Tax Manager

Aardvark Tax Advisors is a full-service tax, accounting, and advisory firm  serving small businesses and entrepreneurs. We’re the accounting and client services practice of Cynch AI.

We’re growing fast.  As the accounting profession faces a growing succession challenge, we’re partnering with retiring practitioners and thoughtfully bringing their clients into Aardvark, preserving the trusted relationships and personal service those clients value.

We use proprietary AI to amplify your expertise while always deferring to your judgment.  By shifting routine work to AI, Cynch’s platform gives our accounting and tax teams more time for complex problem-solving, proactive planning, and building client relationships that last.

We’re looking for a Tax Manager to own complex engagements, lead a team, and elevate the quality bar.  That means working across entity types, acting as a trusted advisor, and developing the people doing the work.

This role can be based in our Pleasanton , Cupertino , or Santa Cruz offices, with additional work locations possible in the North Bay.

What You’ll Do

Client Relationships & Tax Delivery

• Manage client relationships across tax planning, compliance, and consulting, serving as a primary point of contact and helping clients navigate complex tax questions.
• Review complex returns for corporations, partnerships, individuals, trusts, and estates across federal, state, and local jurisdictions.
• Deliver tax planning that goes beyond compliance; identify tax-saving opportunities, develop tax-efficient strategies, and advise clients on the impact of legislative changes.
• Stay current on legislative changes and translate them into specific, actionable guidance for clients.
• Maintain a high standard of accuracy and quality across client deliverables.

Team Leadership

• Manage, mentor, and develop tax professionals, providing clear expectations, practical feedback, and support.
• Review work, help team members strengthen their technical skills, and identify recurring knowledge or process gaps.
• Help manage workloads and priorities during busy periods to keep engagements moving and deadlines on track.

Practice Development & Quality

• Identify opportunities to expand services with existing clients where the value is real.
• Help identify and manage tax risk for the practice and for clients, ensuring positions are well-supported and defensible.
• Contribute to improvements in tax processes, documentation, and quality standards.

Requirements

Core Qualifications

• Active CPA or EA required.
• 5+ years in public accounting or tax, with strong experience in compliance, planning, and advisory across individuals, partnerships, and small-business entities.
• Experience reviewing the work of other tax professionals and helping develop less-experienced team members.
• Strong technical knowledge of federal, state, and local tax regulations, including complex returns and multi-entity planning.
• Direct client relationship experience. You’ve managed multiple engagements, balanced competing deadlines, and kept clients informed.
• Proficiency in professional tax software such as UltraTax, CCH Axcess, Lacerte, or similar.

Helpful Additions

• Experience taking over and maintaining client relationships through practice transitions.
• Experience identifying opportunities to expand client relationships or introduce additional services.

Salary Range: $140,000 to $170,000

Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
• Short Term & Long Term Disability
• Work From Home (Hybrid)
• Stock Option Plan