Director, Tax

COMPANY OVERVIEW

Cercano Management LLC (“Cercano”) is a multi-family office that provides investment advisory services, including access to a range of alternative investment funds, while also offering clients a comprehensive suite of family office services.​ Cercano is based in Bellevue, WA, with offices in Minneapolis, MN, and Singapore. Cercano invests globally for its clients, commonly operating as the family office Chief Investment Officer. The team has extensive experience in direct investing in all stages of venture capital, private equity, private credit, and public equities on a global basis.

At Cercano, we focus on delivering to a select group of families, a client experience informed by the heritage, discretion, investment access, and alignment commonly associated with a single-family office. We dedicate ourselves to understanding each family’s objectives and values and to developing customized, holistic solutions that support long-term growth and generational wealth preservation. Our goal is to serve as a trusted partner by offering services at the intersection of institutional investment management, alternative investment funds, operational capabilities, and family office services.​

POSITION MISSION

The Director, Tax is a senior tax professional responsible for supporting the Managing Director, Tax in delivering investment-focused tax leadership across Cercano's platform. This individual will serve as a key technical resource on transaction review, structuring, compliance oversight, and documentation across all investment strategies. The Director, Tax will independently manage complex tax matters and partner closely with internal and external stakeholders while escalating significant technical, policy, and strategic issues to the Managing Director, Tax. The role requires strong technical expertise, sound judgment, and a hands-on approach in a fast-paced environment.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Transaction Due Diligence and Structuring:

• Support tax review of investment transactions across all strategies, including private equity, private credit, venture capital, and family/foundation structures.
• Implement structuring, as needed, for US taxable investors, US tax-exempt investors, and foreign investors to mitigate negative tax implications.
• Partner with Legal on review and negotiation of fund and investments documents (e.g., LPAs, LLC agreements, subscription agreements, side letters, credit agreements, and other transaction documents).
• Assist with the preparation and maintenance of written tax analyses, transaction memoranda, and internal guidance documenting tax positions, assumptions, and materiality thresholds.
• Independently identify tax risks, structuring opportunities, elections, and compliance considerations at the transaction stage.

Compliance and Reporting:

• Oversee the entire federal, state, and international tax compliance process across all funds including preparation of estimates, review of tax returns, and managing tax distributions.
• Assist with tax planning and forecasting of each clients’ taxable income position.
• Communicate relevant tax developments to the Investment team, the Managing Director of Tax, and the company as a whole.
• Assist with the defense of all tax positions taken on the tax returns. Including establishing strategic and tactical positions on all tax audits, negotiate with Internal Revenue Service personnel and state and local tax personnel, and develop a strategy for responses to all requests for tax information from federal, foreign, state and local tax authorities.
• Provide exceptional client service to all clients including regular communication on estimated taxable income, timely providing annual tax reporting information and updates on relevant tax developments impacting investment entities.

Investment Tax Advisory:

• Serve as a trusted tax advisor to the Investment team, proactively communicating tax considerations related to acquisitions, restructurings, dispositions, and liquidity events.
• Monitor and interpret tax law developments and translate them into practical guidance for internal stakeholders.
• Support structuring and review of complex partnership allocations, waterfalls (American and European), and carried interest arrangements.
• Partner with the portfolio managers and external advisors to identify tax planning opportunities for families, foundations, and related entities, aligning tax planning with investment strategy and governance objectives.

Leadership and Process Improvement:

• Lead significant tax projects and workstreams with a high degree of independence while providing regular updates and recommendations to the Managing Director, Tax.
• Assist in developing and enhancing tax processes, controls, documentation standards, and technology solutions to support scalability and risk management.
• Support the Managing Director, Tax in overseeing relationships with external tax advisors, service providers, and taxing authorities.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Knowledge, experience, skill, and/or ability

Required

• Excellent organizational, writing, and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to independently evaluate, document, and support tax positions for complex investment transactions for domestic, foreign, and tax-exempt investors.
• Exposure to US and foreign investments and structuring options to minimize tax implications.
• Deep technical knowledge of tax issues related to venture capital, private equity, private credit, and fund of funds investments; including both domestic and international.
• Highly organized and detail oriented and an ability to work both collaboratively and independently.
• Strong communicator who can simplify complex tax concepts when communicating to individuals outside of the tax team.
• Ability to establish strong and effective working relationships throughout operational groups and with external stakeholders.
• Team player; flexible to learn other responsibilities and adapt to client needs.
• Ability to work with confidential data, maintain discretion and demonstrate trustworthiness that the data will be secure and private.

Preferred

• Experience with ultra-high net worth family offices and private foundations, including self-dealing, excess business holdings, UBTI and related excise tax regimes.

Experience | Education | Certifications

• B.A. or B.S. in Accounting, Finance or equivalent from accredited institution
• An advanced degree in taxation or related field preferred
• Minimum of 8 years of relevant industry experience in tax, public accounting preferred
• CPA required

SALARY RANGE:  $178,550 to $239,260 annually, with a target hiring range of $225,000 based on experience, qualifications, and job-related factors.

SALARY DETAILS:

Pay will be based on multiple factors, including, and not limited to location, relevant experience/level and skillset while balancing internal equity. Our discretionary bonus program is in addition to the base compensation range listed above. Cercano is committed to fair, unbiased compensation along with competitive benefits in all locations in which we operate.

TOTAL REWARDS:

Cercano offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental and vision insurance, Health Savings Account with generous annual employer contribution, Flexible Spending Accounts for health and dependent care, vacation and sick time off, paid holidays, paid parental leave, and the opportunity to participate in a 401(k) plan with a generous employer match of 50% of your own contributions up to the standard annual IRS limit, company paid life insurance, and a Health and Wellness Benefit.  Employees are also eligible for reimbursement for approved professional development activities. 

Cercano Management LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Every qualified applicant will be considered for employment. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, sex, disability, political ideology, or veteran status, or other protected class.