What does a Tax Manager do?

A Tax Manager is responsible for managing tax reporting and compliance within an organization. They provide innovative tax planning and prepare state and federal tax returns for companies.
Tax manager responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real tax manager resumes:
- Test and learned to analyze accounting processes managing SOX testing including accumulating documentation and reviewing other testers work.
- Perform tax provision review to ensure compliance with ASC 740 and ASC 740-10 for public trade companies and private companies.
- Pull data and work with Hyperion.
- Used Lexis Nexis, RIA, and CCH to research multiple tax projects.
- Prepare and review ASC 740 tax balances for the company s fifteen largest foreign subsidiaries.
- Calculate, prepare and submit quarterly estimate payments without need for review from third party CPA.
- Demonstrate proficiency in using tax technology software: OneSource (OIT, OTP and OSA).
- Comply with GAAP and Sarbanes-Oxley accounting practices, as well as, local, state, and federal laws.
- Perform audit and tax engagements for a local CPA firm in a variety of industries, including public utilities and municipalities.
- Prepare valuation analysis for appeals.
- Assist with OneSource automation and process improvements.
- Negotiate and appeal personal property assessments/adjust tax rates for accruals.
- Coordinated/Facilitate IRS examinations, appeals process and closing agreements for clients.
- Analyze and reconcile budgeted property tax accruals to actual payments annually.
- Provide management consulting services for GAAP and non-GAAP reporting and tax process optimization and improvement.
Tax manager skills and personality traits
We calculated that 16% of Tax Managers are proficient in CPA, Client Relationships, and Tax Planning. They’re also known for soft skills such as Communication skills, Math skills, and Analytical skills.
We break down the percentage of Tax Managers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- CPA, 16%
Served as point person for conversion of corporate income tax returns from Big Four CPA firm to in house preparation.
- Client Relationships, 7%
Developed and maintained client relationships with quality and timely service and communication.
- Tax Planning, 6%
Perform tax research and monitor domestic tax law and regulatory developments to minimize tax expense and identify tax planning opportunities.
- Tax Compliance, 5%
Provide tax compliance and advisory services to Nonprofit Organizations, Private Foundations, Pension Trust/Benefit Plans and other charitable organizations.
- Taxation, 4%
Prepared corporate and individual tax returns and provided international taxation advice to managers and other key decision makers.
- Tax Research, 4%
Perform tax research and analysis and prepare tax opinions communicating findings and recommendations on complex corporate and individual tax issues.
"cpa," "client relationships," and "tax planning" are among the most common skills that tax managers use at work. You can find even more tax manager responsibilities below, including:
Communication skills. The most essential soft skill for a tax manager to carry out their responsibilities is communication skills. This skill is important for the role because "financial managers must be able to explain and justify complex financial transactions." Additionally, a tax manager resume shows how their duties depend on communication skills: "streamlined communication and facilitated collaboration between finance, accounting, and treasury departments to ensure timely and accurate filings. "
Math skills. Many tax manager duties rely on math skills. "financial managers need strong skills in certain branches of mathematics, including algebra," so a tax manager will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways tax manager responsibilities rely on math skills: "performed quantitative analyses on multi-million-dollar state and local tax audit assessments, and substantiated the filing positions. "
Analytical skills. Another skill that relates to the job responsibilities of tax managers is analytical skills. This skill is critical to many everyday tax manager duties, as "to assist executives in making decisions, financial managers need to evaluate data and information that affects their organization." This example from a resume shows how this skill is used: "performed subpart f analysis and 956 analysis. "
Detail oriented. For certain tax manager responsibilities to be completed, the job requires competence in "detail oriented." The day-to-day duties of a tax manager rely on this skill, as "in preparing and analyzing reports, such as balance sheets and income statements, financial managers must be precise and attentive to their work in order to avoid errors." For example, this snippet was taken directly from a resume about how this skill applies to what tax managers do: "assisted in detailed due diligence for mergers and acquisitions. "
Organizational skills. A commonly-found skill in tax manager job descriptions, "organizational skills" is essential to what tax managers do. Tax manager responsibilities rely on this skill because "because financial managers deal with a range of information and documents, they must have structures in place to be effective in their work." You can also see how tax manager duties rely on organizational skills in this resume example: "assisted in the organizational restructuring project which produced future annual tax savings of $3mm. "
The three companies that hire the most tax managers are:
- DDeloitte2,353 tax managers jobs
- PPwc664 tax managers jobs
- EErnst & Young397 tax managers jobs
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Tax manager vs. Manager finance planning and analysis
A manager finance planning and analysis oversees the daily operations of a company's financial planning department. They typically have administrative duties such as setting goals and guidelines, establishing timelines and budgets, delegating tasks among teams and staff, and reviewing financial reports regularly. They also perform research and assessments, gather and analyze financial data from different departments, coordinate staff, and solve issues and concerns when any arise. Additionally, as a manager, they must lead and empower staff to reach goals while implementing company policies and regulations.
