M&A Tax Lead - Deals, Diligence & Structuring

Elliott Davis; New York (NY); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous time off

Flexible work schedules

Health and wellness benefits

Leadership development programs

Job summary

Elliott Davis in the United States seeks an experienced M&A Tax Senior Manager to lead day-to-day tax due diligence and structuring for mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic transactions. This role is client-facing, with responsibility for managing diligence workstreams, mentoring teams, and serving as the primary tax lead throughout the transaction lifecycle—from kickoff through deal close.

The ideal candidate brings strong technical tax knowledge, sound commercial judgment, and proven

Qualifications

• 6–8 years of experience in M&A/transaction tax with public accounting, Big 4, advisory firm, or comparable environment, with meaningful responsibility for both tax due diligence and transaction structuring.
• Demonstrated experience leading diligence engagements and managing day-to-day client relationships.
• Strong technical background in U.S. federal income tax; state and local tax experience is a plus.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent transactions in a deadline-driven environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain complex tax concepts to non-tax stakeholders.
• Proven leadership skills and a collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset.
• Hands‑on experience with: Step-up and basis modeling, Section 382 analyses, transaction and step plan structuring
• CPA or JD preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day tax due diligence and structuring for buy-side and sell-side M&A transactions across a variety of deal sizes and industries.
• Act as the primary tax advisor to clients, deal teams, legal counsel, and investment professionals.
• Scope transactions, identify key tax risks and structuring opportunities, and tailor analyses based on client objectives and transaction profile.
• Manage timelines, deliverables, and budgets while ensuring high-quality, deadline-driven execution.
• Identify, analyze, and quantify federal, state, and local tax risks associated with target companies and transaction structures.
• Perform and review transaction tax structuring analyses, including: Step-up and basis modeling, Section 382 limitation analyses, tax attribute modeling, and step plan sequencing analyses.
• Review acquisition structures, post-closing integration considerations, and exit planning implications.
• Advise on tax-related purchase agreement provisions, including indemnities, escrows, representations, and tax covenants.
• Prepare and review diligence reports, structuring memoranda, and executive summaries that clearly explain risks, opportunities, and financial impacts.
• Collaborate with other Elliott Davis team members, including FDD and tax subject matter specialists.
• Lead and mentor engagement teams, providing technical guidance, coaching, and real-time feedback.
• Review workpapers and analyses for technical accuracy, consistency, and clarity.
• Develop team members’ diligence and structuring capabilities and reinforce best practices.
• Support business development efforts, including proposal development, transaction scoping, and client pitches.
• Contribute to knowledge sharing, training, and ongoing improvement of diligence and structuring methodologies.

Skills

M&A tax expertise

Diligence leadership

Client relationship management

Communication skills

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or finance

Masters in Taxation / JD in tax / LLM

Job description

Elliott Davis in the United States seeks an experienced M&A Tax Senior Manager to lead day-to-day tax due diligence and structuring for mergers, acquisitions, and other strategic transactions. This role is client-facing, with responsibility for managing diligence workstreams, mentoring teams, and serving as the primary tax lead throughout the transaction lifecycle—from kickoff through deal close.

The ideal candidate brings strong technical tax knowledge, sound commercial judgment, and proven