Estate & Trust Tax Manager
Jackson Thornton
Salary undisclosed
Need a reasonable accommodation to apply or interview? Contact us.
JobMinglr uses automated technology to recommend jobs based on profile information and job preferences. Match Score does not determine eligibility for a position, prevent a user from viewing or applying to a job, or make hiring decisions on behalf of an employer.
Description
Find Your Home with Jackson Thornton!
Jackson Thornton, an accounting and consulting firm, was established in Montgomery, Alabama, on March 3, 1919. From our beginning, the firm has operated with personal integrity and professional excellence while evolving and expanding to provide more of what businesses need- whether strategic planning, business consulting, technology consulting or specialized industry services. Jackson Thornton has grown to serve clients in six locations throughout Alabama with a team of more than 200 professionals and is looking to welcome more driven, client-focused individuals to the firm.
As of May 2026, Jackson Thornton has joined the Ascend network.
About the Role
We are seeking a Tax Manager with public accounting experience to join our team. Tax Managers own assigned engagements from planning through Principal review, often serving as the client service contact, and provide detailed review of complex tax returns, tax authority notices, and research engagements. You will apply professional judgment to work supported by automation and AI-enabled tools, surface planning and advisory opportunities throughout the year, and participate in billing your engagements.
You will also develop, train, and motivate team members — including those working remotely or on shared-service teams — and may serve as a Career Advisor. This role fits someone who wants to own client relationships end to end, build a specialized area of tax expertise, and work with a collaborative team that invests in your growth and community involvement.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage assigned engagements from planning through Principal review.
- Review complex individual, corporate, partnership, trust, and estate returns, tax authority notices, and research engagements.
- Serve as the primary client contact and business advisor for assigned clients.
- Identify tax planning and advisory opportunities throughout the year, not just at deadlines.
- Delegate with engagement economics and team development in mind, including work prepared by shared-service or outsourced teams.
- Develop and coach team members across in-person, hybrid, and remote settings; provide timely feedback and evaluation input.
- Monitor engagement progress, staffing, out-of-scope work, and billing input.
- Use AI-enabled research and review tools appropriately, retaining ownership of every conclusion delivered to clients.
- Represent clients at audits, document tax advice, and monitor team adherence to quality assurance and ethical standards.
- Support business development through referral sources, networking, proposals, and expanded services.
Qualifications
- B.A./B.S. degree in Accounting or a related field.
- CPA license required; EA or JD/LL.M. also considered.
- Five or more years of public accounting experience with a focus on tax.
- Estate and trust return experience preferred.
- Strong federal and state tax compliance knowledge, with experience reviewing complex returns.
- Working knowledge of tax research, preparation, and AI-enabled review tools.
- Proven ability to manage multiple complex engagements while developing team members.
- Strong project management, communication, and interpersonal skills, including with remote teams.
Jackson Thornton offers a comprehensive, competitive benefit package to all of our professionals, which includes health, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, long term and short term disability plans, medical and dependent care flexible spending accounts, paid time off plan, and a 401(k) plan with a match.
How to Apply
Submit your information in the application section directly below! This will include:
- Basic contact information
- Resume/CV and optional cover letter upload
- Work eligibility and compensation
- Voluntary demographic & self-ID questions
For further questions or inquiries about the role, please reach out to Olivia Riley, Sr. Recruiter at olivia.riley@ascendtogether.com.
At Ascend, we provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic. Ascend hires and promotes individuals solely based on qualifications for the position to be filled and business needs.
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.
Benefits
- vision insurance
- 401(k)
- paid time off
- stock options
- life insurance
About this role
Jackson Thornton's Birmingham office is looking for a Tax Manager to lead estate and trust engagements from inception through completion, serving as the primary advisor to clients while managing a team across in-person and remote settings. You'll handle complex individual, corporate, partnership, trust, and estate returns alongside tax authority notices and research projects, using AI-enabled tools to support your work while maintaining full ownership of client deliverables. The role combines technical tax expertise with business development and people leadership—identifying planning opportunities year-round, delegating strategically, and coaching team members toward growth.
This position suits someone with at least five years of public accounting tax experience, a CPA license, and a track record managing complex engagements. Estate and trust background is preferred, along with strong federal and state tax compliance knowledge and familiarity with tax research and review tools. You'll need solid project management and communication skills, especially for coordinating across hybrid and remote teams, and the ability to balance client service, team development, and engagement economics.
Jackson Thornton, a 105-year-old Alabama firm with over 200 professionals across six locations, recently joined the Ascend network, which provides access to capital, technology, shared services, and offshore support. The firm offers standard benefits including health coverage, paid time off, a 401(k) match, and flexible spending accounts. The hybrid arrangement in Birmingham allows you to build deep client relationships while maintaining flexibility in how you work.
This role's local market on JobMinglr
Pay for this role
The employer didn't post a pay range for this role. That usually means pay is set in negotiation, which favors whoever arrives with numbers. Check ranges on comparable Estate & Trust Tax Manager postings in Birmingham, and analyze any offer before you accept it.
Before you apply, worth reading
How JobMinglr reads this job
Every listing here is scored against your profile before you apply: skills overlap, experience level, location and work arrangement, each weighted and explained. You see the score and the reasons, not just a list. How the matching works.