Senior Tax Manager

SteelPeak is a growing financial services firm bringing tax consulting, tax preparation, and wealth management together to provide clients with a more connected approach to their financial lives.

Approximately two years ago, SteelPeak acquired a well-established Santa Barbara CPA firm that had served individuals, families, and businesses in the community for more than 45 years. Today, those clients continue to work with many of the same trusted professionals in our Santa Barbara office, while benefiting from the broader resources and services available through SteelPeak.

Our tax clients continue to receive the personal attention and long-term relationships they have come to expect. For clients who also choose to work closely with SteelPeak Wealth, our tax and wealth teams can coordinate more closely, connecting tax considerations with investment, retirement, and broader financial planning - all within one organization.

We are continuing to grow our Santa Barbara tax practice and are looking for an experienced tax professional who values strong client relationships, technical quality, teamwork, and a collaborative work environment.

Position Overview

The Senior Tax Manager – Review & Client Services will be a senior member of our Tax Consulting team, with primary responsibility for reviewing individual, business, trust, and estate tax returns, and helping ensure the quality and timely completion of client work.

This position will work closely with our Director of Tax Consulting, tax professionals, preparers, and Tax Operations team to manage the review process, resolve technical questions, and keep returns moving efficiently through completion.

This is an in-office position based in Santa Barbara. Because of the leadership, collaboration, and client-facing responsibilities of the role, we are looking for someone who wants to be an active part of the day-to-day team. Limited remote flexibility may be available when appropriate, but this is not intended to be a remote or hybrid position.

Key Responsibilities

• Review federal and state individual, partnership, S corporation, C corporation, trust, and estate tax returns.
• Provide technical guidance and support to tax preparers and senior staff.
• Identify and resolve technical and preparation issues during the review process.
• Assist the Director of Tax Consulting with final reviews, workflow, and filing deadlines.
• Sign appropriate tax returns as assigned, particularly less complex returns.
• Communicate directly with clients regarding tax return questions, information needs, and filing matters.
• Develop and maintain strong, long-term client relationships.
• Assist with tax planning and projections as appropriate.
• Coordinate with SteelPeak Wealth professionals when shared clients would benefit from collaboration between the tax and wealth teams.
• Help improve tax preparation, review, workflow, documentation, and quality-control processes.
• Mentor and support developing tax professionals.
• Work closely with Tax Operations and Administration to monitor workflows, deadlines, and client service priorities.

Qualifications

• Active CPA license required.
• 12-15+ years of public accounting and tax experience, including significant tax preparation, review, and client service experience.
• Strong technical knowledge of individual, business, trust, and estate taxation.
• Significant experience reviewing federal and multi-state tax returns.
• Ability to independently review returns, identify issues, and work with staff to resolve them.
• Strong client communication and relationship-management skills, with experience developing and maintaining long-term client relationships.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines during peak tax periods.
• Strong leadership and mentoring skills.
• Collaborative working style and ability to work effectively with tax leadership, Tax Operations, preparers, administrative staff, and wealth management professionals.
• Ability and willingness to work primarily in person from our Santa Barbara office.

Technology

Strong working knowledge of CCH Axcess Tax and CCH Engagement is important for this role.

Our tax practice also utilizes:

• CCH Scan and AutoFlow
• CCH Fixed Assets
• ProSystem fx Tax Planning
• QuickBooks
• Canopy Tax - practice management
• Rightworks cloud-hosted environment

Familiarity with these or similar tax, accounting, and practice management systems is beneficial.

Why Join SteelPeak?

• Join a growing firm where your contributions are visible and valued.
• Be part of an experienced, collaborative tax team with longstanding client relationships in the Santa Barbara community.
• Opportunity to work within an integrated tax and wealth management firm, with broader resources available to support clients.
• Comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) with company match.

We are an equal opportunity employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.

We provide reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable law.

As part of our hiring process, we may use technology, including artificial intelligence tools, to assist with tasks such as job description development and candidate evaluation. All final employment decisions are made by our team and comply with applicable equal employment opportunity laws.