Our People
From competitive dance to tax reporting, Maggie Mercer’s career did not follow a straight line. After beginning her career at Macquarie through the graduate program in Jacksonville, she shares how taking a leap, asking questions, and learning by doing helped her find confidence and direction.
For much of her life, Maggie Mercer’s focus was dance. Raised in a small town in Georgia and homeschooled to support competitive training, her days were shaped by rehearsals, travel, and competitions across the US. A career in accounting was not something she had planned.
“I never thought that I would end up in the career field that I’m in,” Maggie says. “My life revolved around dance.”
When she began studying at Georgia Southern University, Maggie enrolled as a marketing major, confident she had her next step figured out. That certainty shifted when she took her first accounting class.
What started as a required course became a turning point. Maggie changed her major in her sophomore year and committed to learning something new. Even as the coursework became more challenging, Maggie stayed dedicated to her new path.
During her junior year, Maggie attended a campus presentation where Macquarie spoke about its internship and graduate opportunities.
I’m a huge believer in everything happens for a reason,” Maggie says, “so I decided I’d apply, and we’ll just see.”
That decision brought her to Jacksonville for a tax internship in the summer of 2024 and later into Macquarie through the graduate program, where she began her career in Tax Reporting.
Part of the Financial Management, People and Engagement group, Macquarie’s Tax Reporting team supports the business by preparing internal and external tax returns and helping to ensure regulatory obligations are met. The work spans federal and state reporting, quarterly estimates, extensions, and year-end filings, working in close partnership with business teams across the US.
From the outset, Maggie was trusted with meaningful work and encouraged to learn through experience.
“I didn’t feel like an intern,” she explains. “I felt trusted with the work I was doing.”
Support was always close by, whether through her assigned buddy or the wider team. “I could walk over to our senior director and ask him a question if I needed to,” Maggie adds.
As she moved from intern to graduate and into her current role, Maggie continued to build both technical capability and confidence. Rotating across tax groups helped her understand how different entities fit together and how tax supports the broader business.
“One thing Macquarie has been very good about is saying, give it a shot,” she says. “Do what you think you know, and we can build on that, learning as you go.”
For Maggie, the work is only part of what makes the experience meaningful. The Jacksonville office, where Macquarie is celebrating ten years, has played an important role in helping her feel connected across teams and levels.
“Everyone is very good about introducing themselves,” Maggie says. “If they don’t recognize a familiar face, they’ll invite you to sit with them.”
That openness helped her build confidence early in her career.
“I have gained a lot of confidence in what I know and what I’m able to accomplish,” she says.
Now, when Maggie speaks with students considering careers in tax or finance, she is open about the uncertainty she felt at the start and how her path unfolded.
Do not be afraid to step out of your comfort zone,” Maggie says. “You don’t have to have everything figured out. Work hard and if it’s meant to work out, it will.”
Looking ahead, Maggie sees a long-term future at Macquarie, building on the foundation she established when she first joined.‑
“I love Macquarie,” she says. “It was my first real job out of college, and since my internship, I’ve had my mind set on wanting to be here for a long time.”
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