Lead, Tax

Kemper Corporation

Job Overview

Location

Remote-IL

Job Type

Full-time

Full Job Description

📋 Description

• Lead, Tax at Kemper Corporation is a critical role responsible for ensuring compliance with state and local tax regulations while optimizing the company’s tax position across multiple jurisdictions. This position directly supports Kemper’s mission as a leading specialized insurer by managing complex tax filings, financial reporting, and process improvements that impact the organization’s financial integrity and stakeholder trust.
• The role involves leading tax return preparation and filing, analyzing tax implications of business activities, managing tax payments, coordinating with external authorities, mentoring team members, and driving process improvement initiatives using technology and data tools to enhance efficiency and accuracy in a dynamic, matrixed environment.
• Kemper Corporation is a nationally recognized specialized insurer committed to fostering a high-performing culture, personal development, professional challenge, and work-life balance. The company values diversity, equity, and inclusion and is dedicated to making a meaningful difference in customers’ lives through innovative insurance solutions and ethical business practices.
• In this role, the individual will deepen expertise in insurance-specific tax domains such as premium and municipal taxes, gain hands-on experience with cloud-based ERP systems like Workday and tax-specific platforms like Premium Pro, and develop leadership and mentoring capabilities while contributing to process optimization and technology adoption initiatives that enhance operational excellence.
• What the person will do day to day:
• Lead and assist with the preparation, review, and filing of state and local tax returns, including premium taxes, municipal taxes, guaranty fund assessments, use taxes, property taxes, and other insurance-related filings, ensuring accuracy and compliance with evolving jurisdictional requirements.
• Assess the tax and financial statement implications of business activities, events, or proposed changes, analyzing scenarios to identify optimization opportunities and mitigate risks while aligning with corporate financial reporting standards.
• Review, prepare, and validate journal entries, perform account reconciliations, and conduct detailed tax-related analyses to support month-end, quarter-end, and year-end close processes and internal/external audits.
• Lead, coordinate, and execute tax payment processes, including scheduling, approvals, and remittance to state and local tax authorities, ensuring timely and accurate disbursement while maintaining proper documentation.
• Manage interactions with tax authorities, external auditors, and other third-party entities, serving as a primary point of contact for inquiries, audits, and correspondence, and representing Kemper professionally in all tax-related engagements.
• Creatively and regularly utilize information services, tax research databases, software tools, and internal resources to stay current on tax law changes, obtain insights, and resolve complex technical questions related to tax compliance and planning.
• Lead process improvement and technology implementation projects, evaluating current workflows, identifying inefficiencies, and driving adoption of automation or system enhancements (e.g., Workday, Alteryx, Power BI) to increase accuracy, reduce manual effort, and improve scalability.
• Mentor and develop junior team members by providing guidance on technical tax matters, sharing best practices, supporting professional growth, and fostering a collaborative, knowledge-sharing team culture.
• All bullets together should be 600 to 700 words

🎯 Requirements

• 5 years of relevant experience in an insurance company’s tax function or within a public accounting firm’s tax practice.
• Experience with Premium Taxes and with Premium Pro or equivalent tax preparation and filing systems.
• Working knowledge of cloud-based ERP environments, preferably Workday, and strong proficiency in Excel, Word, and PowerPoint for data analysis, reporting, and presentation.
• Proven ability to manage deadlines, work independently, and thrive in a fast-paced, matrixed, and change-oriented environment with strong analytic and reasoning skills to interpret tax law and make sound recommendations.
• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; experience with Alteryx and/or Power BI is a plus.

🏖️ Benefits

• Competitive salary range of $79,500–$132,900, with offers based on experience, skills, education, certifications, and geographic location.
• Eligibility for Kemper’s comprehensive benefits package, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Paid Time Off (PTO), 401(k) retirement plan, and other standard employee benefits.
• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, with a workplace culture that values equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability, or any other protected characteristic.
• Support for professional development and personal growth, aligned with Kemper’s focus on high-performing culture, meaningful work, and healthy work-life balance as motivators for employee success and engagement.

Skills & Technologies

Senior

Remote

$79k-132k

Degree Required

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Kemper Corporation

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About Kemper Corporation

Kemper Corporation is a Chicago-based diversified insurance holding company offering personal, commercial, life and health products across the United States through its subsidiaries. It provides property and casualty coverage, auto and homeowners insurance, and group life and disability benefits to individuals and businesses. The company distributes policies via independent agents, brokers and direct channels, focusing on niche markets and underserved customer segments. Kemper traces its origins to 1912 and operates through a network of regional insurers, managing claims and underwriting risk with data-driven analytics to maintain competitive pricing and service standards.

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