Tax Director

Title: Director

Exempt or Non-Exempt: Exempt

Work Area: Columbus Office

Department: Tax

Position Statement

The Tax Director is responsible for all aspects of profitability and successful delivery of tax compliance engagements. Effectively leads and supports the growth of other associates. Attracts new business to the Firm. Focuses on four major initiatives established by the Firm: Profitability, Practice Growth, Client Focus, and Brand Culture/Development.

Actively leads all aspects of the tax planning, preparation, and review process for all tax engagements with a concentration on partnership and other pass-through tax engagements. Also leads the engagement team, oversees all miscellaneous tax projects, and conducts complex tax research to support the client's tax compliance and reporting. Manages client relationships including responsibility for day-to-day client contact. Performs final review of all tax workpapers and returns and ensures that all review comments are cleared prior to filing. Creates plans and budgets for tax engagements and ensures completion of engagements within a defined timeline. Works closely with member group to identify new work and obtain new engagements.

Tasks:

• Oversee the majority of high priority, complex, large, and high-risk client engagements.
• Oversee all aspects of tax engagements including tax planning, preparation, and review of primarily partnership tax returns, with oversight of other tax returns as appropriate.
• Develop overall approaches and plans for assigned client engagements and delegate tasks to maximize engagement efficiency and promote the development of associates.
• Primarily prepare complex partnership and other pass-through tax returns and perform necessary tax planning and research.
• Identify complex tax issues and provide tax planning and expertise to a diverse middle-market client base.
• Supervise and review all work of managers, seniors, staff, and interns on assigned client engagements.
• Responsible for supervising, mentoring training and supporting the development of managers, seniors, staff and interns.
• Communicate status of work, problems, and findings to both internal GBQ management and clients.
• Collaborate with firm leaders, other departments and client leadership to identify issues and develop and implement solutions to address issues identified.
• Review engagement profitability and prepare and analyze monthly billing for assigned engagements.
• Develop and deliver executive presentations, summaries of financial information and lead client and internal meetings.
• Oversee significant department initiatives including assignment of work, implementation of cost savings initiatives and realization of project efficiencies.

Profitability:

• Monitor the hours incurred by engagement team members and the progress of assigned client engagements to ensure work is completed within both a defined budget and a defined timeline.
• Achieve charge hour budget and meet hour expectations established by Firm.
• Monitor staff charge budgets to ensure staff and seniors achieve charge hour budgets and hour expectations established by the firm.
• Prioritize and manage multiple engagements and tasks.
• Lead "approved" non-client initiatives to improve firm administration.
• Identify and implement new procedures, processes and policies to improve project and department efficiency and staff satisfaction and engagement.
• Adhere to and ensure department compliance with all firm and department software guidelines and procedures.

Practice Growth:

• Represent firm and build relationships by attending fundraisers, meetings with prospects/bankers, charitable events, professional organizations, etc.
• Develop, cultivate, and maintain relationships with referral sources and clients.
• Identify new sales opportunities and develop proposals and other activities for securing new engagements with existing clients as well as new clients.
• Assume responsibility for client engagements and demonstrate strong leadership skills while working on client work and firm-related projects.
• Develop industry or technical skill specialization and expertise on specific topics within the department.
• Demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Client Focus:

• Use developed skills in the tax consulting process to effectively diagnose, develop and implement solutions for client problems.
• Analyze transactions, formulate tax-planning strategies and perform tax reviews to satisfy the client's business and tax objectives.
• Effectively manage competing priorities and projects while exceeding client expectations.
• Demonstrate the ability to identify client risks and issues and communicate recommendations to clients and Firm associates.
• Identify operational and financial performance improvement opportunities for clients served.
• Demonstrate strong analytical skills and working knowledge of accounting and tax software.
• Apply excellent judgment on client engagement and add value through a deep understanding of the client's business/industry, technical knowledge and internal/external resources available.
• Identify complex issues and conduct extensive technical research to identify solutions and make recommendations to firm and client leadership to address complex problems.
• Coordinate and collaborate with the team, other firm associates, and client leaders to ensure efficient flow of data, information and financial issues, risks and recommendations.
• Exhibit behavior consistent with rules of conduct of the AICPA, OSCPA, and Accountancy Board of Ohio.

Brand Culture/Development:

• Exemplify the Brand Attributes of the Firm and promote a positive work environment for team members.
• Publicly support and ensure adherence to all administrative policies and procedures of the Firm.
• Demonstrate ability to work independently or in a team environment and exhibit confidence addressing and resolving conflict with peers, subordinates and firm leaders.
• Ensure that all supervisors prepare and deliver objective and candid performance evaluations to direct reports and identify coaching and mentoring opportunities to assist in the development of the associate.
• Consistently seek feedback on performance from superiors and enhance and develop individual professional and technical skills.
• Develop an atmosphere of cooperation and motivation.

Work Experience and Education:

• BA or BS in accounting or a related field.
• Must be a CPA.
• Significant experience in partnership tax compliance and consulting.
• Experience with partnership structuring, entity formation, and mergers and acquisitions is preferred.
• Advanced understanding related to the tax aspects of partnership agreements, contributions of appreciated property related to 704(c), 704(b) capital accounts, special allocations, and overall experience in dealing with Subchapter K - Partnership Taxation.
• Understanding of pass-through entity taxation at various state and local levels.
• Experience and understanding of individual income taxation as a result of partnership pass-through income.
• Background in Real Estate taxation a plus.
• Strong proficiency in partnership federal, state and local tax issues.
• Strong proficiency with tax research software packages and strong working knowledge of federal tax code and regulations.
• Approximately 8 years of public accounting experience in tax.

Organizational Relationships:

• Individual will report directly to a Performance Manager who will provide any necessary guidance relative to administrative issues or work performance through the formal evaluation process.
• Responsible for the co-management and supervision of the Tax Department staff numbering more than 35 people.

Special Requirements:

• Reliable transportation for occasional on-site client work.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends based on time of year and client demands.