US Tax Manager - Federal & SALT

Introduction

Job Responsibilities

US Federal & SALT Tax Compliance (Primary Ownership) 

• You will own end-to-end US tax compliance and provision, directing our external US tax advisors and holding accountability for quality and on-time delivery: 
• Serve as Optimizely's recognised internal tax advisory expert for US federal and SALT income tax, advising Finance stakeholders, Legal and business leaders on the tax implications of transactions, business changes, and strategic decisions.
• Direct and review the preparation of US federal corporate income tax returns (Form 1120) and combined/consolidated state and local income and franchise tax returns by our external US tax advisors; own the quality and accuracy of all filings.
• Review the annual outsourced tax provision, including deferred tax analysis, uncertain tax positions and financial statement disclosures, ensuring accuracy and completeness before sign-off. Maintain US federal and state tax account reconciliations, ensuring balance sheet tax accounts are accurately reconciled and any variances are investigated and resolved on a timely basis.
• Review, schedule, and remit all estimated federal and state tax payments, calculated by our external US tax advisors, ensuring timeliness to minimise interest and penalty exposure.
• Lead federal and state tax audits and inquiries (should they arise) as the primary internal tax contact, coordinating external tax advisors (where appropriate) and preparing required workpapers and documentation.
• Own nexus analysis and state filing obligations, including registration, apportionment methodology, and unitary group determinations across most US states.
• Track and optimise the utilisation of NOLs, R&D tax credits, and other tax attributes across federal and state jurisdictions. 
• Monitor US federal and state tax legislative developments, including: BEAT, NCTI (formerly GILTI), FDEII (formerly FDII), tax reform and state conformity and proactively advise the Global Head of Tax and the business on impact and required action. 

AI-Driven Tax Innovation (Strategic Priority) 

• Optimizely is committed to building an AI-first tax function. This is not a peripheral responsibility – it is a core part of the role:
• Drive the effective use of Optimizely's AI toolset (Opal, Claude Cowork Enterprise, Bloomberg Tax AI and Loctax), applying AI to simplify, automate and continuously improve US tax compliance, provision, reconciliations, research and reporting.
• Drive the automation and continuous improvement of the Federal R&D tax credit preparation process, reducing manual effort while strengthening quality, consistency and auditability.
• Partner with IT to optimise tax data flows and ERP integrations (including NetSuite), ensuring high-quality data supports AI-enabled tax processes.
• Monitor emerging AI and tax technologies, proactively identifying opportunities to improve the efficiency, quality and scalability of the tax function. 

Role Expectations 

• Works collegiately with a high degree of autonomy, taking ownership of complex projects from inception to completion while collaborating effectively with tax colleagues and stakeholders as needed. 
• Makes well-reasoned decisions when faced with incomplete or ambiguous information, taking calculated risks grounded in business acumen.
• Seeks constantly to simplify, automate, and improve – empowered to challenge 'how it has always been done.'
• Communicates with confidence and credibility at all levels, from Finance operations to the CFO.
• Holds external advisors to a high standard, maintaining strong relationships while driving accountability for quality and timeliness. 

Knowledge and Experience

• 7+ years of progressive corporate tax experience with a strong focus on US federal and state income tax compliance, provision, and tax account management.
• Recent technical knowledge of US federal corporate income tax law, including consolidated return regulations and international provisions.
• Solid understanding of multi-state income tax, including apportionment, nexus, and unitary filing across a broad US footprint. Experience with California is advantageous.
• Proficiency in income tax accounting, including deferred tax analysis, ETR management, and Uncertain Tax Positions.
• Solid public accounting experience gained in either Big-4 or a large regional firm is required. Candidates making their first move into industry, as well as those with a blend of public accounting and in-house experience, are encouraged to apply.
• Experience in a SaaS, technology or other fast-paced multinational business environment is advantageous but not essential. 

Education

Competencies