Tax Manager - Individual & Business Tax, Generalist

Who We Are

About Sweeney Conrad

At Sweeney Conrad, our foundation of “people first” begins with our employees—because we know the success of our firm stems from the relationships within it. We consider our employees family and foster a positive work culture, encouraging a healthy balance between work and life; building a career over having a job; continuing education and skill development; and being actively involved in the Puget Sound community where we live, work, and play.

We’re proud of our employees and our culture and have been recognized by Accounting Today as one of the “Best Accounting Firms to Work For” and by Puget Sound Business Journal as one of “Washington’s Best Workplaces”. For more information, visit www.sweeneyconrad.com.

About Ascend

Backed by private equity from people-focused Alpine Investors, Ascend is building a dynamic platform for regional accounting firms that enables them to stay independent while accessing the resources of a Top 25 firm to help them grow. Ascend provides access to growth capital, robust talent acquisition and training, leading quality management resources, best-of-breed technology, AI tools, an offshore captive, shared back-office services, a catalytic leadership system, and modernized equity incentives so that firms can surmount today’s industry challenges to reach their full potential. For more information, visit www.ascendtogether.com.

Tax Manager

A Tax Manager leads federal and state tax compliance and advisory services with a primary focus on individuals, including high-net-worth clients and business owners. This role emphasizes complex individual tax returns and year-round planning while. The Tax Manager serves as a trusted advisor, helping clients understand how their income, investments, and business interests affect their overall tax position.

The Tax Manager oversees the preparation, review, and delivery of individual tax returns and related planning engagements, while also managing business and entity tax engagements as part of a broader client portfolio. The role includes supervising and developing staff and senior associates, managing engagement timelines and budgets, and coordinating individual and entity tax matters with CAAS, Audit, and Advisory teams. Strong technical judgment, client communication, and project management skills are essential. This position reports to the Tax Partner and is based in Kirkland, Washington, with a hybrid work schedule.

Specific Duties Will Include

• Manage a portfolio weighted toward individual federal and state tax compliance and planning, while also overseeing business and entity tax engagements from planning through completion
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with individuals, high-net-worth clients, and business owners, serving as a trusted advisor and primary point of contact
• Review complex individual income tax returns and related workpapers, with attention to investment income, capital gains and losses, rental activities, pass-through income, and applicable federal and state reporting
• Review S corporation, partnership, C corporation, and trust tax returns and coordinate related owner and beneficiary reporting, including income, basis, and distributions
• Manage multiple engagements simultaneously, ensuring projects are completed accurately, on time, and within budget
• Provide proactive individual tax planning, including income and deduction timing, estimated tax payments, withholding, and the tax implications of investment, retirement, and business decisions
• Contribute to business development efforts by identifying opportunities within existing client relationships and supporting prospective client initiatives
• Stay current on changes in tax laws, regulations, and industry trends to ensure compliance and deliver proactive guidance
• Supervise, train, and mentor staff and senior associates
• Assign work, establish timelines, monitor budgets, and manage engagement workflow
• Serve as a primary point of contact for clients and maintain strong client relationships
• Perform other duties as assigned by the department managers

The successful candidate will have

• Minimum bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Taxation
• Active CPA license or Enrolled Agent (EA) credential
• 5 to 10 years of public accounting tax experience, with substantial experience managing and reviewing complex individual tax engagements and demonstrated experience with business and entity tax returns
• Strong technical expertise in individual taxation and Form 1040 review, together with proficiency reviewing Forms 1120-S, 1065, 1120, and 1041 and related federal and state filings
• Experience serving high-net-worth individuals and business owners, including clients with complex investment portfolios, rental activities, and pass-through interests
• Demonstrated ability to review tax returns and workpapers critically, identify planning opportunities, and communicate individual tax considerations clearly
• Working knowledge of corporate, partnership, and trust taxation and the ability to connect entity-level activity with individual owner and beneficiary tax reporting
• Demonstrated experience in managing multiple tasks and in organizing and prioritizing work assignments and ongoing duties  
• Ability to communicate effectively and timely in writing and verbally with colleagues, clients, and other external partners 
• Ability to work effectively in a diverse team environment 

While not required, the following skills would be considered an asset

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and CCH products
• Experience with trusts and estates, real estate activities, or complex investment and pass-through reporting
• Master’s degree in Taxation or Accounting