Senior Associate/Manager, Compensation and Benefits (Transaction Tax)

$130,000 - $176,800/Yr

Alvarez & Marsal - Houston, TX

Full-time - Mid Level

Houston, TX

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

The Senior Associate/Manager in Compensation and Benefits (Transaction Tax) at Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) plays a crucial role in providing expert tax advice to corporate and private equity buyers throughout the transaction lifecycle. The Compensation and Benefits (CAB) Tax team is composed of seasoned professionals who utilize an integrated approach, collaborating with A&M experts in operations and finance to identify potential deal breakers, value drivers, and other areas of interest for clients. The CAB transaction tax services encompass a range of activities, including performing tax due diligence, structuring transactions in a tax-efficient manner, and evaluating significant tax attributes, credits, and incentives. In this position, you will be responsible for developing and delivering quality tax planning approaches, ensuring that services and work products meet or exceed client expectations. This includes conducting compensation and benefits due diligence, reviewing various agreements and plans, and assessing compliance with IRS and DOL requirements. You will also review payroll tax treatment and withholding policies, ensuring accurate reporting and compliance. The role requires taking ownership of assigned workstreams, coordinating with various tax team members, and managing client relationships effectively. A&M prides itself on being a non-traditional tax firm, characterized by entrepreneurial and results-oriented professionals who take a hands-on approach to problem-solving. The CAB Transaction Tax team has extensive experience across various industries, including healthcare, financial institutions, energy, and technology. A&M is committed to supporting the personal and professional development of its employees, providing training resources and networking opportunities to foster growth.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deliver quality tax planning approaches by providing timely and responsive services and work products that meet and/or exceed client expectations.
• Perform compensation due diligence, including review of equity agreements, CIC plans, golden parachute calculations, deferred compensation plans, tax returns, financials, and other documentation to evaluate potential tax risks and opportunities.
• Perform benefits due diligence, including review of retirement plans, Section 125 plans, discrimination testing, Forms 5500, and determination letters for compliance with IRS and DOL requirements to help identify potential tax exposures and opportunities.
• Review payroll tax treatment and withholding policies and practices, including accurate reporting (W-2, K-1, 1099, etc.), withholding on income tax and FICA on various forms of compensation, and worker classification.
• Review and comment on compensation and benefits aspects of financial models, purchase agreements, and structuring calculations.
• Take ownership of assigned workstreams, including creating and preserving relevant diligence work products, ensuring supervisors can timely review and provide constructive feedback of deliverables, and otherwise proactively responding to changes in workflow.
• Coordinate with federal, state and local, and international tax team members, as well as financial and operational due diligence team members, to timely deliver highest quality integrated work product.
• Begin developing and taking responsibility for managing client relationships by communicating and responding to client expectations, gathering data relevant to the engagement, and tailoring project deliverables accordingly.

Requirements

• Demonstrated knowledge of compensation and benefits tax concepts, including Sections 83, 409A, and 280G, with the capability to perform research on and effectively apply compensation and benefits tax knowledge to client situations.
• Understanding of compensation and benefits issues for various entity structures, including public and private corporations, partnerships, S-Corps, and consolidated groups.
• Bachelor's degree in accounting/finance or related field required.
• Advanced Degree / Certification preferred: CPA, JD, or LLM.
• 2-5 years of compensation and benefits tax experience; or 2-5 years of tax due diligence experience.
• Prior experience with Mergers and Acquisitions preferred.
• Strong writing, analytical, research and organizational skills.
• Experience with all Microsoft Office products (with an emphasis on Excel).
• Strong communication skills.
• Strong sense of personal motivation as well as the ability to work with a team.
• Ability to work in dynamic, time-sensitive environment.

Benefits

• Healthcare plans
• Flexible spending and savings accounts
• Life, AD&D, and disability coverages
• 401(k) retirement plan with discretionary contributions