Tax Manager

TalentWell; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

TalentWell seeks an experienced Tax Manager to lead payroll tax compliance and governance, partnering with Finance, Payroll, HR, and Compliance to drive scalable processes and strong internal controls.

The role oversees audits, registrations, and regulatory filings, while guiding a high-performing team toward accuracy, accountability, and continuous improvement in a hybrid Northwest Houston, Texas setting.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• 5+ years of progressive payroll tax, corporate tax, or multi-jurisdictional tax compliance.
• 5+ years of leadership experience managing high-performing teams.
• Expertise in federal, state, and local payroll tax regulations.
• Experience managing tax audits, registrations, regulatory reporting, and agency relationships.
• Advanced proficiency with Excel and payroll tax technologies.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for federal, state, and local payroll tax compliance activities with accurate filings.
• Establish and maintain a comprehensive payroll tax compliance framework.
• Monitor regulatory changes and implement system updates to maintain compliance.
• Lead a team of Tax Analysts and Senior Tax Analysts; mentor and develop staff.
• Act as the primary lead for payroll tax audits, notices, and regulatory inquiries.
• Oversee reconciliation, analysis, and resolution of payroll tax discrepancies.

Skills

Leadership

Analytical skills

Communication

Problem solving

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related discipline

Tools

Excel

Great Plains

MasterTax

Job description

Client is seeking an experienced Tax Manager to provide leadership and oversight for the organization’s payroll tax compliance function. This role ensures compliance with federal, state, and local tax regulations while driving operational excellence across the tax lifecycle.

The Tax Manager will oversee the governance, execution, and continuous improvement of tax compliance programs, including tax reporting, registrations, audits, regulatory filings, and agency relationships.

This position partners closely with Finance, Payroll, Human Resources, Technology, Compliance, and Operations to develop scalable processes, strengthen internal controls, mitigate organizational risk, and support business growth.

The successful candidate will lead a high-performing team focused on accuracy, accountability, continuous improvement, and exceptional service.

Key Responsibilities

Tax Compliance & Governance

• Provide leadership and oversight of 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, state unemployment insurance (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 regarding 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.
• 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.
• 5+ years of progressive experience in payroll tax, corporate tax, or multi-jurisdictional tax compliance.
• 5+ 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 environment.
• Experience with Great Plains, MasterTax, and enterprise payroll tax applications.
• Knowledge of business intelligence, reporting tools, automation technologies, and data analytics.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role will be demonstrated through:

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

Reporting Structure

Reports To: Director, Financial Operations

Direct Reports: Tax Analysts, Senior Tax Analysts, and other tax personnel as assigned.

Work Location

This is a hybrid position based in Northwest Houston, Texas, combining in-office collaboration with the flexibility of remote work.