Senior Tax Manager

Our client is a full-service accounting and tax firm based in Westlake Village, CA, serving individuals and businesses across Southern California. They provide income tax preparation and planning, estate and gift tax planning, bookkeeping, payroll, financial planning, and outsourced accounting services. Our mission is to empower clients to make sound financial decisions and achieve long-term financial security.

As they continue to grow, we are seeking an experienced Senior Tax Manager to join our close-knit team of 12 professionals and serve as a cornerstone of our tax practice.

Position Overview

The Senior Tax Manager is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing the preparation and review of complex tax returns across a diverse client base, including high-net-worth individuals, trusts, estates, and business entities. Reporting directly to the managing partner, this individual will bring deep technical expertise, strong client relationship skills, and the professional maturity to operate independently while mentoring junior staff. The ideal candidate has meaningfully more experience than a senior associate — they have led engagements, owned client relationships, and consistently demonstrated sound judgment on complex compliance and planning matters.

Key Responsibilities

• Review and sign off on complex Federal and multi-state tax returns for high-net-worth individuals (Form 1040), trusts and estates (Form 1041), S-Corporations (Form 1120‑S), C-Corporations (Form 1120), and partnerships (Form 1065).
• Lead tax planning engagements, proactively identifying tax‑saving opportunities and advising clients on income tax, estate and gift tax, and business structuring strategies.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for a defined book of clients, managing relationships with professionalism and a consultative approach.
• Oversee and resolve complex IRS and state tax notices, drafting technical responses and communicating with taxing authorities on behalf of clients.
• Supervise and mentor junior and mid‑level tax staff, providing technical guidance, reviewing their work product, and supporting their professional development.
• Manage engagement workflow and deadlines, ensuring timely and accurate filings across the tax calendar.
• Stay current on federal and state tax law changes, assess their impact on clients, and communicate relevant updates to the team and client base.
• Collaborate with partners on practice development, process improvements, and firm‑wide initiatives.
• Support estate and gift tax planning engagements in coordination with attorneys and financial advisors.

Qualifications

Required

• Licensed CPA (active and in good standing) — required.
• 10+ years of progressive tax experience in public accounting, with a demonstrated track record of managing complex engagements end‑to‑end.
• Proven experience reviewing and signing off on Federal and multi‑state returns across multiple entity types (individuals, trusts, partnerships, corporations).
• Deep knowledge of individual, trust, estate, and business tax compliance and planning.
• Experience managing client relationships directly and communicating complex tax matters in clear, accessible terms.
• Supervisory experience — has led, coached, or mentored tax staff and taken ownership of team output.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound professional judgment, and manage competing deadlines with minimal oversight.
• Proficiency with professional tax software (CCH, Thomson Reuters, or equivalent) and Microsoft Excel.

Preferred

• Experience in a small‑to‑mid‑size public accounting firm serving a high‑net‑worth or private client base.
• Familiarity with estate and gift tax planning (Form 709) and trust administration.
• Exposure to international tax compliance (Forms 5471, 8858, GILTI, Subpart F).
• Experience with QuickBooks Online or similar accounting platforms.
• Strong working knowledge of California state tax rules and FTB processes.

What We Offer

• Competitive compensation of $155,000 – $180,000, commensurate with experience.
• Direct access to firm leadership and meaningful input into practice direction.
• A collaborative, low‑bureaucracy environment where your expertise is trusted and valued.
• Stable, established client base with opportunities to grow client relationships over time.
• Work alongside a supportive team of professionals in a professional office setting in Westlake Village.

About The Agency Recruiting

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