These skill sets are where the common ground ends though. The responsibilities of a tax manager are more likely to require skills like "cpa," "client relationships," "tax planning," and "tax compliance." On the other hand, a job as a manager finance planning and analysis requires skills like "financial performance," "financial analysis," "customer service," and "financial models." As you can see, what employees do in each career varies considerably.
Managers finance planning and analysis really shine in the manufacturing industry with an average salary of $109,735. Comparatively, tax managers tend to make the most money in the finance industry with an average salary of $96,231.managers finance planning and analysis tend to reach similar levels of education than tax managers. In fact, managers finance planning and analysis are 1.4% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 2.7% less likely to have a Doctoral Degree.Tax manager vs. Credit and collection manager
A credit and collection manager is responsible for evaluating credit services and supervising the credit and collection team in reaching out to clients with outstanding debts and credit applications. Credit and collection managers oversee the cash flow systems and identify opportunities to minimize excessive loss and resolve credit disputes. They also determine a customer's eligibility for credit options by analyzing documents and financial status. A credit collection manager must have excellent communication and analytical skills to process receivables and perform credit reconciliations accurately and efficiently.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, tax manager responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "cpa," "client relationships," "tax planning," and "tax compliance." Meanwhile, a credit and collection manager has duties that require skills in areas such as "credit limits," "customer service," "dso," and "customer accounts." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
Credit and collection managers earn a lower average salary than tax managers. But credit and collection managers earn the highest pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $77,448. Additionally, tax managers earn the highest salaries in the finance with average pay of $96,231 annually.In general, credit and collection managers achieve lower levels of education than tax managers. They're 14.3% less likely to obtain a Master's Degree while being 2.7% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Tax manager vs. Administrative & finance manager
An administrative and finance manager handles a company's expenditures, requests, invoices, and other financial documentation. Their primary duty is to oversee a finance team's daily work. Additionally, they must coordinate financial staff, ensure that orders from management are carried out, complete the company's financial statements, and provide tax data for the legal department.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a tax manager is likely to be skilled in "client relationships," "tax planning," "tax compliance," and "tax research," while a typical administrative & finance manager is skilled in "payroll processing," "human resources," "oversight," and "administrative procedures."
Administrative & finance managers earn the highest salary when working in the insurance industry, where they receive an average salary of $92,645. Comparatively, tax managers have the highest earning potential in the finance industry, with an average salary of $96,231.When it comes to education, administrative & finance managers tend to earn similar degree levels compared to tax managers. In fact, they're 2.1% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 2.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Tax manager vs. Finance and insurance manager
A finance and insurance manager is an individual who is responsible for selling new and used car buyers with financing and insurance programs. Finance and insurance managers are required to provide a thorough explanation of aftermarket products and extended warranties to customers as well as a complete explanation of manufacturer and dealership service procedures and policies. They must seek new lending institutions and maintain a good relationship with them to secure competitive interest rates and financing programs. Finance and insurance managers should also train the sales team and provide information on finance and lease programs.
Even though a few skill sets overlap between tax managers and finance and insurance managers, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a tax manager might have more use for skills like "cpa," "client relationships," "tax planning," and "tax compliance." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of finance and insurance managers require skills like "customer service," "insurance products," "customer satisfaction," and "dmv. "
Finance and insurance managers enjoy the best pay in the manufacturing industry, with an average salary of $90,551. For comparison, tax managers earn the highest salary in the finance industry.The average resume of finance and insurance managers showed that they earn lower levels of education compared to tax managers. So much so that theyacirc;euro;trade;re 17.2% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree by 2.5%.Types of tax manager
Updated January 8, 2025