Senior Manager, Trust and Estates

Witt/Kieffer; Wilmington (NC); Hybrid; USD 161,500 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

401K match

Paid Time Off

11 paid holidays per year

Flexible hybrid work

Learning & development

Job summary

PBMares seeks an experienced Tax Senior Manager for Trusts & Estates to lead fiduciary, estate, gift, and high-net-worth tax engagements in a collaborative culture. You will guide clients, mentor staff, and drive firm growth in a dynamic practice environment.

The role requires CPA with 8+ years in public accounting tax, strong leadership, communication, and relationship skills. Remote eligibility may be considered for multiple states; PBMares offers competitive compensation and benefits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Taxation, Finance, or a related field.
• CPA required (JD considered with significant trusts and estates tax expertise).
• 8+ years of progressive public accounting tax experience.
• Significant experience with trusts, estates, gift taxation, and high-net-worth individual tax planning.
• Strong leadership, client relationship management, tax research, project management, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Client Advisory & Relationship Management: Serve as the primary advisor to high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, fiduciaries, and family groups.
• Client Advisory & Relationship Management: Provide strategic guidance on estate planning, wealth transfer strategies, charitable giving, and trust structures.
• Client Advisory & Relationship Management: Collaborate with attorneys, wealth advisors, trustees, and internal teams to deliver integrated solutions.
• Client Advisory & Relationship Management: Proactively identify planning opportunities and help clients navigate complex tax matters.
• Technical Leadership: Lead and review complex fiduciary, estate, gift, and individual tax returns, including Forms 1041, 706, and 709.
• Technical Leadership: Advise on federal, state, multi-jurisdictional, and cross-border trust and estate tax matters.
• Technical Leadership: Conduct tax research, develop and defend tax positions, and stay current on legislative and regulatory developments.
• Technical Leadership: Contribute to technical training and thought leadership within the firm.
• Team Leadership: Mentor, coach, and develop tax professionals.
• Team Leadership: Provide performance feedback and support career growth.
• Team Leadership: Help drive recruiting, onboarding, retention, and succession planning initiatives.
• Team Leadership: Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Practice Growth: Manage engagement economics, including budgeting, realization, profitability, and billing.
• Practice Growth: Identify opportunities to expand client services and strengthen relationships.
• Practice Growth: Participate in business development, networking, and community engagement activities.
• Practice Growth: Support strategic growth initiatives for the Trusts & Estates practice

Skills

Leadership

Client advisory

Tax research

Communication

Relationship management

Mentoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting or related field

CPA

Master's degree (preferred)

Job description

About the Organization Your future, our focus! If you're looking to join a firm that is as committed to you as we are to our clients, keep reading! At PBMares you'll find great people, challenging work, rewarding opportunities and a culture that embraces integrity, creativity, and teamwork. We're a perennial top-100 firm according to Inside Public Accounting and Accounting Today recently named us one of the fastest growing firms overall. Continuous learning, work-life balance, and challenging opportunities are just a start. We're over 300 strong in 12 offices across Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina and we are looking for new teammates.

Workplace Type None Specified

Secondary Location

Location(s) Wilmington, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Harrisonburg, Morehead City, New Bern, Newport News, Norfolk, Richmond, Rockville, Warrenton, Williamsburg

Exempt/Non-Exempt Exempt

Full-Time/Part-Time Full-Time

Tax Senior Manager - Trusts & Estates

We are seeking an experienced Tax Senior Manager - Trusts & Estates to lead complex fiduciary, estate, gift, and high-net-worth individual tax engagements. This leadership role combines deep technical expertise with client advisory responsibilities, team development, and practice growth initiatives. The ideal candidate is a trusted advisor who excels at building relationships, delivering strategic tax planning solutions, and mentoring professionals in a collaborative environment.

PBMares Core Values:

• Integrity
• Trust
• Respect
• Accountability
• Caring

What that means for you:

• The opportunity to grow and shape the future of the firm.
• Full benefits: medical, dental, vision, 401K match.
• Paid Time Off
• 11 paid holidays per year
• Flexible work schedule to include hybrid work environment.
• Company investment of a minimum of 40 hours learning and development annually

What You’ll Do

Client Advisory & Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary advisor to high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, fiduciaries, and family groups.
• Provide strategic guidance on estate planning, wealth transfer strategies, charitable giving, and trust structures.
• Collaborate with attorneys, wealth advisors, trustees, and internal teams to deliver integrated solutions.
• Proactively identify planning opportunities and help clients navigate complex tax matters.

Technical Leadership

• Lead and review complex fiduciary, estate, gift, and individual tax returns, including Forms 1041, 706, and 709.
• Advise on federal, state, multi-jurisdictional, and cross-border trust and estate tax matters.
• Conduct tax research, develop and defend tax positions, and stay current on legislative and regulatory developments.
• Contribute to technical training and thought leadership within the firm.

Team Leadership

• Mentor, coach, and develop tax professionals.
• Provide performance feedback and support career growth.
• Help drive recruiting, onboarding, retention, and succession planning initiatives.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Practice Growth

• Manage engagement economics, including budgeting, realization, profitability, and billing.
• Identify opportunities to expand client services and strengthen relationships.
• Participate in business development, networking, and community engagement activities.
• Support strategic growth initiatives for the Trusts & Estates practice

Position Requirements

What You Will Need

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Taxation, Finance, or a related field.
• CPA required (JD considered with significant trusts and estates tax expertise).
• 8+ years of progressive public accounting tax experience.
• Significant experience with trusts, estates, gift taxation, and high-net-worth individual tax planning.
• Strong leadership, client relationship management, tax research, project management, and communication skills.

Preferred

• Master's degree in Taxation, Accounting, or related field.
• Experience with international estate planning, foreign trusts, and global wealth transfer matters.
• Experience advising affluent families, family offices, and fiduciaries.
• Recognized expertise in trusts, estates, or wealth preservation planning

Remote eligibility may be considered for candidates located in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Florida, Colorado, South Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, Tennessee, New Mexico, Indiana, Missouri and Illinois

The salary range for this position is $161.500-$210,000. Actual compensation within the range will be determined based on a variety of factors, including the candidate's skills, experience, qualifications, geographic location, internal equity, and business needs. Placement within the range is at PBMares' discretion and is based on the specific circumstances of each candidate and position. PBMares also offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, a 401(k) retirement plan, paid holidays, paid time off, and other employee benefit programs.

Shift Days

EOE Statement Our Firm's policy is to provide equal opportunity for employment to all individuals regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA employer M/F/D/V. We maintain a drug-free workplace and perform pre-employment substance abuse testing.

This contractor and subcontractor shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-741.5(a). This regulation prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals on the basis of disability, and requires affirmative action by covered prime contractors and subcontractors to employ and advance in employment qualified individuals with disabilities.

Must be authorized to work in the United States permanently without the requirements of sponsorship at any point in the future.

This position is currently accepting applications.