Associate Director, Tax Accounting

National Life Insurance Company Limited; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 111,000 - 162,000; Full time

Job summary

National Life Group is seeking an Associate Director of Tax to lead the income tax provision and reporting under ASC 740 and SSAP 101, ensuring accurate filings and robust internal controls. The role partners with Finance, Legal, and Investment teams to optimize the company’s tax position.

Responsibilities include forecasting, audits support, and working with external advisors, with mentorship of the tax team and opportunity for broader strategic impact.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field.
• CPA or Enrolled Agent designation is required.
• Strong experience with income tax provision and tax compliance.

Responsibilities

• Lead the income tax provision and reporting process under ASC 740 and SSAP 101.
• Oversee federal, state, and local income tax compliance and return-to-provision analysis.
• Manage external tax advisors to ensure timely, high-quality engagements.
• Support tax planning initiatives and conduct technical tax research.
• Collaborate with finance and legal teams to provide tax insights.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Leadership

Communication

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting/Finance

CPA or Enrolled Agent

Tools

OneSource Tax Provision

OneSource Income Tax

Workday

Job description

Come join one of America’s fastest-growing insurance companies. Since 1848, National Life Group has aimed to keep our promises, providing families with stability in good times and in bad. Throughout that history, we have provided peace of mind to those families as they plan their futures.

Our mission extends beyond the insurance and annuities policies that we offer. We strive to make the world a better place through our grants from our charitable foundation, paid volunteer time for our employees, environmentally sustainable and healthy workplaces, and events that promote the work of nonprofits in our own backyard.

We foster a collaborative environment with opportunities for growth and encourage our associates to live our values: Do good. Be good. Make good.

Please note that we do not offer visa sponsorship for this position.

Role Summary

The Associate Director plays a key leadership role within the tax function and is responsible for managing the income tax provision and return related activities, ensuring accurate tax reporting, timely compliance with federal, state, and local tax requirements, and strong internal controls across the tax function.

This is a hands-on leadership role with the opportunity to broaden technical tax experience, strengthen team leadership skills, and contribute to tax planning, audit support, and special projects in a dynamic corporate environment. The Associate Director reports directly to the Director of Corporate Tax.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead the income tax provision and reporting process under ASC 740 and SSAP 101, including related tax entries, disclosures, reconciliations, and supporting documentation.
• Lead tax forecasting, effective tax rate analysis, and other ad hoc tax reporting and modeling needs.
• Oversee federal, state, and local income tax compliance, including return preparation, review, filing coordination, and return-to-provision analysis.
• Review tax deliverables, improve processes, and strengthen internal controls to support accuracy, efficiency, and compliance.
• Manage external tax advisors to ensure timely, high-quality, and cost-effective tax engagements.
• Support tax planning initiatives by identifying opportunities to optimize the company’s tax position and mitigate risk.
• Conduct technical tax research and provide guidance on compliance, reporting, and business matters.
• Respond to audits and regulatory inquiries while monitoring changes in tax laws and industry-specific requirements.
• Collaborate with Financial Reporting, Accounting, Investment, Legal, PF&A and other internal stakeholders to provide tax insights on business operations and initiatives.
• Mentor and coach tax team members, supporting technical development, accountability, and achievement of departmental goals.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field required; CPA or Enrolled Agent required.
• 5 to 10 years of U.S. federal income tax experience required; life and annuity insurance industry experience and public accounting experience strongly preferred.
• Strong experience with income tax provision and tax compliance, including federal, state, and local tax matters.
• Strong knowledge of ASC 740 and SSAP 101 tax accounting and disclosure requirements.
• Advanced Excel skills required; experience with OneSource Tax Provision, OneSource Income Tax, and Workday preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead, coach, and develop tax professionals.
• Excellent analytical, communication, organization, and project management skills.

At National Life Group, we view AI as an enabler of human potential. We use AI to help us work smarter, serve more clients, and keep our promises, while remaining a relationship-driven business where our people are our greatest strength.

