Transaction Tax Senior Associate

Ranked among the largest accounting and consulting firms in the country and consistently recognized as a Great Place to Work () ,  
** Cherry Bekaert
** delivers innovative advisory, assurance and tax services to our clients. At Cherry Bekaert we create shared success through teamwork, energy, and expertise. We approach today's toughest business challenges with a client-first mindset, working together to create exceptional value. We are all committed to making a difference for our people, our clients, our community, and our professions. To meet this commitment, Cherry Bekaert will provide you with the space to pursue growth and development opportunities that will guide and support you at each stage of your personal and professional journey.

To support the continued growth of our  
** Transaction Tax Services ()
** practice, an opportunity has been created for a  
** Senior Associate
** to join our national team focused on tax due diligence and structuring for private equity (PE) sponsors, family offices and strategic acquirers across the middle market. In this role, you will execute buy-side and sell-side tax diligence engagements, model the impact of acquisition structuring alternatives, and collaborate with deal teams to translate technical findings into actionable recommendations. This is a hands-on, client-facing seat - you will own work streams, draft client-ready deliverables and support partners and directors on live transactions from initial diligence through close.

If you are seeking an opportunity with Big 4-caliber deal exposure that will provide broader responsibilities, faster progression and direct partner access - we're ready to hear from you!

** As a Senior Associate, you will:*
* + Execute federal and state tax due diligence on M&A transactions, including identification and quantification of historical tax exposures across income, sales and use, payroll and unclaimed property

+ Analyze target tax attributes and model the impact of transaction structuring alternatives - including Section 338(h)(10) and 336(e) elections, Section 382 limitations on net operating loss (NOL) utilization, basis step-ups, Section 704(c) built-in gain or loss allocations and Section 751 hot asset considerations

+ Review target tax profiles across entity types, including consolidated C corporation groups, S corporations, partnerships, LLCs and pass-through structures

+ Draft tax diligence reports, structuring memoranda and step plans suitable for delivery to PE deal teams, lenders and legal counsel

+ Coordinate with internal and external workstream leads - financial due diligence, valuation, legal and quality of earnings providers - to deliver an integrated view of deal risk

+ Support transaction execution, including review of purchase agreement tax provisions (representations, indemnities, tax matters, Section 338(h)(10) language) and post-close integration planning

+ Manage day-to-day client communication on assigned work streams and present findings directly to deal team leads

** What you bring to the role:*
* + Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance or related field

+ Active CPA or demonstrated progress toward completion desired; JD acceptable in lieu of CPA for candidates with corresponding tax experience

+ Minimum two years of progressive tax experience within a national or large regional CPA firm supporting M&A activities or preparing/reviewing federal and state returns for multi-state filers

+ Ability to model tax attributes and structuring outcomes in Excel, including NOL and credit utilization, basis calculations and after-tax cash flow analysis

+ Strong written communication skills, with the ability to convert complex technical analysis into concise, client-ready deliverables

+ Proven ability to manage competing deadlines across multiple live deals

+ Self-starter mindset and comfort operating in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment

** Additional, preferred qualifications:*
* + Master of Accountancy (MAcc), Master of Science in Taxation (MST) or LL.M.

+ Exposure to PE-backed portfolio companies or PE sponsor clients

+ Familiarity with deal lifecycle documents (LOI, purchase agreements, disclosure schedules)

+…