Assurance Manager - Tax & Advisory Focus

Job Description

Job Description:\n\nDescription:\n\nKeystone CPAs LLC \nLocation: Remote (U.S.) \nPreferred Location: Texas / Central Time Zone \nJob Type: Full-Time \nSalary: $135,000–$180,000 annually, depending on experience \nBonus Opportunity: Performance-based annual bonus \nCareer Path: Opportunity to advance to Senior Manager, Director, and Principal based on performance and leadership \n\nLead Assurance. Understand the Whole Client. \nAt Keystone CPAs, we believe our best professionals do more than complete engagements—they understand the client’s business and become trusted advisors. \nWe are seeking an experienced Assurance Manager with a strong understanding of tax to lead financial statement audits, reviews, compilations, and other financial reporting engagements while helping clients understand how accounting, tax, and broader business decisions fit together. \nThis is first and foremost an assurance leadership role. \nWe are not looking for a tax manager who occasionally works on financial statements. We are looking for an experienced assurance professional who can independently lead financial statement engagements, develop staff, maintain high professional standards, and communicate effectively with business owners and executives. \nAt the same time, the ideal candidate understands tax well enough to see the entire client relationship—not simply the financial statement engagement. \n\nAbout Keystone \nKeystone is a growing multidisciplinary advisory firm providing services across: \n\n Tax \n Accounting and Client Advisory Services \n CFO Advisory \n Wealth Management \n Business Brokerage and M&A Advisory \n Payroll \n Tax Planning and Consulting \n\nOur integrated approach allows our professionals to develop a deeper understanding of each client’s business and collaborate across disciplines when clients need additional expertise. \nFor an assurance professional, that means the relationship does not end when the financial statements are issued. \nYou will have the opportunity to understand the client’s tax position, business objectives, ownership issues, transactions, growth plans, and other advisory needs—and bring the appropriate Keystone professionals into the relationship when needed. \n\nAbout the Opportunity \nThe Assurance Manager will take primary responsibility for financial statement engagements from planning through completion. \nYou will work directly with clients, manage engagement teams, review workpapers and financial statements, resolve accounting and reporting issues, maintain quality and professional standards, and develop the professionals working with you. \nYou will also play an important role in strengthening and expanding Keystone’s assurance capabilities, including improving processes, engagement quality, documentation, technology, training, and consistency across the practice. \nThis role is well suited for an experienced public accounting professional who enjoys: \n\n Leading assurance engagements \n Solving accounting and financial reporting issues \n Working directly with clients \n Coaching and developing staff \n Understanding the client’s overall business \n Identifying opportunities to provide additional value \n Helping build and improve a growing practice \n\nWhat You’ll Do \nAssurance Leadership \n\n Manage financial statement audits, reviews, compilations, preparation engagements, and other financial reporting projects from planning through completion. \n Assume primary responsibility for engagement quality, execution, deadlines, and client communication. \n Review financial statements, disclosures, workpapers, and supporting documentation for accuracy, completeness, and appropriate presentation. \n Ensure engagements comply with applicable professional and financial reporting standards, including GAAS, SSARS, and U.S. GAAP. \n Identify, research, and resolve accounting and financial reporting matters. \n Communicate significant accounting, internal control, and financial reporting issues clearly to clients and team members. \n Ensure engagement documentation meets firm and professional standards. \n Work with firm leadership to continually strengthen Keystone’s assurance methodology and quality-control processes. \n\nTax Knowledge & Client Advisory \nThis is not primarily a tax-production role. However, the Assurance Manager should be sufficiently experienced in tax to understand how financial reporting and tax issues intersect. \nResponsibilities will include: \n\n Review federal and state income tax returns for business and individual clients when appropriate. \n Prepare complex returns when circumstances warrant, rather than serving primarily as a routine tax preparer. \n Identify tax issues and planning opportunities that arise through assurance and accounting engagements. \n Understand the relationship between book and tax reporting. \n Collaborate with Keystone’s tax professionals on complex tax matters. \n Help clients understand how financial reporting, tax planning, ownership decisions, transactions, and