Tax Director, Transaction Advisory Services (M&A Tax)

Job Summary:

Within the Special Projects Group in TAS tax, the Tax Director, Transaction Advisory Services (TAS Tax) is responsible for advising clients on U.S. federal income tax issues associated with mergers and acquisitions. The Tax Director in this role will be the primary client contact for technical tax work, including structuring and restructuring, Section 382 analyses, consolidated return subsidiary share basis and earnings and profits analyses, Section 1202 analyses, and transaction cost studies. This role will review work prepared by Associate, Senior Associate, and Manager professionals in the Transaction Advisory Services (TAS Tax) Group, and work with Managing Directors and Principals on client optimization strategies. In addition, the Tax Director will be involved in the marketing, networking, and business development within an area of expertise and specialization and may be asked to provide written tax advice to clients.

Job Duties:

Tax Specialization

• Understands the technical and practical issues and opportunities regarding the taxation of corporate mergers, acquisitions, and restructurings involving corporate entities, including (but not limited to):
  • Form and ramifications of various taxable asset and stock transactions
  • Purchase price allocation rules
  • Section 338(h)(10), Section 338(g), and Section 336(e) elections
  • Application of Section 1202 to stock dispositions
  • Net operating loss and credit limitation rules (e.g., SRLY, Sections 382, 383, and 384)
  • Consolidated return regulations related to basis and E&P adjustments 
  • Tax considerations for subsidiaries joining or leaving a consolidated group, such as the circular basis adjustment rules, the unified loss rule, NOL allocation rules, excess loss accounts, deferred intercompany transactions, triggering events, excess loss accounts, etc.
  • Nonrecognition transactions and general requirements
  • Transaction costs and rules related to deductibility and capitalization
• Serves as a primary technical resource for the technical practice areas described above for the Firm and its clients, including with respect to the broader tax practice

Tax Consulting

• Reviews calculations of anticipated tax ramifications of an asset deal relative to a stock deal
• Reads and comments on stock purchase agreements and asset purchase agreements
• Reviews and analyzes purchase price allocations
• Conducts and reviews transaction costs analyses
• Reviews Section 1202 structuring analyses, understands and strategically applies Section 1202 requirements to client facts
• Provides tax consulting services to the broader tax practice on tax issues and opportunities with respect to corporate mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, and tax attributes 
• Reviews Section 382 studies
• Prepares and reviews step plans for legal entity rationalization/restructuring transactions, including pre-transaction restructurings, post-deal integration entity alignments, and other reorganizations
• Drafts and reviews opinions, memoranda, and conducts tax technical research and analysis
• Reviews stock basis and E&P analyses for consolidated groups 
• Reviews inside and outside basis analyses for S corporations
• Reviews inside and outside basis analyses for C corporations
• Frames projects and issues for effective delegation to senior associates and associates
• Prepares and reviews structure decks for taxable and nonrecognition transactions between unrelated third parties

Research

• Identifies when research is needed; clearly and concisely frames issues to be researched; and clearly and concisely reports the analysis
• Applies most Firm and professional standards for preparation of WTA and tax returns 
• Involves additional firm specialists, as appropriate

Strategy Development

• Introduces and develops new or improved ideas for clients, the Firm, or Firm personnel, e.g., by reducing taxes or expenses or providing non-tax benefits
• Reviews studies of tax implications and offers clients alternative courses of action
• Identifies and leverages lessons learned on prior projects, and offers input on how to improve processes and methods

Other duties as required

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Supervises associates, senior associates, managers, and/or senior managers on all projects
• Reviews work prepared by associates, senior associates, managers, and/or senior managers and provides review comments
• Trains associates, senior associates, managers, and senior managers on how to use all current software tools and to improve tax technical skills
• Acts as a Career Advisor to associates, senior associates, managers, and senior managers
• Schedules and manages workload of associates, senior associates, managers, and senior managers
• Provides verbal and written performance feedback to associates, senior associates, managers, and senior managers

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree required; major in Accounting, Finance, Economics, or Statistics, preferred
• Juris Doctor (JD or Master of Laws (LLM) with a focus on tax, preferred  
• Master’s degree in Accounting or Tax, preferred

Experience:

•  Nine (9) or more years of prior relevant tax experience and/or public accounting, private industry accounting, or legal experience in three or more of the areas listed below, required:
  • Knowledge of Section 382, and experience in preparing, reviewing, and auditing Section 382 studies
  • Knowledge of the consolidated return regulations, specifically experience in preparing, reviewing, and auditing consolidated subsidiary share basis and earnings and profits analyses
  • Knowledge of Section 1202 and experience preparing and reviewing Section 1202 analyses
  • Experience in preparing, reviewing, and auditing deliverables related to transaction structuring, legal entity rationalization, and post-transaction structural integration
  • Experience in preparing, reviewing, and auditing transaction cost analyses
  • Experience in drafting technical tax memorandums and opinions to support client positions

License/Certifications:

• CPA certification, Attorney (admitted to practice in a U.S. jurisdiction), Internal Revenue Service Enrolled Agent (“EA”), or the equivalent of one of these designations, required
• Possession of other professional degrees or certifications applicable to the role, preferred

Software:

• Proficient with the Microsoft Office Suite, preferred
• Experience with tax research databases, including Checkpoint, Bloomberg, and CCH Intelliconnect, preferred

Language:

• N/A

Other Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities:

• Superior verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to effectively delegate work as needed
• Strong analytical, research and critical thinking skills as well as decision-making skills
• Ability to work well in a team environment
• Ability to develop team of tax professionals
• Ability to compose written tax advice
• Ability to effectively develop and maintain client relationships
• Executive presence and ability to act as primary client contact for preparation and presentation of issues and resolutions to client
• Demonstrates a high level of integrity
• Ability to adapt quickly in uncertain or unstructured situations
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to give and receive criticism and feedback constructively
• Ability to simplify complex issues for client and non-tax professional understanding
• Ability to utilize and improve digital tools to reduce hours and optimize engagement efficiency
• Intellectually curious, motivated to deliver work of the highest quality, and driven to expand knowledge of tax technical matters, BDO’s business, its clients, and the team
• Ability to lead by example, demonstrating to less experienced professionals the importance of continual personal and professional growth

Individual salaries that are offered to a candidate are determined after consideration of numerous factors including but not limited to the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and geography.

California Range:  $220,000 - $350,000