Sr. Tax Manager

Cars Commerce Inc.; Chicago (IL); Remote; USD 135,000 - 169,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental & Vision healthcare

New Hire Stipend for Home Office

Generous PTO & Holidays

Volunteer Day

Recharge Day

Job summary

Cars Commerce is seeking a Senior Tax Manager to lead and oversee all aspects of tax operations in a remote-first US environment. You will drive ASC 740 provisions, ensure accurate U.S. and Canadian tax compliance, and partner with finance and business leaders to optimize tax outcomes while mentoring the tax team.

You will report to the VP of Tax and have exposure to senior management. The role requires strong expertise in GAAP, tax accounting, and cross-border taxation, with a focus on process

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business or Economics is required.
• CPA, IRS EA, or Master's degree in Taxation required.
• 8+ years of experience with a Big 4 firm or a medium-to-large corporate tax department, in progressive roles, focused on ASC 740 provisions.

Responsibilities

• Lead quarterly and annual ASC 740 provision calculations using OneSource Tax Provision, plus SEC disclosures and internal reporting.
• Manage US and Canadian tax compliance, including returns and related workpapers.
• Ensure workpapers and returns are accurate, documented, and audit-ready.
• Review estimated payments and extensions for completeness and timeliness.
• Oversee balance sheet accounts related to tax, including deferred tax assets and liabilities.
• Coordinate multi-workstream projects, timelines, and deliverables across the tax team.
• Support due diligence and tax matters for potential M&A activity.
• Ensure timely submission of tax information to and from the tax team.
• Identify process improvements and standardization opportunities within tax operations.

Skills

Mentorship

Communication

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business or Economics

CPA/IRS EA or Master's in Taxation

8+ years Big 4 or corporate tax experience

Job description

Be essential at Cars Commerce At Cars Commerce, we’re fanatical about simplifying everything about car buying and selling. We do right by our customers and consumers to better connect the industry with simplified and tierless technology to enhance, measure and drive local automotive retail. Whether through our No.1 most recognized marketplace, Cars.com, our industry-leading digital experience, Dealer Inspire, our trade and appraisal technology, AccuTrade, our reputation-based digital wholesale auction marketplace, Dealerclub, or our new Cars Commerce Media Network, Cars Commerce is essential for success in the automotive industry. No one ever travels alone here: at its core, Cars Commerce is collaboration. In fact, it’s built into the very fabric of our shared values. We like to say we Rise Together – putting people at the center of what we do, from consumer to customer to community. Life at Cars Commerce makes it easy when we share the ethos to be Open to All, encouraging open-minded communication because we know diverse thinking yields better outcomes. But critical to our success is Caring to Challenge and Taking Ownership, fueling a competitive spirit in a respectful environment where we think about tomorrow but act today. At our foundation, we have integrity, Doing the Right Thing, even when it’s hard. It’s our shared commitment to these values that makes Cars Commerce a place where growth becomes not only possible, but downright unavoidable. But don't take our word for it. We are proud to be named one of Built In’s 2026 Best Places to Work in Chicago and across the U.S. Ready to make your mark? Join a team that’s driving real change in the automotive industry.

*The ideal candidate will live in the Chicagoland area. As a Senior Tax Manager, you will be responsible for contributing to the development and execution of our tax strategy. You will help lead and oversee all aspects of tax operations, special projects and initiatives. This includes managing ASC 740 provisions, estimation of cash taxes, federal, state, and foreign income, franchise, sales and use tax compliance and audits, and tax planning matters, as well as providing informal mentorship and support to the members of our tax team. You will be expected to proactively identify needs, risks, and opportunities to set priorities and optimize resources, mitigate exposures, solve complex tax issues, and drive automation and process improvement. You will operate independently and manage multiple competing priorities and deadlines. The Senior Tax Manager is a highly visible position with direct contact with Cars Commerce senior management. In this role, you will partner and collaborate with finance and other business leaders across our organization, and will have an opportunity to grow and progress within the tax department. This role reports to VP, Tax.

