Global Employer Services-Employment Tax Manager

About the role

An Employment Tax Manager assists clients with setting up global payroll, managing US employment tax liabilities, minimizing global compliance risks, and identifying and recovering overpaid US employment taxes. The role involves providing written employment tax advice, evaluating alternate courses of action to lessen tax burden and compliance costs, and identifying potential changes in employment tax policy and regulations. The manager will also engage in marketing, networking, and business development, and collaborate with Core and Expatriate Tax Principals, Directors, and Senior Managers to provide employment tax expertise.

Responsibilities

• Research:
  • Identifies situations requiring research and conducts investigations on identified topics.
  • Analyzes researched facts and sources.
  • Prepares studies of US employment tax implications and outlines alternative courses of action for clients.
  • Partners with other tax professionals to resolve complex and contentious matters.
• Tax Compliance:
  • Ensures clients comply with applicable authorities while identifying options for managing employment tax and reporting obligations.
  • Oversees federal and state employment tax compliance efforts (e.g., Forms 941/940, W2, state tax registrations, amended returns).
  • Manages engagements to achieve engagement metrics.
  • Collaborates with the Business Development team to drive employment tax compliance and advisory service offerings.
• Tax Consulting:
  • Handles inquiries from federal and state agencies regarding employment tax issues.
  • Assists clients with multi-state employment tax compliance, including policy design and implementation for remote and mobile workers.
  • Identifies federal and state employment tax overpayment and savings opportunities, including in M&A transactions.
  • Performs research on complex employment tax reporting and withholding scenarios.
  • Identifies Employee Retention Credit and other COVID-19-related payroll tax credit opportunities.
  • Monitors implementations of work plans for employment tax consulting projects.
  • Provides recommended solutions and instructions for proper payroll set-up.
• Tax Controversy:
  • Represents clients before employment tax authorities on contested issues.
  • Responds to questions from federal or state agencies.
  • Drafts responses to examiner questions and challenges.
• Tax Specialization:
  • Acts as an industry expert in Employment Tax Services.
  • Identifies cross-selling opportunities with other tax specializations.
  • Manages Employment Tax Services provided to assigned clients.
  • Develops tools and improvements to enhance the efficiency of the Employment Tax Services practice.
• Strategy Development:
  • Develops new or improved ideas to advance client, firm, or personnel positions through employment tax management.
  • Participates in relevant industry groups.
  • Leads marketing campaigns.
• Supervisory Responsibilities:
  • Supervises the day-to-day workload of Employment Tax Senior Associates and Associates on assigned engagements and reviews work product.
  • Ensures team members are trained on relevant tax software and BDO templates.
  • Evaluates performance and assists in developing goals and objectives for professional growth.
  • Delivers periodic performance feedback and completes performance evaluations.
  • Acts as Career Advisor to Employment Tax Senior Associates and Associates.
• Performs other duties as required.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; focus in Accounting preferred.
• Master’s degree in Accounting/Taxation or J.D. preferred.
• Five (5) or more years of prior experience in employment tax, related tax, consulting, or payroll services.
• Experience supervising employment tax professionals on a project or engagement basis.
• Experience with HRIS and third-party payroll service platforms (e.g., Workday, PeopleSoft, ADP, UKG) preferred.
• Experience with payroll processing and payroll operations preferred.

Skills

• CPA certification or other relevant certification (such as Enrolled Agent) preferred.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel and Word.
• Exposure to and familiarity with standard employment tax applications and research tools.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Superior analytical and research skills.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to meet project deadlines and focus on details.
• Ability to multi-task while working independently or within a group environment.
• Proven ability to work in a deadline-driven environment and handle multiple projects simultaneously.
• Capable of managing a team of tax professionals and delegating work assignments.
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with internal and client personnel.
• Ability to encourage a team environment and contribute to professional development.
• Executive presence and ability to act as primary contact on assigned engagements.
• Advanced knowledge of tax standards and their application to ensure effective and efficient delivery of tax services.
• Advanced knowledge of sources of relevant information utilized in tax filings.
• Advanced understanding of cause/effect for taxable conditions on clients and potential tax issues.

Pay

Individual salaries are determined based on qualifications, experience, skills, and geography. The national salary range for this role is $79,800 - $168,000. Specific ranges for certain locations include:

• Maryland: $79,800 - $168,000
• NYC/Long Island/Westchester: $79,800 - $168,000
• Washington DC: $79,800 - $168,000

Benefits

BDO offers a comprehensive Total Rewards benefits package, including:

• Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), providing participants a stake in the firm’s success through beneficial ownership.
• Eligibility for a range of traditional and non-traditional benefits (subject to eligibility requirements).

Benefits may vary based on eligibility and other factors.