Private Client Tax Senior Manager / Director

Johnston Carmichael Chartered Accountants & Business Advisers

Join Johnston Carmichael as a Private Client Tax Senior Manager or Director and play a leading role in shaping client success, developing talented professionals, and driving the continued growth of one of the UK’s leading independent accountancy and advisory firms.

We are flexible on location, with opportunities available across Scotland or from our Newcastle office.

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A Leadership Opportunity with Real Impact

This is an outstanding opportunity for an experienced private client tax professional to step into a senior leadership position within a high-performing and award-winning tax team.

You will lead a well-established team of tax professionals at varying stages of their careers, including Assistants, Assistant Managers, Managers, and part-qualified team members. The role goes beyond portfolio management — it is about creating the right environment for people to grow, perform, and progress into the next generation of leaders.

As a Senior Manager or Director, you will combine technical excellence, people leadership, and commercial awareness to deliver exceptional outcomes for clients while supporting the strategic goals of the wider business.

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What You’ll Be Responsible For

In this role, you will take ownership of a broad and varied remit, including client service, team leadership, business development, and technical delivery.

Key responsibilities include:

• Managing a diverse portfolio of private client tax clients, ensuring the consistent delivery of a high-quality compliance service

• Building and strengthening client relationships, as well as relationships with wider professional networks, to maintain excellent service and identify further opportunities for support

• Providing high-level technical advice and tax planning support across personal tax, business tax, and capital taxes, collaborating with colleagues where needed

• Leading day-to-day team operations, helping to ensure both internal objectives and client expectations are achieved

• Supporting the leadership team in delivering strategic priorities and departmental goals

• Maintaining up-to-date technical knowledge across key tax areas to ensure advice remains current and commercially relevant

• Mentoring, coaching, and developing team members, including delegation of work, oversight of performance, and constructive feedback

• Managing the wider client engagement process, ensuring deadlines are met and the quality of service remains consistently high

• Working closely with client service teams and specialists in other disciplines to provide a joined-up and co-ordinated client experience

• Identifying opportunities to grow the department and the firm, including promoting services, sourcing new work, and progressing leads with support from senior management and business development teams

• Ensuring compliance with internal methodologies, risk standards, and external regulatory requirements

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What We’re Looking For

We are seeking a confident and accomplished tax professional with a strong technical background, excellent leadership capability, and a genuine passion for client service and people development.

You will ideally bring:

• Relevant experience in a similar senior private client tax role

• CA qualification or equivalent, with substantial post-qualified experience

• Strong technical expertise in compliance and advisory work

• The ability to deliver an exceptional standard of service to a varied client base

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and positively impact others

• High levels of accuracy and attention to detail

• A collaborative mindset, with the ability to support colleagues and contribute to the wider success of the firm

• A leadership approach that encourages development, accountability, and continuous learning

You should be someone who takes ownership of both your work and your professional growth, while helping others do the same.

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Right to Work Requirement

Candidates must have the permanent right to work in the UK without restriction.

Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this role.

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Why Join Johnston Carmichael?

At Johnston Carmichael, we help create success stories that change lives — for our clients, our communities, and our people.

With more than 900 colleagues across the UK, we support individuals and businesses across a wide range of sectors. We are also an independent member firm of Moore Global, giving our people access to a global network of expertise spanning over 114 countries.

Everything we do is guided by our core values:

• Doing The Right Thing

• Standing In Other People’s Shoes

• Leading Our Future

• Remaining Relevant

We are committed to creating a workplace where people feel heard, supported, and empowered to thrive. Through initiatives such as our People and Culture Forum, we ensure every voice matters and every individual has the chance to lead in their own way.

Our impact reaches beyond business. Over the last decade, we have raised more than £450,000 for charity and continued to strengthen our commitment to sustainable business practices. We are proud to support community initiatives as Gold sponsors of the Kiltwalk and through partnerships with Netball Scotland and England Netball.

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Why Build Your Career in Tax at JC?

The world of tax is changing rapidly. Advances in technology, evolving legislation, and increasing client expectations are creating exciting opportunities to deliver smarter, more innovative, and more valuable advice.

A career in tax at Johnston Carmichael offers variety, challenge, and the opportunity to work as part of an award-winning practice covering corporate, personal, and specialist tax services.

Our achievements include:

• Tolley’s Taxation Award 2019 – Best Tax Practice in a Regional Firm

• Tolley’s Taxation Award 2024 – Best Private Client Tax Practice

Our 2024 award recognised the team for putting clients “at the heart” of everything we do.

This is a role where you will do far more than deliver technical outputs. You will build trusted relationships, understand clients in depth, and provide advice that makes a tangible difference. With expertise across many sectors and access to a global professional network, the work is varied, meaningful, and far-reaching.

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What You Can Expect

Alongside a collaborative and supportive team environment, we offer the flexibility and development opportunities to help you build a rewarding long-term career.

Working at JC means you can expect:

• Hybrid and flexible working

• A collaborative and inclusive team culture

• A firm that values different backgrounds, perspectives, and career paths

• Support to grow your technical and leadership capability

• Access to learning and development through our JC Aspire programme

• A bespoke Leadership Development Programme, accredited by the University of Strathclyde Business School at Master’s degree level

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, regardless of heritage, ethnicity, religion, sexual identity, or gender identity. We also actively encourage applications from individuals who have taken an extended break from paid employment.

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Recruitment Agency Note

We prefer to recruit directly for our vacancies. If this role becomes available for agency release, we will contact our agency partners directly.

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Ready to Apply?

If you are ready to take the next step in your tax career and write your success story with Johnston Carmichael, we would love to hear from you.

Apply today.

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Our Commitment to Inclusion

Johnston Carmichael is committed to diversity, equality, and inclusion in the workplace.

A copy of our policy is available on request.

We also warmly welcome applications from individuals returning to work after time away from paid employment.