Tax Manager

Distinct | North America; Louisville (KY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Distinct is seeking a Senior Manager to own a client portfolio and directly engage with clients, freeing partners to focus on growth. The role emphasizes leadership, judgement over rigid processes, and a stable, independent setup with long-term client relationships.

You’ll be stepping into a team that values managers who can act with autonomy and strategic thinking, not just process adherence. Expect to manage client expectations, guide advisory work, and develop the practice with a focus on

Qualifications

• Owning a portfolio and direct client contact.
• Ability to review complex work without being buried in it.

Responsibilities

• Own a portfolio and be the primary client contact.
• Review and guide complex work to ensure quality and on-time delivery.

Job description

At the moment, too much sits with the partner.

Not because they want it that way. Because they haven’t had someone they can truly hand things over to.

Client relationships. Final decisions. The kind of work that needs experience and confidence.

They’re looking for someone who can step in and take that weight properly. Someone who can own a portfolio, deal with clients directly, and free the partner up to focus on growth instead of review queues.

That’s the real brief.

Why this isn’t just another manager role

Some firms sell progression.

This one quietly builds it.

You’re not stepping into a machine that measures you by how many returns you push through.

You’re stepping into a team that:

• Trusts its people to manage their own clients
• Values judgement over process for the sake of it
• Lets managers actually be managers

And importantly, it’s still independent.

No outside investors. No pressure to hit artificial growth targets. No sudden shifts in direction because someone external decided margins matter more than people.

Decisions stay close to the work.

Which changes everything.

What the work feels like day to day

You’re not waiting until the end of a job to review it.

You’re in it early.

Talking to clients. Spotting opportunities. Shaping the work as it develops.

The client base is long standing. Which means:

• Conversations are easier
• Trust already exists
• Advisory work happens naturally, not forced

It’s the kind of setup where tax becomes more interesting over time, not repetitive.

What you’d actually be doing

• Owning a portfolio and being the person clients rely on
• Reviewing complex work without being buried in it

  The part most firms undersell

  Let’s talk about what your life actually looks like here.

  Because that’s usually the deciding factor.

  Time off that feels like time off

  • 3 to 4 weeks vacation depending on where you are in your career
  • Increases with tenure
  • Proper structure around it so you can actually take it

  After busy season, things ease off properly

  • Friday afternoons back
  • Not as a gimmick. As a reset

  Benefits that cover real life

  • Long term support if things don’t go to plan
  • Additional options if you want to tailor things

  The environment you’re walking into

  Two offices. Not a corporate sprawl.

  A team where:

  • People join early and stay
  • Some have been there decades
  • Knowledge is shared, not protected

  It’s family oriented without forcing the word "family" into every sentence.

  More importantly, it’s stable.

  No revolving door. No constant restructuring.

  Just a well run firm that knows what it is and has no interest in becoming something it’s not.

  Who this tends to suit

  Someone who’s ready to step up, but doesn’t want to lose themselves in the process.

  You’ll probably recognise yourself here:

  • You want to lead, not just review
  • You enjoy working directly with clients
  • You’re tired of environments that feel like a race with no finish line
  • You want progression, but not at the cost of everything else

  For a lot of people, this move feels like stepping out of the noise, not into more of it.

  Where it leads

  Yes, Senior Manager is the next step.

  But more importantly:

  You become trusted.

  By clients. By leadership. By the team around you.

  And that kind of position tends to create options, not just promotions.

  Outside of work, balance for me is Pilates to reset, travel to explore, and skiing to recharge. Because the truth is, you don’t slog through hours for the love of a spreadsheet. You do it for the freedom it buys you. Same principle here.