Tax Manager

Employer Flexible; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Employer Flexible is seeking a Tax Manager in Houston to lead the payroll tax function and drive compliance across federal, state, and local levels. You will steward tax governance, reporting, registrations, and audits while partnering with Finance, Payroll, HR, Technology, and Compliance to optimize processes.

You will manage a high-performing team, focus on accuracy and risk mitigation, and guide continuous improvement in tax operations to support business growth and regulatory readiness.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting/finance or related field required.
• 5+ years in payroll tax, corporate tax, or multi-jurisdictional tax compliance.
• Experience leading high-performing teams and managing tax audits.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for payroll tax compliance activities across federal, state, and local levels.
• Oversee tax registrations, unemployment tax administration, and regulatory reporting.
• Lead year-end tax reporting (W-2s, 1099s) and respond to regulatory inquiries.
• Build and coach a high-performing tax team and drive succession planning.
• Partner with Finance, HR, Operations, and Tech to improve processes and controls.
• Maintain robust internal controls and support external audits.

Skills

Payroll tax

Tax compliance

Leadership

Audits

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field

Tools

Excel

Financial systems

Payroll tax software

Job description

Reports To:

Director, Financial Operations

Direct Reports:

Tax Analysts, Senior Tax Analysts, and other tax personnel as assigned.

Position Summary

The Tax Manager provides leadership for the organization's payroll tax compliance function, ensuring full compliance with federal, state, and local tax regulations while driving operational excellence across the tax lifecycle. This role is responsible for the governance, execution, and continuous improvement of tax compliance programs, including tax reporting, registrations, audits, regulatory filings, and agency relations.

The Tax Manager collaborates across Finance, Payroll, Human Resources, Technology, Compliance, and Operations to develop scalable processes, strengthen internal controls, mitigate organizational risk, and support business growth. This leader fosters a high-performing team focused on accuracy, accountability, continuous improvement, and exceptional service.

Key Responsibilities

Tax Compliance & Governance

• Provide leadership and oversight of all federal, state, and local payroll tax compliance activities, ensuring accurate and timely filings, payments, deposits, and regulatory reporting.
• Establish and maintain a comprehensive compliance framework that minimizes organizational risk and ensures adherence to evolving tax laws and regulations.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory changes, assess business impact, and implement operational and system changes to maintain compliance.
• Direct tax account registrations, jurisdictional account maintenance, unemployment tax (SUI) administration, agency correspondence, and regulatory documentation.
• Oversee year-end tax reporting, including W-2, W-2C, 1099, and other required information returns.
• Research and interpret tax regulations and provide guidance on payroll tax implications and compliance requirements.

Leadership & Organizational Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of Tax Analysts and Senior Tax Analysts.
• Establish clear performance expectations, promote professional development, and build organizational capability through coaching and succession planning.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Optimize team resources and priorities to ensure consistent execution of critical compliance deadlines.

Risk Management, Audit & Controls

• Serve as the primary organizational lead for payroll tax audits, agency examinations, notices, and regulatory inquiries.
• Ensure robust documentation, audit readiness, and effective internal controls supporting all tax compliance activities.
• Identify compliance risks, recommend mitigation strategies, and implement corrective actions to strengthen operational controls.
• Oversee reconciliation, analysis, and resolution of complex payroll tax discrepancies, ensuring financial accuracy and regulatory compliance.
• Partner with internal and external auditors to support organizational governance and compliance initiatives.

Operational Excellence & Process Improvement

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives that increase efficiency, strengthen controls, and reduce manual processes through automation and standardization.
• Develop, maintain, and enhance standard operating procedures, policies, and documentation supporting tax operations.
• Evaluate existing systems and business processes to identify opportunities for optimization and improved data integrity.
• Partner with Technology, Payroll, and Finance leadership to implement system enhancements, improve integrations, and support enterprise initiatives impacting tax operations.

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Serve as the organization’s subject matter expert on payroll tax matters, providing strategic consultation to Finance, Payroll, Human Resources, Operations, and executive leadership.
• Partner with Accounting and Treasury to ensure accurate financial reporting, reconciliations, and tax accounting activities.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with regulatory agencies and external partners.
• Lead cross-functional initiatives that enhance compliance, improve operational effectiveness, and support organizational growth.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• Five (5) or more years of progressive experience in payroll tax, corporate tax, or multi-jurisdictional tax compliance.
• Five (5) or more years of leadership experience managing high-performing teams.
• Demonstrated expertise in federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations.
• Proven experience managing tax audits, registrations, regulatory reporting, and agency relationships.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Excel, financial systems, and payroll tax technologies.
• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.

Preferred

• Experience within a private equity-backed organization.
• Experience in a Professional Employer Organization (PEO), payroll services, or other complex multi-state payroll environments.
• Experience with Great Plains, Master Tax, and enterprise payroll tax applications.
• Knowledge of business intelligence, reporting tools, automation technologies, and data analytics.

Success Measures

• Consistent achievement of 100% on-time payroll tax filing and payment compliance.
• Accurate tax reporting with minimal audit findings, penalties, or regulatory exceptions.
• Strengthened internal controls and measurable reductions in compliance risk.
• Increased operational efficiency through automation, process optimization, and standardization.
• High levels of employee engagement, team development, and talent retention.
• Strong partnerships with internal stakeholders and regulatory agencies, resulting in effective issue resolution and sustained compliance.