broader business decisions affect one another. \n Identify situations where other Keystone specialists can provide meaningful value to the client. \n\nWe do not expect this person to be Keystone’s most technical tax specialist. \nWe do expect this person to understand tax well enough to recognize issues, ask the right questions, communicate intelligently with clients, and coordinate with our tax professionals when deeper expertise is needed. \n\nClient Relationship Management \n\n Serve as the primary relationship manager for assigned assurance clients. \n Develop a comprehensive understanding of each client’s business, ownership structure, financial reporting needs, and objectives. \n Build trusted relationships with business owners, executives, controllers, and other client personnel. \n Establish clear expectations regarding engagement timing, responsibilities, deliverables, and deadlines. \n Communicate findings and recommendations in practical business terms. \n Be responsive and proactive in client communication. \n Look beyond the immediate engagement to identify issues and opportunities that may affect the client. \n Introduce clients to other Keystone professionals when additional tax, accounting, wealth, transaction, or advisory expertise would be beneficial. \n\nEngagement & Workflow Management \n\n Plan and manage multiple engagements while balancing deadlines, quality, profitability, and available team capacity. \n Establish engagement budgets, timelines, staffing plans, and deliverables. \n Assign work appropriately based on team member experience and development needs. \n Monitor engagement progress and address issues before they become deadline problems. \n Review staff work promptly and provide clear, actionable feedback. \n Maintain organized engagement documentation. \n Manage engagement economics, including budget-to-actual performance, realization, billing, and collections as appropriate. \n Create accountability for both quality and timely completion. \n\nTeam Leadership & Development \n\n Supervise, coach, and mentor professionals assigned to assurance engagements. \n Provide technical guidance and practical feedback. \n Help professionals understand not only what work needs to be completed, but why it matters. \n Develop staff judgment and client communication skills. \n Delegate effectively while maintaining appropriate supervision and review. \n Help identify training and development needs. \n Participate in recruiting and interviewing as the practice grows. \n Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, professional growth, and continuous improvement. \n\nPractice Development & Process Improvement \nThis position will have an opportunity to materially influence the future of Keystone’s assurance practice. \nResponsibilities will include: \n\n Help strengthen and standardize Keystone’s approach to audits, reviews, compilations, agreed-upon procedures, internal-control assessments, and special assurance projects. \n Improve engagement planning, documentation, review processes, templates, and workflows. \n Identify opportunities to use technology to improve both engagement quality and efficiency. \n Help establish consistent quality expectations across assurance engagements. \n Participate in developing internal training and professional-development programs. \n Collaborate with tax and accounting leadership to improve coordination across service lines. \n Identify opportunities for new or expanded assurance and advisory services. \n Contribute to recruiting, team development, and long-term practice growth. \n\nWhat Makes This Role Different \nMany assurance positions are structured around completing the engagement, issuing the financial statements, and moving to the next client. \nKeystone’s model is different. \nOur goal is to understand the client’s entire business and provide coordinated advice across disciplines. \nAn assurance engagement frequently provides one of the best opportunities to understand a client’s operations, financial performance, risks, ownership structure, and future plans. \nWe want an Assurance Manager who sees that broader picture. \nYou may identify a tax planning issue, a financial reporting weakness, a need for improved accounting processes, an upcoming business transaction, a succession concern, or another opportunity where Keystone can help. \nYou do not need to personally provide every service. \nYou need to recognize the issue, understand the client, and bring the right people to the table. \n\nWhat We’re Looking For \nWe are looking for an experienced public accounting professional who has built their career primarily in assurance but has retained a solid understanding of tax and the broader needs of closely held businesses and their owners. \nThe ideal candidate is technically strong but also practical. \nYou should be comfortable moving between technical accounting issues, engagement management, staff development, and direct conversations with clients. \nYou should enjoy both the technical and relationship sides of public