FAMILY OFFICE TAX AND OPERATIONS MANAGER

This job is an on-site position based in Bozeman, MT.

This confidential search is being conducted on behalf of an entrepreneurial family and a successful privately held operating business. The employer and Family Principals will be shared later in the interview process. See salary and benefits section below for more information.

This role is the first and foundational hire for newly established Family Office operating alongside founder-owned business. This role is responsible for establishing systems, creating processes, documenting procedures, & executing operational functions of Family Office, there is not an existing team.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Client Operating Business - Finance & Accounting Support (50% allocation)

• Primary liaison between Family Office & Client Operating Business, & its affiliated operating entities concerning operational matters such as project coordination, inter-entity invoicing, project reconciliations, tax analysis, tax planning, & tax strategy
• Work with Client Operating Business accounting team to assist in & reconcile monthly and quarterly intercompany invoices to Family Office
• Maintain detailed working papers on a monthly/quarterly basis, converting all required general ledger account data into tax-oriented working papers that flow through to quarterly tax analysis and estimated tax liabilities & payment requirements for Client Operating Business & its related operating companies
• Maintain & update tax planning & calculation spreadsheets for Client Operating Business & affiliated entity, to include current tax rates by tax type & state, forecasted revenue apportionment by state, forecasted EBITDA by state, period to date payments or credits applied, & remaining estimated taxes due
• Coordinate Client Operating Business & affiliated entity quarterly estimated tax payments with Corporate Controller
• Ensure Client Operating Business & affiliated entity tax strategies are congruent with Family Office tax strategies
• Track & coordinate annual entity filings for Client Operating Business & affiliated entities, franchise taxes, registered agent renewals, & state compliance requirements
• Work closely with administrative leadership of Client Operating Business to establish standard communications, meetings, processes, & procedures

Family Office Operations and Accounting (50% allocation)

1. Accounting & Financial Operations

• Own bookkeeping for Family entities & personal/household accounts
• Manage bill pay functions
• Prepare & distribute monthly financial package
• Maintain working papers on quarterly basis, convert general ledger account data into tax-oriented working papers that flow to quarterly tax analysis & estimated tax liability & payment requirements for Family Office & Family Principal(s).
• Coordinate quarterly estimated tax payments with Corporate Controller & External CPA/Firm; initiate & confirm pmts on schedule
• Reconcile bank, credit card, & investment accounts monthly
• Maintain books for External CPA/Firm year-end review & tax preparation

2. Tax Coordination

• Maintain annual Tax Document Checklist & coordinate collection of W-2s, 1099s, K-1s, brokerage statements, & charitable receipts
• Deliver complete tax document package to External CPA/Firm annually
• Track federal/state tax filing deadlines across entities; coordinate with External CPA/Firm on extensions
• Support Corporate Controller & External CPA/Firm in implementing planning strategies: confirm year-end transactions executed, track contributions, & document planning decisions
• Participate in tax planning meetings with Corporate Controller & External CPA/Firm & Family Principal(s)

3. Entity & Legal Administration / Governance

• Maintain master Entity Register for LLCs, trusts, partnerships, & entities
• Track & coordinate annual entity filings for Family Office entities, franchise taxes, registered agent renewals, & state compliance requirements
• Serve as operational liaison to legal counsel for administrative & compliance matters
• Maintain organized digital files of formation documents, operating agreements, trust documents, etc.

4. Risk Management, Insurance & Internal Controls

• Implement & enforce Family Office's internal controls framework: segregation of duties, payment approval protocols, dual-authorization procedures
• Maintain insurance renewal calendar for insurance policies; coordinate annual policy reviews with insurance broker
• Ensure cybersecurity protocols followed: MFA on accounts, password manager usage, wire transfer verification procedures
• Conduct annual reviews of vendor access for Family & personal properties, employee access, & account permissions

5. Property & Asset Administration

• Maintain & coordinate property tax payment schedules
• Manage vendor relationships & track service agreements, insurance certificates, renewal dates
• Coordinate with existing property managers; track capital projects & budgets

