Senior Tax Manager

Distinct | North America; Des Plaines (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Distinct, an independent CPA firm in Illinois, is seeking an experienced tax professional. The role offers focus on HNW individuals and families, business tax, or a mix, with client relationships you’ll manage directly and planning conversations you’ll be part of.

You’ll work with experienced colleagues, contribute to the wider firm, and help grow a practice area while avoiding burnout and promoting a healthy work culture.

Qualifications

• CPA or EA qualification required.
• Public accounting tax experience at Manager or Senior Manager level.
• Strong background in HNW individual tax, business tax, or a generalist mix.
• Experience reviewing complex returns and tax planning.
• Confidence managing client relationships and advising directly.
• Experience supporting and developing less experienced colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Focus on HNW individuals and families, business tax, or a mix of both.
• Review complex returns and participate in tax planning discussions with clients.
• Manage client relationships and provide direct advisory guidance.
• Support and develop junior colleagues and contribute to firm growth.

Skills

Public accounting tax experience

Tax planning

Client relationship management

Mentoring / people development

Education

CPA or EA qualification

Job description

What would make another busy season worth staying for?

More say in the clients you work with? Time to advise them properly? Or knowing the firm will actually do something when people say the workload needs attention?

This independent CPA firm of around 70 people has put some thought into all three.

They're growing and looking for an experienced tax professional. Your focus could be HNW individuals and families, business tax, or a mix of both.

If you've built experience across several areas but want to spend more time on the work you enjoy most, this firm is open to those conversations.

The clients include multigenerational families, trusts and estates, closely held businesses and their owners. There's complex work beyond reviewing returns, with client relationships you'll manage directly and planning conversations you'll be part of.

You'll have experienced colleagues to talk things through with and the trust to make decisions. There's room to contribute to the wider firm too, whether you enjoy developing people, improving how the team works or helping grow an area of the practice.

When I spoke with the Partners, we spent time talking about burnout.

They're come from bigger firms and experienced it themselves. They know what it feels like, and they don't want their own staff ending up in the same position.

They brought in an external consultant to look at working hours, engagement and turnover, then made changes based on the findings. That stood out to me. It's easy to ask for feedback. Doing something with it matters more.

Turnover is low, and people tend to stay.

In terms of your background, you'll need:

• A CPA or EA qualification.
• Public accounting tax experience at Manager or Senior Manager level.
• A strong background in HNW individual tax, business tax or a generalist mix. You don't need to cover every area.
• Experience reviewing complex returns and getting involved in tax planning.
• Confidence managing client relationships and advising clients directly.
• Experience supporting and developing less experienced colleagues.

If you want to explore a genuinely different kind of senior tax role