Manager (Accountant)

The Company A well-established chartered accounting firm based in Melbourne's southeast, known for deep roots in the local community and long-standing client relationships built over decades. This is a firm that has already done the hard part - building a loyal, high-quality client base - so you can spend your time advising, leading and growing, rather than firefighting or chasing new business from scratch. Add a genuine bayside commute, and it's a rare combination of professional substance and lifestyle. The Opportunity This is a role for someone who wants public practice on their own terms. Whether you're a Senior/Manager at a Big 4 or mid-tier firm who's tired of the bureaucracy, the internal politics, and being a small cog in someone else's machine - or you're in industry and miss the variety, technical depth and client-facing challenge of practice - this role is built to bring you back on better terms than you left. You'll step into a portfolio of loyal, established SME, family group and individual clients as their primary trusted advisor - not a inherited mess, not a rebuild job. You'll lead and mentor a team, shape how the firm adopts AI and automation, and work directly toward a genuine, structured pathway to Partnership - something few firms this size are willing to put in writing. If unpredictable overtime, empty startup equity promises, or being one of forty Managers competing for one Partner slot has worn you down, this is the refreshing alternative. Key Responsibilities • Own a portfolio of individual, SME and family group clients as their primary point of contact on tax matters • Review financial statements, tax returns and compliance work prepared by your team • Provide proactive tax planning, structuring and complex advisory support • Oversee workflow, WIP, recoverability and billing across the team • Critically review AI-generated workpapers, draft returns and correspondence before they're escalated • Lead your team's adoption of AI and automation tools, shaping the firm's AI review procedures and policy • Supervise, mentor and develop Graduate, Intermediate and Senior Accountants • Identify tax risks and opportunities, escalating complex matters to Director/Partner level • Support growth through cross-selling and external referral relationships - with existing warm relationships to lean on, not a cold-calling brief About You • CA or CPA qualified (or equivalent), with a tertiary degree in Business, Commerce or Accounting • 8+ years' experience in public practice - strong commercial/industry exposure also well regarded, especially if you're looking to return to practice • Strong technical grounding across financial accounts, income tax, BAS, PAYG and FBT • Comfortable with, or genuinely curious about, AI-assisted tools and digital practice platforms - and confident leading a team through that shift • A track record of managing people and client relationships, with real appetite for staying technically sharp • A confident communicator with strong business acumen and an understanding of the SME environment • Comfortable presenting to and advising clients directly Why This Role, Specifically • Partnership isn't a vague future promise here - it's a structured, discussed pathway • You inherit trust, not a blank page - an established, loyal client base from day one • Bayside living - swap the CBD grind for a genuinely liveable commute