6. Advisor Coordination

• Serve as primary operational contact for professional advisors: CPA, estate attorney, insurance broker
• Prepare materials, coordinate schedules, & follow up on action items from advisor meetings
• Maintain current contact list of advisor names, firms, contacts, & scope of service
• Ensure advisors receive information from Family Office, & Family is receiving information

7. Household & Lifestyle Support

• Support existing property manager in managing household & administrative needs
• Assist in mail & paperwork organization, errand coordination, & personal assistant functions
• Provide financial education to younger Family members as needed
• Coordinate delivery of services to Family Principal(s)

8. Systems, Process & Documentation

• Build & maintain Family Office's document management structure in M365 SharePoint
• Maintain & refine Family Office's existing SOPs & process documentation
• Identify opportunities to automate & improve operational workflows
• Maintain registers, trackers, & calendars

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education

• Bachelor's degree required; degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or related field
• Master’s degree in taxation preferred
• CPA, CMA, or equivalent professional designation required

Experience

• Minimum 10+ yrs relevant experience in: family office / private client accounting, public accounting (tax or audit), or CFO/Controller function for private entity or family-owned business
• Direct experience in family office/ultra-high-net-worth personal CFO environment preferred
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-entity accounting: LLCs, partnerships, trusts, & personal/household accounts
• Experience preparing/coordinating financial statements, management reports, & year-end tax packages
• Meaningful exposure to estate & trust administration / direct work with estate planning attorneys & CPAs in coordination capacity
• Prior experience as first hire / startup / build-from-scratch environment preferred
• 5 yrs + tax analysis & tax preparation experience in multi-entity & multi-national LLC’s, partnerships, trusts, non-profits
• Experience co-developing (with tax team members) family office tax strategy preferred
• Experience in foreign country tax treatment of family holdings, particularly Canadian taxation preferred

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in accounting software: QuickBooks Online, QuickBooks Desktop, Sage Intacct, or comparable platform. Strong preference for Sage Intacct or AICPA recommended ERP software
• Strong understanding of GAAP and utilization of GAAP principles applicable to family office reporting
• Experience setting up & maintaining ERP systems
• Advanced proficiency in MS Excel (pivot tables, financial modeling, reconciliations)
• Proficiency in MS 365 - Outlook, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive
• Familiarity with online banking & treasury platforms used by private banks/custodians
• Working knowledge of federal & state tax compliance requirements: 1040, 1041, 1065, K-1s, PTET, & estimated taxes
• Experience with document management systems; ability to build & maintain an organized digital filing structure

Personal Competencies

• Discretion & Confidentiality: Absolute trustworthiness with sensitive personal & financial information; confidentiality non-negotiable
• Ownership Orientation: Takes initiative, anticipates needs, follows through w/o being asked; treats role as their own operation
• Precision & Attention to Detail: Zero tolerance for errors in financial data, deadlines, or documentation; brings meticulous care to every task
• Communication and Relationship Driven: Communicates clearly, professionally, and appropriately, adapts style to audience
• Prioritization: Manages high volume of tasks & deadlines; knows when to escalate & when to execute
• Calm Under Pressure: Handles complexity & competing demands independently
• Systems Thinker: Sees the whole landscape, builds processes that scale, & documents work so family office is never dependent on one person

WHAT SUCCESS IN THIS ROLE LOOKS LIKE

90 Days:

• Completed a full orientation to Family's entities, accounts, advisors, & current state of operations
• Fully oriented to existing core SOPs of Family Office
• Oriented themselves to current processes for bill pay, bookkeeping, & cash management functions
• Established document management structure in M365 & migrated/organized existing materials
• Conducted introductory meeting with key professional advisors
• Produced first monthly financial package under their ownership
• Established as SME for administration of Family Office

6 Months:

• Performed analysis of current processes & operations against SOP objectives
• Identified & documented highest-priority process priorities, gaps, improvement opportunities
• Assumed ownership over tasks that Family Principal(s) had previously performed & sought to delegate to Family Office
• Earned complete trust of Family Principal(s) as person they rely on to manage operational life of family office
• Firmly established as the leader of Family Office operations

Benefits and Salary

$130,000 - $170,000 salary range, depending on experience

401k, Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance, HSA/FSA, Paid time off, Life insurance, Long & Short-Term Disability, EAP, professional development assistance