High Net Worth Senior Tax Manager

Northwestern Mutual; Wisconsin; On-site; USD 176,000 - 264,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work schedules

Concierge service

Comprehensive benefits

Employee resource groups

Job summary

Northwestern Mutual seeks an experienced tax professional to lead sophisticated planning strategies for high-net-worth clients. You will review complex federal and state returns, project taxes, and provide advanced planning in coordination with advisors and experts.

You will mentor other tax professionals, integrate tax strategies into holistic wealth planning, and communicate complex tax concepts clearly to clients and advisors. A CPA with 15+ years of experience is preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, taxation, or a related field.
• Active CPA license; MST/JD/LL.M. preferred but not required.
• Typically 15+ years of progressively responsible tax experience with high-net-worth planning and compliance.
• Significant experience with business/pass-through taxation or fiduciary/trust taxation, including planning and compliance.
• Broad understanding of estate planning, business owner planning, financial planning, investments, and insurance concepts with tax implications.
• Experience consulting with high-net-worth clients and financial advisors.
• Ability to explain complex tax concepts clearly to advisors and clients.
• Experience mentoring and developing tax professionals; strong risk management focus.

Responsibilities

• Manage and review complex federal and state income tax returns for high-net-worth clients, with final review and signing responsibility.
• Review tax projections and identify planning opportunities and technical issues.
• Provide advanced tax planning consultation for HNW individuals and related entities.
• Collaborate with tax, financial planning, legal, investment, and insurance professionals to integrate tax strategies into broader planning.
• Analyze client situations to develop practical recommendations for advisors and clients.
• Communicate planning concepts, compliance considerations, and strategic recommendations to advisors and clients.
• Support quality control, workflow discipline, and risk management standards for the in-house service lines.
• Build relationships across Northwestern Mutual to deliver tax services.

Skills

Accountability

Storytelling through Data

Financial Acumen

Learning Agility & Critical Thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting/ taxation

Active CPA license

Advanced degree (MST/JD/LL.M.) preferred

Tools

CCH Axcess Tax

Job description

About the Job:

Northwestern Mutual is seeking a highly experienced tax professional to join Sophisticated Planning Strategies team as a senior member of our in-house tax preparation and planning team. In this role, you will provide advanced individual income tax planning and compliance support for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, while also bringing significant expertise in either business/pass-through taxation or fiduciary/trust taxation. You will review and sign federal and state income tax returns, evaluate tax projections, identify planning opportunities, and collaborate with financial, legal, and tax professionals to integrate tax strategies into broader financial and estate planning recommendations.

This role is ideal for a seasoned CPA who enjoys complex technical work, advisor and client consultation, and the opportunity to help shape a growing tax preparation service within a holistic wealth planning environment. The successful candidate will bring sound professional judgment, strong technical tax capabilities, and the ability to communicate complex tax concepts clearly to advisors and clients.

What You'll Do:

• Manage and review complex federal and state income tax returns for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individual clients, including final review and signing responsibility as appropriate.
• Review tax projections and evaluate individual, business/pass-through, or fiduciary tax information to identify planning opportunities, technical issues, and areas requiring additional analysis or escalation.
• Provide advanced tax planning consultation for HNW individuals, executives, business owners, trustees, and related entities in coordination with advisors and internal subject matter experts.
• Collaborate with tax, financial planning, legal, investment, and insurance professionals to integrate tax strategies into broader financial, estate, business succession, and wealth planning recommendations.
• Analyze client tax and financial circumstances to develop practical recommendations that support informed advisors and client decision making.
• Communicate planning concepts, compliance considerations, and strategic recommendations to advisors and clients, often in a lead consultation role.
• Support quality control, workflow discipline, and risk management standards for the SPS in-house tax preparation and planning service lines.
• Build and leverage relationships across Northwestern Mutual to address complex client circumstances and support seamless delivery of tax compliance and advisory services.

What You'll Bring to the Role:

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, taxation, or a related field required.
• Active CPA license required. Advanced degree or additional credentials, such as MST, JD, or LL.M. preferred but not required.
• Typically requires 15+ years of progressively responsible tax experience, including advanced high-net-worth individual income tax planning and compliance experience.
• Significant experience with either business/pass-through taxation or fiduciary/trust taxation, including related planning and compliance matters.
• Broad understanding of estate planning, business owner planning, financial planning, investments, and insurance concepts, with the ability to recognize how income tax considerations affect broader planning recommendations.
• Demonstrated experience consulting with high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, including clients with approximately $20 million or more in net worth, and with financial advisors or other professional advisors.
• Client-centric written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex tax concepts clearly and professionally to advisors and clients.
• Experience operating in a dynamic environment and helping develop or improve processes, standards, and service delivery practices preferred.
• Experience with CCH Axcess Tax software preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to mentor, review, and develop tax professionals while effectively leveraging internal and external resources.
• Strong tax research skills, including the ability to apply federal and state tax law to complex client facts and planning scenarios.
• Collaborative team player with sound professional judgment, strong attention to detail, and a commitment to quality and risk management.
• Comfortable evaluating, testing, and integrating AI technologies to drive efficiency, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Skills You Have:

• Accountability - Holds self and their direct reports accountable for measurable, high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results, delivery, and execution. Determines objectives, sets priorities, delegates work to direct reports, and accepts responsibility for mistakes.
• Storytelling through Data - Communicates insights and opportunities from a dataset, using narratives, visualizations, and analysis.
• Financial Acumen - Applies the knowledge of financial statements, financial analysis, budgeting, forecasting, and financial modeling to ensure decisions are fiscally sound and responsible.
• Learning Agility & Critical Thinking - Pursues learning and obtains knowledge continuously in relevant fields, methods, or technologies in current and future practices; continuously utilizes critical thinking to identify opportunities, execute solutions, and measure impact to constantly improve existing practices and processes based on feedback, lessons learned, and market trends.

Compensation Range:

Pay Range - Start: $176,000.00

Pay Range - End: $264,000.00

Geographic Specific Pay Structure:

Structure 110: $193,600.00 USD - $290,400.00 USD

Structure 115: $202,400.00 USD - $303,600.00 USD

We believe in fairness and transparency. It's why we share the salary range for most of our roles. However, final salaries are based on a number of factors, including the skills and experience of the candidate; the current market; location of the candidate; and other factors uncovered in the hiring process. The standard pay structure is listed but if you're living in California, New York City or other eligible location, geographic specific pay structures, compensation and benefits could be applicable.

Northwestern Mutual is an equal opportunity employer that welcomes talented individuals of all backgrounds. We are committed to creating and maintaining an environment in which each employee can contribute creative ideas, seek challenges, assume leadership and continue to focus on meeting and exceeding business and personal objectives.

Skills

Accountability (NM) - Advanced, Learning Agility & Critical Thinking (NM) - Advanced, Storytelling through Data (NM) - Expert, Financial Acumen (NM) - Expert

FIND YOUR FUTURE

We're excited about the potential people bring to Northwestern Mutual. You can grow your career here while enjoying first-class perks, benefits, and our commitment to a culture of belonging.

• Flexible work schedules
• Concierge service
• Comprehensive benefits
• Employee resource groups