Senior Tax Manager in Birmingham, Michigan at Fenner Melstrom & Dooling PLC

Fenner Melstrom and Dooling, PLC (FMD) is seeking a highly technical Senior Tax Manager who is ready to step into a leadership role with an opportunity to advance to partnership. This is an exceptional opportunity for a seasoned tax professional who enjoys complex tax advisory work, high-level client relationships, mentoring staff, and contributing meaningfully to the future growth of the firm.

The ideal candidate is a licensed CPA with deep public accounting experience, strong technical tax research and review skills, and the executive presence to advise closely held businesses, entrepreneurial clients, and high-net-worth individuals. This person should enjoy being actively engaged with partners, team members, and clients in a collaborative, in-office environment, while still benefiting from the firm's flexible work environment.

This role is designed for someone who wants more than a traditional senior manager position. The right candidate will be viewed as a part of the management team and will be expected to help shape client strategy, mentor the next generation of professionals, support technical development across the tax team, and contribute to firm growth.

FMD provides strategic direction, tax, and financial reporting service solutions to guide client growth for closely held businesses and high-net-worth individuals. For more than 70 years, FMD has been known for embracing each client's business as our own by investing in the best resources to bring optimal results. Our experience demonstrates unmatched service and industry-leading client retention.

FMD's core purpose is high-level client service to perpetuate growth through collaboration. Our core values reflect how we manage our work, our relationships, and ourselves. As an employee of the firm, you will live true to our core values of Strategic, Experienced, and Connected.

The Senior Tax Manager is responsible for the primary management of client relationships by formulating and implementing tax advice and keeping individuals and businesses compliant with various tax regulations. This person will ensure project deadlines are met for their clients and will assist the Director of Taxation and Firm Partners with client matters.

As a proactive business advisor, this individual will identify and implement tax planning and consulting opportunities for FMD's client base and staff. Working in a highly interactive team environment, this leader will participate in tax planning and consultation, deliver an outstanding client experience, support staff training, and perform high-level final tax return review.

This individual will serve as a technical tax resource for the firm, including complex tax research, high-level final review, tax planning strategy, development of internal tax training along with creating successful resolutions and implementation of the tax law for our clients.

For the right person, this position is intended to develop into a partner-level leadership role within the firm. The successful candidate will demonstrate the technical credibility, client relationship skills, leadership presence, and firm-first mindset needed to become a long-term leader at FMD.

The individual who thrives in this role will exhibit collaboration, critical thinking, emotional intelligence, executive presence, a growth mindset, and a commitment to mentorship. As well as a desire and curiosity to understand the technical aspects of tax law and be able to communicate them to clients and staff in an understandable manner.

FMD supports flexibility, but this leadership role is best suited for someone who values regular in-office collaboration, client interaction, mentoring, and active involvement with the partner group. We are seeking a candidate who wants to be present, accessible, and deeply integrated into the day-to-day leadership and growth of the firm.

• Lead and manage multiple tax engagements for closely held businesses, entrepreneurial clients, and high-net-worth individuals.
• Perform high-level final review of business client tax returns and high-income/high-net-worth individual tax returns.
• Research and draft memoranda involving complex tax matters.
• Identify, develop, and implement tax planning opportunities for new and existing clients.
• Serve as a trusted business advisor to clients and provide recommendations on tax strategy and business process improvement.
• Communicate directly with clients, partners, and team members to move client matters forward efficiently and effectively.
• Manage client expectations and assist clients with tax and other related questions.
• Continuously monitor tax updates and identify technical issues that may affect clients.
• Support the Director of Taxation with internal staff training initiatives.
• Develop firm-wide training for tax personnel and actively share knowledge as part of internal staff development programs.
• Identify opportunities to grow and cross-sell within the current client base.
• Manage, train, and mentor staff on tax-related issues and engagements.
• Coordinate with other team members to ensure clients are consistently receiving the firm's best work.
• Demonstrate excellent verbal and non-verbal communication skills and confidence in the delivery of tax returns and other client matters.
• Maintain the highest ethical standards and confidentiality at all times.

• Licensed CPA.
• Bachelor's degree in accounting, tax, or a related field.
• Approximately 10+ years of public accounting and business tax preparation experience is ideal.
• Strong technical tax background, including tax research, planning, review, and advisory work.
• Experience serving closely held businesses, entrepreneurial clients, and high-net-worth individuals.
• Ability to see the big picture and provide strategic guidance to clients.
• Self-starter and problem solver with a can-do attitude and a desire to keep improving.
• Ability to meet deadlines and prioritize existing projects based on client needs.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to perform multiple tasks efficiently and accurately.
• Excellent communication skills and the executive presence to build relationships with clients, partners, and team members.
• A desire to work in a collaborative, in-office environment and be actively involved in firm leadership, mentoring, and growth.

• An opportunity to advance toward a partner-level leadership role for the right candidate.
• Immediate visibility and direct involvement with firm partners and the future growth of the firm.
• Flexible work schedules, with an emphasis on regular in-office collaboration for this leadership role.
• Training and continuous improvement programs.