US Tax Manager - Federal & SALT

Introduction

Optimizely Tax is seeking a technically strong and forward-thinking USTax Manager
-Federal & SALT to own our US income tax function. Reporting to the Global Head of Tax, you will lead US federal and state & local tax compliance and provision – both of which are delivered through external advisors – with full responsibility for quality, timeliness, and strategic oversight. You will act as Optimizely's primary internal US tax authority, partnering closely with Finance, Legal, and business leaders.

This is also an AI-enabled process transformation role. Optimizely equips its Tax team with a market-leading suite of AI tools and trusted tax knowledge platforms, including:
Opal (Optimizely's own internal AI platform), Claude Cowork Enterprise, Bloomberg Tax AI, and Loctax (connected to IBFD, providing deep cross-border and international tax intelligence). We will invest in developing your capability across these tools and expect you to become an increasingly confident user and advocate, using them to drive research quality, reduce manual effort, and unlock capacity for higher-value, more rewarding work.

Why you will enjoy this role:

You’ll have unusual autonomy for a level tax role. Rather than preparing returns yourself, you’ll direct external advisors, shape tax strategy, modernise processes using AI, and work closely with senior Finance leadership and the business on high-impact projects.

You’ll be joining a tax function that actively invests in technology, equipping you with the tools and the support to simplify and automate routine work, modernise the way tax is delivered, and ensure your expertise can be focused where it adds the greatest value.

As Optimizely continues to grow, you’ll have the opportunity to broaden your technical expertise, increase your strategic influence, and help shape the future direction of the global tax function.

• 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 work papers 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.

• 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…