Head of Tax Operations

About Aardvark Tax Advisors Aardvark Tax Advisors is an AI-native tax, accounting, and advisory firm that combines startup speed with enterprise-grade rigor. We are the accounting and client services arm of Cynch AI, the platform democratizing access to financial expertise for small businesses and entrepreneurs. The Opportunity This is a builder role. We’re looking for a senior leader who brings out the best in people, loves to roll up their sleeves and dive into the work, sees gaps in their own process as tremendous opportunities, and has the gravitas to walk into a room and radiate leadership. This role flies at multiple altitudes, from reviewing select returns and communicating outcomes to clients, to designing the workflows and systems that make consistent, high-quality delivery possible at scale. What You’ll DoOwn the Delivery Process Diagnose why work comes back from reviewers, and work with technology, tax, and product partners to fix it Translate operational friction into platform improvements that deliver measurable results Continuously train the team so issues are non-repeating Reduce reviewer time spent cleaning up prep work Drive Practice Innovation and Growth Partner with the Tax & Accounting Leader to hire, develop, and manage a high-performing team delivering tax and accounting services to a diverse client base Help shape how we work by contributing to the automation tools, planning systems, and technology behind our AI-native approach to tax and accounting Design and implement scalable workflows that reduce variability, improve quality, and enable team leverage Identify breakdowns in current processes and rebuild them into repeatable systems Translate complex tax work into standardized, auditable workflows Contribute to firm strategy around client experience and how we scale service delivery Own Client and Internal Relationships Serve as a strategic advisor to internal teams, bringing tax and advisory expertise that helps shape how we serve clients at scale Personally review a select group of returns and communicate outcomes directly to clients Build internal and external relationships that are genuinely personal, with deep understanding of each team’s work, each client’s goals, and the history behind both About You You’re motivated to build a firm that can scale rapidly, where quality, consistency, and client experience improve as we grow. Core Qualifications CPA or EA (active or willing to reactivate) Tax experience: at least 5 years in tax practice along with 5 years in operations or leadership Working knowledge across individual, partnership, and corporate tax. Must be able to assemble a trial balance, work a P&L and balance sheet, handle tax adjustments, and roll retained earnings. Exposure required, depth is not Experience managing teams with a track record of developing, redirecting, and making hard calls on talent Process improvements with measurable outcomes. Come to the table with specific before-and-after results Practical systems thinking: able to identify workflow breakdowns and specify what tooling or process change would resolve them; architect-level technical depth is not required Basic AI familiarity required: you’ve used AI tools in one form or another, and are curious about using more Leadership & Work Style Natural team leader who builds high-performing teams and establishes culture and expectations in newly acquired practices Communicator: surfaces feedback, stuck points, and optimization opportunities across clients, internal teams, and technology partners to continuously improve the work Self-directed: makes sound decisions in a fast-moving environment where processes are still being built Has a motor: doesn't wait for a playbook to exist before taking action Presence: commands a room and earns trust without leaning on a title or credential Coachable: sees gaps in their own knowledge as opportunities and closes them Why Join Us We're building something new: a tax firm with the rigor of a traditional practice and the infrastructure of a modern AI company. This role sits at the intersection of delivery and strategy, and will shape the future of the company for years to come. Work with proprietary AI systems that automate the most error-prone parts of tax preparation and reporting, freeing up time to focus on the operational judgment calls and client relationships that matter most Join a small, senior team with direct access to company leadership: your decisions shape how we grow, how we serve clients, and how we build the practice Solve a real, industry-wide problem: millions of small businesses are losing their trusted advisors Neuro-symbolic AI with purpose: our AI creates auditable, repeatable, and explainable results Help define how a modern, AI-native tax firm operates at scale Career opportunities grow with the firm, and we’re growing fast Work Environment Hybrid based in Cupertino or Pleasanton, CA (3+ days/week in office) Occasional extended hours during peak periods; occasional local travel California Salary Range: $195,000 – 265,000 Medical, Dental, Vision, 401k (with match), Life, LTD