Tax Manager, Estate & Trust

Tax, Manager Estate & Trust

Portland, OR 

Geffen Mesher & Company proudly stands as one of Portland's foremost locally owned accounting firms, with a distinguished history of over 90 years dedicated to serving clients throughout the Northwest. We owe our enduring success to our client-centric ethos and unwavering commitment to our team members. We provide a full suite of professional services, including Accounting, Assurance, Business Consulting, Business Valuation, Data and Analytics, Litigation Support, Family Office, Transaction Services, and full-service Tax planning, spanning several industries.

We are seeking a Tax, Manager Estate & Trust  to join our team. This role will assist clients firm wide in identifying, developing, and implementing estate, gift & trust tax planning strategies designed to minimize transfer taxes, and maximize wealth accumulation and equitable asset distribution to heirs. You’ll help business leaders look around corners, go beyond the numbers, do something different by developing rapport with clients and making a difference. Whether you intend to specialize or would rather gain exposure across many service lines, you won’t be limited at Geffen Mesher. We’ll encourage you to explore diverse opportunities to find your focus and thrive in your chosen career. 

What you’ll be doing

• Analyze estate planning documents including wills, codicils, and trust instruments.
• Prepare and review gift tax returns, especially related to the formation of insurance trusts, marital trusts, charitable lead trusts, and charitable remainder trusts.
• Preparation of fiduciary accounting.
• Client management and liaison with estate attorneys.
• Engage in special projects related to client matters involving tax accounting, consulting, and research.
• Plan, supervise and complete complex engagements.
• Strong aptitude for providing superior client service and ability to maintain quality client relationships.
• Possess technical knowledge sufficient to supervise staff and senior accountants on multiple engagements simultaneously and evaluate their progress.
• Keep abreast of tax changes and issues that could affect our clients.
• Work jointly in work groups and with team members to share knowledge and contribute effectively to complete tasks, develop ideas and processes across organizational boundaries.
• Adhere to the core values and standards of the organization.

What makes you a fit

• Bachelor's degree in business, accounting or a similar discipline.
• Five or more years' fiduciary preparation experience, preferably with a certified public accounting firm.
• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or in the process of becoming one.
• Strong background in working with high-net worth individuals, family organizations, and closely held entities in the estate, trust, and gift tax arena.  
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient in MS Office technology suite. 

Why you should join our team

Shameless plug(s): we are in the top 1% of CPA firms in the U.S. We are also consistently ranked among the Most Admired Companies by the Portland Business Journal.

Culture: Just like we believe in fostering strong, lasting partnerships with our clients, we do the same for our team members. We are a mid-sized firm with a small firm feel. Our shareholders are humble, down-to-earth humans who hire and support motivated and resourceful people and provide opportunities to lead successful personal and professional lives. We provide ample growth opportunities whether you are starting as an intern, or you are a seasoned manager.

We value our people and strive to create a supportive, inclusive culture: Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI) Committee, Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI), Working Moms Group, Advisor Program, and Leadership Development Program (LDP).

We give back to our communities. Today, our team supports more than 80 charitable organizations by serving on boards of directors, making charitable donations, and volunteering our time. In addition to our extensive organizational involvement, we close our office for one day each year and volunteer directly in the community.

Did you say “busy season”? Since this is public accounting, you can expect to work extra hours during busy seasons. We do our best to keep you motivated, energized, and engaged during that time.  We offer catered lunch three days a week, tons of healthy snacks, weekly yoga & massages, and bi-weekly office socials.

Benefits & Perks: We offer a comprehensive benefit package to help protect your personal and financial health and that of your family. At Geffen Mesher, we offer a generous 401k and profit-sharing plan. We’ll cover 100% of your individual monthly medical premium costs and provide paid parental leave.  Generous PTO and paid holidays come with the gig as well!

Geffen Mesher is committed equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. We are committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities. 

To protect the interests of all parties, Geffen Mesher will not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than directly from a candidate. Any unsolicited resumes sent to the Firm, including unsolicited resumes sent to the Firm mailing address, fax machine or email address, directly to the Firm’s employees, or to the Firm’s resume database will be considered property of Geffen Mesher.  The Firm will not pay a fee for any placement resulting from the receipt of an unsolicited resume. The Firm will consider any candidate for whom an Agency has submitted an unsolicited resume to have been referred by the Agency free of any charges or fees. This also includes partial resumes, candidate profiles, and candidate details or information.