Tax Director

ABOUT THIS ROLE

Apex is seeking a highly qualified Tax Director to serve as the primary tax resource. This person will own the full scope of tax compliance and reporting for a significant financial services entity, while partnering closely with the group-level Head of Tax on strategic planning, cross-entity matters, and key initiatives. The Director will be responsible for ensuring compliance with ASC 740, supporting tax planning efforts, contributing to M&A activity, and optimizing federal and state tax positions to achieve the company’s financial objectives.

The ideal candidate is a seasoned tax accountant who thrives as a hands‑on owner of the compliance and reporting function, brings deep expertise in corporate and partnership taxation, and has the experience and judgment to operate independently on day‑to‑day tax matters while collaborating with the Head of Tax on strategic decisions. This role is hybrid and can be based out of our Chicago office.

• Own all aspects of federal, state, and international tax compliance, including the preparation, review, and timely filing of corporate income tax returns, partnership returns, and related schedules.
• Prepare and review income tax provisions in accordance with ASC 740, ensuring accuracy and compliance with quarterly and annual reporting requirements.
• Develop and maintain tax compliance processes and calendars to meet all filing deadlines, estimated payment obligations, and regulatory mandates.
• Manage federal and state tax audits, including preparation of responses, coordination with taxing authorities, and resolution of open matters.

• Work with the Head of Tax to develop and execute tax planning strategies that optimize the company’s tax structure, reduce risk, and maximize tax efficiencies across corporate and pass‑through entities.
• Analyze the tax implications of new business initiatives, entity structuring decisions, intercompany transactions, and expansion into new jurisdictions, surfacing findings and recommendations to the Head of Tax.
• Monitor new tax laws, regulations, and proposed legislation, and collaborate with the Head of Tax to assess potential opportunities or risks for the business.
• Own the cash tax forecast and coordinate with Finance and Treasury on estimated tax payments and overall tax cash flow planning.

• Support the tax workstream on M&A transactions, including structuring analysis, due diligence, and modeling of tax impacts.
• Evaluate and mitigate tax risks related to acquisitions and mergers, coordinating with internal stakeholders and external advisors to ensure effective execution.
• Assist with post‑acquisition integration of acquired entities into the existing tax compliance and reporting infrastructure.

• Leverage One Source or similar tax technology platforms to streamline compliance and reporting activities.
• Identify and implement process improvements, automation opportunities, and technology tools to improve efficiency, accuracy, and scalability of the tax function.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for all tax matters within the entity, partnering with Accounting, Finance, Legal, and business teams to ensure tax considerations are integrated into business decisions.
• Work closely with the Head of Tax on cross‑entity matters, consolidated reporting, group‑wide tax initiatives, and overall tax strategy for the organization.
• Manage relationships with external tax advisors, co‑sourcers, and outside counsel, including scope, deliverable quality, and budget oversight.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Taxation, or a related field; CPA and/or MST strongly preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive corporate tax experience, with a meaningful mix of public accounting and in‑house corporate roles.
• Strong expertise in ASC 740, corporate federal and state income tax compliance, and tax planning.
• Financial services or fintech industry experience strongly preferred.
• Experience with partnership taxation and familiarity with the tax treatment of financial…