropriate taxing authorities.

The work description of the senior tax manager also involves preparing annual GAAP financial tax provisions for corporations, and preparing the consolidated Federal and annual State tax returns.

He/she ensures that clients’ tax dealings are always in compliance with all local, state, and federal tax laws.

He/she further ensures that clients fulfill their tax obligations in a timely fashion, as well as assisting them to file for sales tax returns.

To be on top of his/her game, the manager must keep abreast with emerging tax laws and trends and advises the management of corporations on how to manage tax burdens.

He/she equally ensures that clients are not over taxed and is expected to work closely with the managers and staff of other key departments like the finance departments of his/her clients’ corporations to make his/her work easier.

The duties and responsibilities of the senior tax manager also include carrying out research on how to mitigate tax risk for business and individual clients, furnishing management and company boards with tax data, and assisting them in tax planning.

His/her tasks also involve assisting clients in resolving tax crisis.

In his/her capacity as the head of the tax unit, the manager is saddled with the responsibility of scheduling and delegating duties to the employees under him/her.

A proven working experience as a tax manager is very important to succeed at the senior level of this job. Usually, a minimum of 7 to 10 years work experience as a tax manager is required.

In addition to being experienced, BA in Accounting, Finance, or Economics, and MA in Taxation is usually a must have.

Certifications and membership of professional bodies is very important to have too. For instance, JD and CPA certifications and membership of bodies like CCIM or other related bodies are necessary.

Being a leadership position, the role involves coordinating the tax unit. So, the manager must possess good leadership and relationship building skills.

Senior Tax Manager Job Description Example

The senior tax manager’s role entails several duties, tasks, and responsibilities in providing leadership to a tax unit.

Here is an example of a typical job description for the position of the senior tax manager in most firms:

  • Coordinate the activities of the tax unit or department
  • Schedule and delegate activities among the employees in the unit
  • Ensure that the department renders quality tax services to businesses and individual clients
  • Extend advisory services to individuals and businesses
  • Ensure that clients’ tax dealings are in compliance with laid down tax laws
  • Prepare tax reports, correspondence, and research memoranda
  • Assist or advice clients on how to avert task risks
  • Assist or advice clients on how to manage tax burdens
  • Identify factors that may lead to tax risks
  • Carryout research on new tax laws and trends
  • Work closely with the staff and managers of other key departments
  • Network with other professionals in the field to remain up to date with changes in tax laws and trends
  • Provide tax data for clients and third party professionals.

Senior Tax Manager Resume Preparation

The sample job description given above for the position of the senior tax manager has the relevant information required to prepare the work experience part of a resume for the role.

If you are searching for a senior level job in a tax department, you will need to provide information about your previous experience on the job.

The functions of the position highlighted in the above work description can help you to do this.

Requirements – Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities – for Senior Tax Manager Job

To succeed on the job as a senior tax manager, here are important qualities, including skills, knowledge, and abilities to have.

These are also the qualities employers usually require from applicants for the position for them to be sure they are hiring the best applicants.

  • A senior tax manager must be educated to at least Master’s degree level. Specialization in taxation or finance related discipline is often preferable. This would enable him/her to have sound knowledge of the intricacies of tax returns, accounting, and compliance
  • A senior tax manager must be an active member of at least one professional body that accommodates tax experts. To this end, he/she is expected to have either a JD or CPA certification or both or more
  • Experience is necessary to be appointed a senior tax manager. Prior to appointment, the person is expected to have worked for at least 7 to 10 years as a tax manager or member of the tax department. Experience in public accounting, corporate tax filing and returns is very important. In addition, the person must have a vast knowledge of tax laws and procedures
  • Proficiency in MS office packages and tax management applications is very important to allow him/her carryout his duties faster and easier
  • Must be able to accomplish tasks within specific time, especially during peak periods like during the period of filing tax returns and periods of preparing quarterly or annual reports
  • Other important skills to have include communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills.

Senior Tax Manager Skills for Resume

The above qualities to have to succeed as a senior tax manager can also be useful in making the skills section of your resume if you need to prepare one.

Since these are the qualities most employers require for the role, acquiring and highlighting them in your resume will definitely make it highly appealing to prospective employers.