accounting. \nMost importantly, you should want to help improve and build a practice—not simply inherit a portfolio of engagements. \n\nQualifications \nRequired \n\n Active CPA license. \n Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field, or equivalent qualifications necessary for CPA licensure. \n 6+ years of recent public accounting experience, with significant experience in assurance. \n Experience managing financial statement audits, reviews, and compilations. \n Strong knowledge of U.S. GAAP, GAAS, and SSARS. \n Experience reviewing financial statements and related workpapers. \n Demonstrated ability to research and resolve accounting and financial reporting issues. \n Experience supervising and developing professional staff. \n Experience managing client relationships and multiple concurrent engagements. \n Working knowledge of federal and state business and individual income taxation. \n Strong written and verbal communication skills. \n Ability to communicate technical accounting matters in clear, practical business terms. \n Strong organizational and project-management skills. \n\nPreferred \n\n Current or recent public accounting Manager experience. \n Experience reviewing business and individual tax returns. \n Experience with agreed-upon procedures, internal-control assessments, or other special assurance engagements. \n Experience improving assurance processes, methodologies, or engagement workflows. \n Experience participating in recruiting, training, or practice development. \n Experience working across multiple service areas within a public accounting firm. \n Experience with CCH Axcess or similar professional accounting and tax technology. \n\nCareer Growth \nWe are looking for someone who can become an important long-term leader within Keystone. \nThe immediate position is Assurance Manager, but advancement is not limited to simply managing a larger portfolio of engagements. \nStrong performers will have the opportunity to assume increasing responsibility for: \n\n Assurance practice leadership \n Staff development \n Recruiting \n Firmwide technical initiatives \n Client relationship management \n Practice growth \n New service development \n Strategic firm initiatives \n\nCareer progression may include Senior Manager, Director, and ultimately Principal for individuals who demonstrate the leadership, technical ability, client impact, team development, and business contribution required at those levels. \nAdvancement at Keystone is intended to reflect demonstrated contribution and leadership—not simply tenure. \n\nCompensation & Benefits \nBase Salary: $135,000–$180,000 annually, depending on experience and demonstrated capabilities. \nThe position also includes a performance-based annual bonus opportunity. \nKeystone offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes: \n\n Medical, dental, and vision insurance \n Company-paid life insurance \n 401(k) retirement plan with company match \n Paid Time Off and paid holidays \n Company-issued laptop and technology \n CPA licensing and professional membership reimbursement \n Continuing Professional Education support \n Leadership development and mentoring \n Opportunities for professional advancement \n Collaborative, team-oriented culture \n Direct interaction with firm leadership \n\nRemote Work \nThis is a fully remote U.S.-based position, with a preference for candidates located in Texas or the Central Time Zone. \nThe position will generally operate on Central Time business hours. However, Keystone serves clients and has team members across the country, so candidates must have reasonable flexibility to collaborate with colleagues and clients operating in both Pacific and Eastern Time Zones. \nThis does not mean routinely working from early Eastern Time through late Pacific Time. It does mean being willing to adjust your schedule when client needs, deadlines, meetings, or team collaboration require it. \nCandidates must have: \n\n Reliable high-speed internet \n Dedicated professional workspace \n Dual monitors \n Professional, camera-ready workspace for client and team meetings \n Ability to travel occasionally for client meetings, training, or firm events \n Availability during normal Central Time business hours \n Reasonable schedule flexibility to accommodate clients and team members in Pacific and Eastern Time Zones \n\nWho Should Consider This Opportunity? \nThis position may be a particularly good fit if you are currently an assurance manager in public accounting and want something broader than simply managing another portfolio of audits and reviews. \nYou may enjoy assurance but also want: \n\n More direct client relationships \n Greater involvement in advisory matters \n The ability to work across service lines \n More influence over how engagements are performed \n The opportunity to develop people \n A meaningful role in building and improving a practice \n A clearer path into firm leadership \n\nIf you are an assurance leader who understands tax, enjoys developing people, and wants to help build a growing mu