Tax Manager

Tax Manager/ Senior Tax Advisor

Chicago – Downtown | Hybrid

You’re the person clients trust with the bigger picture. But maybe you’re not quite getting enough ownership, enough planning work, or enough say in the conversations yet.

That’s where this role changes things.

This independent Chicago firm has been growing around 20 to 30% year on year and they are building their next layer of talent because of it. This is a growth hire, with a clear path for someone who wants more client ownership, more advisory work, and genuine progression.

The client base is where things get interesting.

You’ll work closely with high net worth individuals and closely held businesses, many of whom have real estate investments and property portfolios as part of their wider financial picture. This is not a real estate tax specialist role, but if you have exposure to real estate clients, investments, or property related tax matters, it will set you up well here.

The firm brings accounting, real estate, and insurance expertise together under one roof, which means clients come to you for far more than compliance. You’ll be involved in tax planning, structuring, and longer term strategy conversations with business owners and HNW individuals, helping them make smarter decisions across the full picture.

You’ll own a portfolio of individuals and small business clients, handling both compliance and advisory work. One day that could mean tax planning for a business owner, the next advising a client on the tax impact of a property investment or helping think through a longer term strategy.

You’ll also mentor junior staff who support with preparation work, while continuing to build your own client relationships and confidence leading conversations.

They are open on level, so this could suit:

• A Senior Tax Associate ready for more ownership and a step toward Manager

• A Tax Manager looking for partner track in a growing firm

What matters most is that you enjoy working with people. You’ll be in front of clients, leading conversations, building relationships, and spotting opportunities to add value beyond the return itself. The technical side matters, but how you communicate matters just as much.

The team is around 25 people. It has that smaller firm feel where people know each other, but with real momentum behind it. People take ownership, support one another, and grow with the business.

A few practical bits so you know what day to day looks like:

• Hybrid setup, three days in the downtown Chicago office and two from home

• Fridays off through the summer

• Drake and Ultra Tax

• Real estate exposure is valuable given the client base, but you do not need to be a real estate specialist

• Insurance exposure is a plus, not essential

• CPA or EA preferred, especially if progression matters to you

If you want more ownership, more planning work, and more direct involvement with clients without losing that close knit firm feel, this could be a really strong next step.

Apply now and I’ll be in touch with more information. If you don’t have an up to date resume drop me a message on Linked In or email me (Imogen Talbot Slack @ Distinct North America) and we can chat first.

Think you only have 87% of the required experience? Perfect - apply anyway. The CPA firms we partner with want diverse, interesting people, not corporate clones stamped from the same tedious mould.

Don’t overthink it. The worst outcome is a pleasant conversation about your career. The best? Well, that's where it gets rather exciting.