Tax and Accounting Director -- Knoxville Based TV Production and Entertainment Accounting Firm

About the Role We are a boutique accounting firm specializing in the entertainment industry, with a focus on unscripted television and feature documentaries. As our firm expands into full-service tax preparation and advisory, we are creating a new leadership position: Tax & Accounting Director. This is an opportunity to build and lead our tax practice while working directly with dynamic production companies and creative teams. Our model is intentionally relationship-driven. We maintain a smaller, curated client base, allowing us to deliver a comprehensive suite of services—including CFO and controller oversight, tax planning and preparation, cash flow management, bookkeeping, and payroll. This structure enables deeper client engagement, a more thorough understanding of each business, and the ability to provide integrated, high-quality, and strategic financial support. Position Summary Winchester Consulting is a leading expert in television and film accounting, serving a highly specialized client base within the entertainment industry. We are seeking a leader with strong tax expertise, client management capabilities, and financial statement oversight experience. While prior entertainment experience is valuable, we provide targeted training to ensure deep fluency in industry-specific accounting and production workflows. The Tax & Accounting Director will oversee all aspects of tax compliance, planning, and filing for our clients while also managing the full accounting relationship for assigned engagements. This hybrid role requires deep technical tax knowledge, strong leadership, and the ability to operate as a strategic advisor across multiple service lines. You will lead the development of internal tax systems, supervise and grow the tax team, and ensure all filings are accurate, timely, and compliant with federal, state, and local requirements. In parallel, you will oversee monthly close processes, financial statement preparation and review, production accounting, and ongoing client relationship management—delivering a high level of integrated financial oversight and service.

Key Responsibilities:

I. Tax Leadership & Compliance Build & Lead the Tax Department Design and implement the firm's tax preparation and filing workflows. Establish tax policies, procedures, and quality‑control standards. Evaluate and implement tax software, portals, and internal systems. Develop a staffing plan and supervise tax preparers as the team grows. Tax Preparation & Review Oversee preparation and filing of federal, state, and local tax returns for individuals, corporations, partnerships, and production entities. Review all returns for accuracy, completeness, and compliance. Manage quarterly estimated tax calculations and communicate requirements to clients. Tax Planning & Advisory Provide proactive tax planning for production companies, loan‑out corporations, and multi‑entity structures. Advise clients on entity selection, state nexus, production incentives, and industry‑specific tax issues. Tax Notices & Audit Support Lead responses to federal and state tax notices. Coordinate with CPAs, attorneys, and state agencies as needed. Oversee tax credit audits, sales tax compliance, and local entertainment‑related filings. II. Accounting Director Responsibilities Client Relationships This position is responsible for managing the entire relationship with assigned clients, ensuring all accounting and tax needs are met.and all tasks are monitored and completed. Financial Close & Reporting Oversee monthly, quarterly, and annual close processes. Deliver accurate and timely financial statements. Review all balance sheet and P&L items, ensuring analytical accuracy. Provide narrative summaries highlighting key metrics and insights. Production Accounting Oversight Supervise production accounting staff and ensure workflows are executed correctly. Ensure maintenance of production budgets, cost reports, billback schedules, and production schedules. Monitor cash management, milestone receipts, and weekly reconciliations. Forecasting & Cash Flow Prepare net income forecasts and communicate expected tax payments and distributions. Maintain cash flow forecasts Tax Coordination (Accounting Side) Provide year‑end financials, trial balances, and general ledgers to support tax preparation. Review draft tax returns to ensure they reconcile to client books. Special Projects & Compliance Oversee non‑routine accounting matters and projects Coordinate completion of special reports including tax credit audits, sales tax filings, 401(k) reviews, and workers' comp audits. Qualifications Required CPA license (active) 7+ years of tax experience Strong background in corporate, partnership, and individual taxation Demonstrated ability to manage staff and lead cross‑functional teams Expertise in GAAP and financial reporting Ability to manage multiple clients and deadlines in a fast‑paced environment Preferred Experience with unscripted television, film, or documentary production accounting Familiarity with production incentives, multi‑state taxation, and entertainment‑specific compliance Experience with entertainment clients, production companies, or loan‑out corporations Prior experience building or scaling a tax department

Job Type:

Full-time Pay:

From $90,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) 401(k) matching Dental insurance Disability insurance Health insurance Life insurance Paid time off Parental leave Vision insurance

Education:

Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

Management:

5 years (Preferred)

Tax:

7 years (Required)

GAAP:

7 years (Required)

License/Certification:

CPA (Required)

Work Location:

In person