Tax Manager

It's not every day you come across an accounting firm that's brought in an independent consultant to look at how happy their employees are, how many hours they're working and why people stay.

But that's exactly what this firm did.

I'm working with a well established, mid sized CPA firm in Glenview that's put a lot of thought into the kind of place they want to be, and more importantly, what it's actually like for the people working there.

The results were pretty encouraging.

Busy season typically sits around 55 to 60 hours, dropping to 40 to 45 outside of peak periods. They've also got one of the lowest turnover rates in their market, with plenty of people choosing to build long term careers there.

They're now looking for a Tax Manager to join the team, following continued growth and internal promotions.

A few other things I particularly like about this firm:

• Unlimited PTO
• No minimum billable hour targets
• 401(k) with a $500 firm match
• Healthcare with an $800 employer contribution, plus dental and vision
• Flexibility around working hours and the occasional need to work from home
• A team where people help each other out when things get busy

And what about the work itself?

There's quite a bit of flexibility here depending on what you enjoy and where you'd like to develop.

The firm has a strong high net worth and trusts and estates practice, including a close relationship with a family office. So if that's an area you're interested in, there's plenty of opportunity to specialise.

Equally, if you prefer a broader mix of business tax, they work with partnerships, real estate, construction, restaurants and privately owned businesses.

You'll get involved in reviewing returns, managing client relationships and overseeing junior staff, with the freedom to take ownership of your work without someone constantly looking over your shoulder.

And if you've been hoping to move into more advisory work and build closer relationships with clients, this could be a good opportunity to do that.

Who would this suit?

Someone who's already operating at a Manager level in public accounting and wants to keep progressing.

You might have a strong background in HNW individuals and trusts, or you might be more of a generalist who's worked with a mixture of individuals and businesses.

They're open to CPAs and EAs, including people working towards their qualifications, and they're happy to consider different backgrounds.

The team generally works from the office three to four days a week, as they place quite a bit of importance on people learning from one another and working together. That said, they're sensible about flexibility when life gets in the way.

One thing I think is worth mentioning is that this isn't a replacement hire. The firm has continued to grow, people have been promoted internally, and they've reached a point where they need someone else to come in and take ownership of client relationships.

Which is always a nice reason for a vacancy to come about.

If you're looking for somewhere you can have more autonomy, work with interesting clients, and build a long-term career without feeling like every busy season needs to be a test of endurance, I'd be happy to tell you more.

If you're just browsing the job boards and haven't dusted off your resume yet, that's not a problem. Or if it's easier, send me a connection request or message, and we'll pick it up from there.

If you've read this advert and aren't sure whether you have every bit of experience they're looking for, I'd still encourage you to apply. We work with CPA firms across the US that are committed to building diverse, inclusive and equitable workplaces, and if this isn't quite the right fit, there's every chance I'll know one that is.