Tax Associate Director - Construction Services
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About Tax Services
Dean Dorton's tax team provides comprehensive solutions to our clients, serving a wide variety of entity types and industries. Our team partners with clients to meet their compliance requirements, while also providing the crucial guidance and expertise they need to implement an overall tax strategy covering local, state, national, and international areas. We support clients by minimizing their tax burden and maximizing their business and financial goals.
About The Role
The Associate Director – Construction Tax Services role focuses, leads, and manages a diverse portfolio of clients and engagements, with a primary focus on construction-related businesses. This role oversees workflow, ensures compliance with regulatory requirements, and provides strategic tax advisory services tailored to the construction industry. They serve as a leader within the firm, driving internal initiatives, representing the firm to clients and prospects, and contributing to business development activities—particularly within the construction sector. Additionally, they play a crucial role in mentoring and developing team members, fostering a culture of continuous learning, and maintaining a strong focus on client relationships and engagement performance.
This Role May Not Be For You
This role may not be a good fit for someone who prefers purely technical work, dislikes client interaction, avoids leadership and business development, struggles in a fast-paced environment, or doesn’t want administrative responsibilities. It requires a balance of tax expertise, management, and strategic growth efforts.
This Role May Be For You
This role is ideal for an experienced CPA who excels in tax expertise, leadership, and client relationship management. It involves overseeing tax engagements, mentoring teams, driving business development, and contributing to firm initiatives. A great fit for someone who enjoys a mix of technical tax work, strategic advising, and firm growth.
Responsibilities
The essential duties and responsibilities of the Tax Associate Director role are outlined below:
- Technical Definition: Your specialized knowledge and expertise associated with the work you perform for/with clients.
- Lead and manage client service teams and engagements, including:
- Managing workflow of engagements, ensuring deadlines are met, including the collection and review of client information to complete client engagement tasks.
- Reviewing prepared tax returns and workpapers, providing review comments as needed, to meet all regulatory and compliance requirements.
- Developing a deep understanding of construction operations, including job costing, WIP schedules, bonding requirements, and project-based accounting.
- Understanding clients’ business and operations – providing advisory and consultative services. Connect with clients to foster relationships.
- Researching complex tax issues, including revenue recognition methods, cost capitalization (UNICAP), and industry-specific deductions and credits.
- Engaging in tax planning activities, identifying opportunities to minimize tax liabilities and optimize financial outcomes for clients.
- Consulting with clients on tax implications related to entity structuring, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and multi-state construction projects.
- Interfacing with taxing authorities and assisting in gathering information for federal, state, and local tax audits, as needed. Resolving client issues. Signing tax returns.
- As necessary, participating at any level of a tax engagement or project to ensure client and regulatory deadlines are met.
- Communicating with clients throughout the year to maintain relationships and address significant issues. Educating clients on tax law, regulatory, and compliance changes/requirements.
- Assessing overall risk and staffing needs for tax engagements. Monitoring staffing of client engagements to ensure proper leveraging standards are maintained.
- Assessing skill sets, strengths, and abilities to match team members with client engagements.
- Behavioral Definition: The behaviors associated with performing your job (interpersonal skills).
- Monitoring overall performance, including profitability, of client engagements.
- Communicating effectively, setting clear expectations for team members and clients.
- Obtaining confidence and independence in making decisions and managing clients, that reduce client and firm risk.
- Non-Charge Definition: The contribution you make to Dean Dorton outside of client work.
- Specializing in specific industries or niches, providing subject matter expertise and delivering team education.
- Committing to continuous learning and professional development.
- Creating and championing the culture of the tax practice and the firm with team members.
- Serving as a mentor, coach, and Career Advisor, participating in the development, growth, and training of team members.
- Building personal connections with team members.
- Serving as a leader for team members, assessing internal initiatives, processes, and procedures. Evaluating success of internal programs.
- Serving as the face of the firm, representing Dean Dorton to clients and prospects.
- Managing the firm’s reputation in the market.
- Beginning accountability for firm growth activities, including responding to proposal requests and engaging in networking activities.
- Ensuring proper team staffing, including recruiting and interviewing candidates, that meets the needs of client engagements.
- Overseeing firm administrative tasks such as scheduling, billing, business development, recruiting, and training.
- Leading or actively participating in tax and firm committees.
- Lead and manage client service teams and engagements, including:
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree required in accounting, finance, business, or related field.
- Minimum of ten years of experience in a tax or tax-related technical role with significant experience serving construction or real estate clients preferred.
- Extensive experience in leading teams, managing processes, and building strong technical expertise.
- CPA licensure required.
Skills
- CaseWare
- CCH Fixed Assets
- CCH Axcess Tax
- CCH Workstream
- CCH Billing and Invoice
- Tax Research Software and Tools
- Client Portal Tools (SafeSend, ShareFile)
- QuickBooks
- TValue
- Adobe
- Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams)
- Data analysis and visualization tools, such as PowerBi
- Familiarity with other relevant software and tools used in accounting and tax practices.
Travel
Travel may be required for client or firm needs, including occasional overnight stays.
Benefits
- Health insurance – medical, vision, dental
- Unlimited PTO
- Paid family leave, medical leave, and maternity/paternity leave programs
- Retirement benefits – 401(K) match and best-in-class automatic profit sharing
- Telemedicine, mental health resources, and wellness program reimbursement
- Life insurance and disability insurance