Senior Tax Associate

Distinct | North America; Fishers (IN); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Distinct North America’s small CPA firm in Fishers, IN seeks a tax-focused professional with 3–6 years of public accounting experience. You’ll work closely with the owner, handle client conversations, and contribute to firm growth.

You’ll mainly be onsite with flexibility for remote work when needed. Expect involvement in individual and business tax returns, plus some bookkeeping and payroll tasks as you grow into greater client responsibility.

Qualifications

• Must have 3–6 years of public accounting experience.
• CPA or working towards it preferred.
• Interest in client-facing tax work and improving processes.

Responsibilities

• Prepare individual and business tax returns with accuracy.
• Engage with clients to understand their financial lives and businesses.
• Involve in bookkeeping, payroll, and monthly reporting as needed.
• Collaborate with the owner to improve firm processes and client service.

Skills

Client communication

Tax knowledge

Attention to detail

Education

CPA or working towards it

Job description

Busy season asks a lot of you. Having a quieter summer should mean you actually get to enjoy it.

At this small CPA firm, summer weeks look like 30 hours. If the work is done, the owner doesn’t expect you to stay at your desk to make up the time.

He’s interested in making the firm work better. If you can see a quicker way of doing something, or a process that needs changing, he wants to hear it.

And he’s looking for someone to work closely with him and the current small firmas the firm moves forward.

You’ll get to know the clients, have your own conversations with them and understand what’s going on in their lives and businesses. You’ll also work directly with the person running the firm, with exposure to the decisions that go into it.

For someone who enjoys tax but wants more involvement in the client side, there’s a lot to get stuck into -

• The clients include successful individuals and privately owned businesses across entertainment, professional services, medical and healthcare. Many have been with the firm for years, so there’s an established relationship for you to build on.
• Tax will be your main focus, preparing individual and business returns, with scope to review depending on your experience. There’s some client accounting mixed in too, including bookkeeping, payroll and monthly reporting.
• They’re looking for someone with around 3 to 6 years of public accounting experience who asks questions, takes an interest and enjoys speaking with clients. CPA or working towards it would be preferred.

Being comfortable picking up the phone matters here. So does being willing to suggest something when you think it could work better.

As you develop, the owner would like you to become someone he can increasingly share responsibility with. That could mean a bigger role in managing clients, supporting the team and helping run the practice.

Ownership or succession could be a conversation further down the line if that interests you. You can also build a career here without wanting to own a firm.

The role is mainly onsite. They like working together, and being close to the owner gives you plenty of opportunity to ask questions and learn as things happen. There is flexibility to work from home when needed.

If you’re ready to have more say, get closer to your clients and see where you could take a role in a small firm, I’d be happy to tell you more.

Here’s the part most people get wrong: you don’t need to tick every box to introduce yourself.