Tax Manager

Job Description Tax Manager Fairfax, VA $125,000 - $160,000 + bonus Most Tax Managers don't leave because they want a different title. They leave because they want a different experience. By the time you've reached Manager level, you've already spent years building technical expertise, managing client relationships, and helping teams navigate busy seasons. The question becomes whether the firm around you is helping you grow or simply asking you to carry more weight. For some people, that's more exposure to advisory work. For others, it's better clients, better leadership, or simply a clearer sense of where the next five years could take them. This opportunity tends to attract people looking for all three. The firm has grown into one of the most respected advisory and accounting businesses in the region by balancing something that many firms struggle with. Scale and accessibility. Large enough to offer sophisticated clients, strong resources, and genuine career opportunities. Small enough that good people still get noticed. Why they're hiring This role exists because the firm continues to grow. Not through acquisition headlines or aggressive expansion plans. Through client demand. The tax practice has developed a strong reputation for helping privately owned businesses and individuals navigate increasingly complex tax situations, and that growth creates opportunities for experienced Managers to step into meaningful leadership positions. They don't need another reviewer. They need someone who can build relationships. Someone who can mentor staff. Someone who can become a trusted advisor to clients rather than simply the person who signs off on the return. The best Managers tend to enjoy both sides of the role. The technical side and the people side. That's exactly what they're looking for. What the role actually looks like The client portfolio is broad enough to keep things interesting and substantial enough to challenge even experienced professionals. You'll work with: Privately owned businesses Multi entity groups Real estate clients Professional service firms High net worth individuals Growing middle market organisations The variety means you're constantly learning. One week could involve helping a business owner navigate a complex planning opportunity. The next might involve reviewing a significant engagement, developing a member of the team, or working alongside leadership on a client strategy discussion. This is not a role where you're hidden behind a review queue. Visibility comes naturally because of the level you're operating at. Why people tend to join A lot of candidates coming into conversations about this role are leaving one of two environments. Either they're coming from a smaller firm and looking for bigger opportunities. Or they're coming from a larger firm and looking for less bureaucracy. This opportunity tends to sit comfortably between those two extremes. You get the infrastructure, resources, training, and client exposure that come with a larger organisation. But you don't lose the ability to influence decisions or build meaningful relationships internally. The hybrid setup reflects that balance as well. People collaborate because there's value in working together, not because someone is monitoring attendance reports. The expectation is simple. Do good work. Support your clients. Support your team. Everything else tends to follow naturally. What progression actually looks like One of the advantages of joining a growing firm is that opportunities don't need to be manufactured. They appear naturally. The leadership team invests heavily in development, and there are multiple examples of people progressing through the business rather than being hired externally into senior positions. That matters. It demonstrates that the path is real. Whether your ambition is Senior Manager, Director, business development leadership, or becoming the person clients immediately ask for by name, there's room to build towards it. The firm is large enough to offer options. And flexible enough not to force everybody down the same path. The culture in practice Culture is easy to talk about. It's harder to define. In this case, it looks like a firm where people stay. A firm where training isn't reserved for junior staff. A firm where leadership remains accessible regardless of title. And a firm where success isn't measured purely by hours worked. People work hard here. But there's a noticeable absence of the burnout culture that pushes so many experienced professionals to look elsewhere. The environment feels ambitious without becoming exhausting. That's a surprisingly rare balance. Who tends to thrive here? Usually someone who enjoys being involved. Someone who likes helping clients solve problems rather than simply delivering compliance work. Someone who enjoys developing people, building relationships, and becoming an important part of the firm's future. Most importantly, someone who wants their next move to be meaningful. Not just another line on a resume. Because whilst the firm is hiring a Tax Manager today, they're really looking for someone who could become a significant part of the business tomorrow. Not ready with a resume? Or want a bit more information before applying? That's fine. Apply the old-fashioned way, or simply reach out to me on LinkedIn or through the Distinct Recruitment website. I'll happily talk you through the role, the firm, and where it could take you before you make any commitments. I'm Abigail Stephen, Recruiter at Distinct. I don't just look at job specs; I look at people, and where they'll thrive. It's not about filling gaps. It's about finding a fit that lasts. 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.