All applicants are expected to:

• Leverage approved AI tools, where appropriate, to improve the efficiency, quality, and impact of their work.
• Stay curious and open to new AI-enabled ways of working.
• Exercise sound judgment by reviewing and validating AI-generated content.
• Maintain accountability for the accuracy, quality, fairness, and integrity of work products by adhering to National Life’s AI guiding principles.
• Use AI responsibly and in accordance with company policies related to confidentiality, data privacy, security, compliance, retention and intellectual property.

Base Pay Range. The base pay range for this position is the range National Life reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for the position taking into account the wide variety of factors, including: prior experience and job-related knowledge; education, training and certificates; current business needs; and market factors. The final salary or hourly wages offered may be outside of this range based on other reasons and individual circumstances.

Additional Compensation and Benefits. The total compensation package for this position may also include a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave), dependent on the position offered. The successful candidate may also be eligible to participate in National Life’s discretionary annual incentive programs, subject to the rules governing such programs. If hired, the employee will be in an "at-will position" and National Life reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation or benefit program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

National Life is accepting applications for this role on an ongoing basis and the role remains open until filled.

Salary Pay Range

$110,625 - $162,250 USD

Base Pay Range. The base pay range for this position is the range National Life reasonably and in good faith expects to pay for the position taking into account the wide variety of factors, including: prior experience and job-related knowledge; education, training and certificates; current business needs; and market factors. The final salary or hourly wages offered may be outside of this range based on other reasons and individual circumstances.

Additional Compensation and Benefits. The total compensation package for this position may also include a full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits (including 401(k) eligibility and various paid time off benefits, such as vacation, sick time, and parental leave), dependent on the position offered. The successful candidate may also be eligible to participate in National Life’s discretionary annual incentive programs, subject to the rules governing such programs. If hired, the employee will be in an "at-will position" and National Life reserves the right to modify base salary (as well as any other discretionary payment or compensation or benefit program) at any time, including for reasons related to individual performance, company or individual department/team performance, and market factors.

National Life is accepting applications for this role on an ongoing basis and the role remains open until filled.

Hourly Pay Range

$110,625 - $162,250 USD

National Life Group is a trade name of National Life Insurance Company, Montpelier, VT – founded in 1848, Life Insurance Company of the Southwest, Addison, TX – chartered in 1955, and their affiliates. Each company of National Life Group is solely responsible for its own financial condition and contractual obligations. Life Insurance Company of the Southwest is not an authorized insurer in New York and does not conduct insurance business in New York. Equity Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, is a Broker/Dealer and Registered Investment Adviser affiliate of National Life Insurance Company. All other entities are independent of the companies of National Life Group.

Fortune 1000 status is based on the consolidated financial results of all National Life Group companies.

Voluntary Self-Identification

For government reporting purposes, we ask candidates to respond to the below self-identification survey.Completion of the form is entirely voluntary. Whatever your decision, it will not be considered in the hiringprocess or thereafter. Any information that you do provide will be recorded and maintained in aconfidential file.

As set forth in National Life Insurance Company’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy,we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.

If you believe you belong to any of the categories of protected veterans listed below, please indicate by making the appropriate selection.As a government contractor subject to the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA), we request this information in order to measurethe effectiveness of the outreach and positive recruitment efforts we undertake pursuant to VEVRAA. Classification of protected categoriesis as follows:

A "disabled veteran" is one of the following: a veteran of the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service who is entitled to compensation (or who but for the receipt of military retired pay would be entitled to compensation) under laws administered by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs; or a person who was discharged or released from active duty because of a service-connected disability.

A "recently separated veteran" means any veteran during the three-year period beginning on the date of such veteran's discharge or release from active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval, or air service.

An "active duty wartime or campaign badge veteran" means a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service during a war, or in a campaign or expedition for which a campaign badge has been authorized under the laws administered by the Department of Defense.

An "Armed forces service medal veteran" means a veteran who, while serving on active duty in the U.S. military, ground, naval or air service, participated in a United States military operation for which an Armed Forces service medal was awarded pursuant to Executive Order 12985.