Your key responsibilities will include:

• Lead and oversee preparation of quarterly and annual ASC 740 provision calculations using OneSource Tax Provision, as well as, related SEC disclosures and internal reporting packages
• Manage U.S. and Canadian tax compliance process, including review and approval of all federal, state, franchise, sales and use, foreign tax returns and preparation of related workpapers, schedules and disclosures.
• Ensure workpapers and returns are accurate, appropriately documented and organized, timely filed and audit ready
• Review calculations of estimated payments and extensions to ensure they are complete, proper, and timely filed
• Oversee maintenance of U.S. and Canadian tax related balance sheet accounts, including payable and all deferred tax asset and liability accounts
• Manage multiple workstreams by identifying needs and priorities, defining deliverables, establishing and managing timelines and related workplans
• Work proactively with finance and other business teams to identify and resolve tax issues, including tax technical and ASC 740 guidance, and due diligence support for potential M&A transactions
• Partner with finance and other business teams to ensure accurate and timely submission of all tax-related information to and from our tax team
• Identify and assess process enhancement and standardization opportunities, plan, develop budgets and business cases for projects, and lead implementation
• Assess, develop, document, and ensure consistent adherence of tax operations, special projects, and initiatives to tax department and broader organization policies and guidelines
• Contribute to development and implementation of tax strategy
• Ensure SOX compliance and related internal and external audit requests are addressed appropriately and timely
• Manage tax notices, identify and escalation tax exposures, lead negotiations and resolve tax audits
• Monitor impact of changes in tax laws, regulations, and accounting standards and assess impact on tax and business operations, as well as, the organization’s tax reporting
• Resolve complex tax technical issues arising upon changes and growth in the business, identify tax related risks and planning opportunities, and present practical recommendations
• Steer negotiations with external advisors, vendors, and customers
• Establish strong relationships, demonstrate organizational and interpersonal skills to maintain and further propel our collaborative and open communication environment.
• Represent and lead on behalf of tax department in cross-functional projects and initiatives
• Provide informal mentorship and technical guidance to, and contribute to further development of our tax team members

This is what you will need to succeed in your role:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business or Economics required.
• CPA, IRS EA, or Master's degree in Taxation required
• 8+ years of experience with a Big 4 firm or a medium-to-large corporate tax department of a publicly traded company, in progressive responsibility roles, primarily dedicated to preparing and/or reviewing complex ASC 740 provisions
• Extensive knowledge of U.S. GAAP, solid technical proficiency and strong practical application of ASC 740
• Strong U.S. income, franchise, and sales and use taxes compliance experience
• Experience of solving a wide range of tax and tax accounting technical matters of high complexity, including in context of M&A transactions
• Experience with U.S. international, Canadian cross-border, and foreign taxation is preferred
• Experience in dealing with tax authorities and resolving tax audits effectively
• Demonstrated ability to plan and execute multiple projects, coordinate with finance and other teams across the organization and external advisors, and meet tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment
• Passion to challenge the status quo, drive change and efficiencies respectfully, and act as a catalyst to innovation within organization
• Demonstrated ability to identify and implement tax systems, tools, and process improvements and standardization
• Proficiency in OneSource Tax Provision is preferred
• Ability to work independently with attention to detail and pride in their deliverable
• Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills with ability to articulate thoughts clearly and interact with all stakeholders, both internal and external effectively
• Experience in managing relationships with external auditors and advisors
• Embody the highest standards of integrity, ethics, sense of ownership and accountability

#LI-EJ

In the spirit of pay transparency, we are excited to share the base salary range for this position. In addition to base salary, some roles are eligible for our bonus and/or equity programs, depending on level and role. Regular full-time positions are eligible for our comprehensive benefits package. If you are hired at Cars Commerce, your final base salary compensation will be determined based on factors such as skills and/or experience.

Salary Range $135,300.00-169,150.00

Our Comprehensive Benefits Package includes:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Healthcare Plans New Hire Stipend for Home Office Set-Up Generous PTO Paid Holidays, Floating Holiday, Volunteer Day, Recharge Day Learn more about our Benefits, Perks, & Culture on our LinkedIn Life Pages!

For US-based Positions: Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. Please note that we are unable to sponsor employment visas at this time.

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.

Welcome! At Cars Commerce, we think big, push boundaries, and rise together as a team. It’s all the challenge and energy of a job in the tech industry, backed by 25 years of proven resilience and growth as a leading consumer brand. Imagine getting to work on a team with a bold mission to simplify everything about buying and selling cars. A culture that’s a unique mix of innovation and collaboration. Exciting training and development opportunities that empower you to take ownership of your career. For our employees, every day is an opportunity. We’re a remote-first workplace that embraces diversity at every level. Inspired by our values, we intentionally create opportunities for our employees to grow and make an impact in our industry and local communities. Let’s move your career forward together.

Cars Commerce is an audience-driven technology company empowering automotive that simplifies everything about buying and selling cars. The Cars Commerce platform includes the flagship automotive marketplace and dealer reputation site Cars.com, innovative digital marketing technology and services from Dealer Inspire, industry-leading trade-in and appraisal technology from AccuTrade, an exclusive in-market media network, and powerful and predictive AI technologies that enable more efficient and profitable retail operations. Cars Commerce is the essential partner to stay one step ahead in automotive.