Tax Manager

Morningstar Credit Ratings, LLC; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 121,400 - 186,150; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

100% 401k match up to 6%

Comprehensive health benefits

Paid Sabbatical Program

Tuition Reimbursement

Job summary

Morningstar Credit Ratings, LLC in Chicago is seeking a Tax Manager responsible for overseeing tax accounting and compliance functions. This full-time role reports to the Director of Tax and operates in a hybrid environment. The position involves leading tax provision processes and ensuring timely tax compliance.

Candidates should have a bachelor’s degree in accounting and several years of tax experience, ideally with a Big 4 firm. The role demands strong communication skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines.

Qualifications

• 5–7 years of tax experience with a Big 4 accounting firm or large corporation.
• At least two years of experience as a people manager.

Responsibilities

• Lead the preparation and review of quarterly and annual tax provisions.
• Support external audits and tax authority inquiries.

Skills

Tax experience

People management

Communication skills

Operational efficiencies

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting

M.S. in Tax and/or CPA

Tools

Alteryx

Power BI

Tableau

Job description

Team

Morningstar is a leading global provider of independent investment insights. Our core competencies are data, research, and design, and we employ each of these to create products that clearly convey complex investment information. Our mission is to empower investor success, and everything we do at Morningstar is in the service of the investor. Morningstar’s Finance organization is a global corporate function responsible for planning, forecasting, reporting, controls, and operational finance support across the company. The tax team works closely with Accounting, Financial Reporting, FP&A, Treasury, and Legal to deliver accurate and timely tax reporting, while also supporting the business in making informed operational and strategic decisions. Additionally, while core tax leadership is based in Chicago, the tax team operates in coordination with shared‑service support teams across multiple regions. This structure requires strong cross‑regional coordination, clear process ownership, and the ability to work effectively with finance, business stakeholders, and external advisors. Morningstar’s culture emphasizes collaboration, transparency, accountability, and continuous development. Employees are encouraged to bring forward ideas, take ownership, and contribute to a team environment where voices are heard and strong performance is recognized.

The Role

In this role, you will assist the Director of Tax with the supervision and management of Morningstar’s tax accounting and compliance functions. This full‑time role reports directly to the Director of Tax and is based in Chicago. We operate in a hybrid environment where we are in‑office 4 days a week. The primary responsibilities include managing quarterly and annual tax provision processes, tax controls, review of US income tax return including book‑tax differences, forms, statements, etc. as well as process improvement initiatives.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the preparation and review of quarterly and annual tax provisions and disclosures required for the 10Q/10K reporting.
• Identify uncertain tax positions and determine the potential impact on the company’s financial statements in accordance with ASC 740.
• Lead the preparation and review of the US Income tax compliance filings and related processes, including calculation of book‑tax differences, preparation of supporting documentation, coordination with external providers, review of extensions/estimated tax payments, and return‑to‑provision activities.
• Support external audits and tax authority inquiries by preparing reconciliations, technical documentation, and other supporting materials.
• Research the applicability of any new accounting pronouncements and tax legislation and the impact to Morningstar’s tax profile.
• Assist with maintenance and compliance of key tax SOX controls.
• Lead research and implementation of US tax planning and incentive opportunities including providing tax support on legal entity changes, internal reorganizations, and other business initiatives, as needed.
• Assist with M&A activities including due diligence, purchase accounting considerations and integration.
• Identify opportunities to improve process and automate, including reducing manual effort and enhancing the overall scalability of the tax function.
• Supervise and develop junior team members, while strengthening delegation, supporting workpapers, efficiencies and execution quality across the function.
• Participate in other ad‑hoc projects as assigned.

Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree in accounting is required; tax emphasis preferred.
• M.S. in Tax and/or CPA is a preferred qualification.
• 5‑7 years of tax experience with a Big 4 accounting firm or large multi‑national publicly held corporate tax department.
• At least two years of experience as a people‑manager or in a similar supervisor capacity is required.
• ASC 740 review experience required.
• Working knowledge of tax provision software and familiarity with business intelligence tools (Alteryx, Power BI, Tableau, etc.) is preferred.
• Experience introducing operational and cost efficiencies by leveraging emerging or existing technology solutions (e.g. AI or automation).
• Ability to work well under pressure and manage multiple deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including a comfort level in communicating complex tax concepts (both internally and externally).
• Enthusiastic, self‑starter with strong work ethic and excellent organizational, prioritization, and multi‑tasking skills.

Compensation and Benefits

Compensation

• Total Cash Compensation Range $121,400.00 – $186,150.00 (inclusive of annual base salary and target incentive)

Benefits

• Financial Health
• 100% 401k match up to 6% of salary
• Company provided life insurance – 1x salary + commission
• Physical Health
• Comprehensive health benefits (medical/dental/vision) including potential premium discounts and company‑provided HSA contributions (up to $500‑$2,000 annually) for specific plans and coverages
• Wellness Incentives – up to $300‑$600 annual
• Emotional Health
• Trust‑Based Time Off
• 6‑week Paid Sabbatical Program
• 6‑Week Paid Family Caregiving Leave
• Competitive 8‑24 Week Paid Parental Leave
• Adoption Assistance
• Leadership
• Coaching & Formal Mentorship Opportunities
• Flex Stipend – $1,000 annually to cover personal education & well‑being expenses
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Social Health
• Charitable Matching Gifts program
• Dollars for Doers volunteer program
• Paid volunteering days – 15+
• Employee Resource & Affinity Groups

Equal Opportunity Statement

Morningstar is strongly committed to creating and preserving equal opportunity for all employees and applicants. We make all employment decisions—including recruitment, hiring, compensation, training, promotion, transfer, discipline, termination, and other personnel matters—without regard to race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, genetic information, citizenship, gender identity and expression, parental status, or other legally protected characteristics or conduct.