Director of Valuations

Overview

The organization is seeking an experienced valuation professional to help develop a new valuation practice focused on estate and gift tax planning and wealth transfers. The initial focus is fair market value of closely held businesses and family LLC and partnership interests, including well-supported discounts for lack of control and lack of marketability.

This is a senior, hands-on role involving leadership of valuation engagements and close collaboration with estate-planning attorneys and tax advisers.

Responsibilities

• Lead estate and gift tax valuations of closely held operating businesses, family holding entities, and noncontrolling ownership interests.
• Address entities holding marketable securities, real estate, and private business interests; coordinate with asset specialists when needed.
• Define the interest being valued, valuation date, purpose, scope, and information requirements.
• Review financial statements, tax returns, ownership records, and operating or partnership agreements; follow up on missing or inconsistent information.
• Select and apply appropriate income, market, and asset-based valuation approaches.
• Develop and analyze financial adjustments, cash flow assumptions, discount and capitalization rates, comparable analyses, and reconcile value using reasoned conclusions.
• Develop and document fact-specific lack-of-control and lack-of-marketability analyses.
  • Assess economic rights, governance, distributions, liquidity, and relevant restrictions with counsel as needed.
  • Select supporting evidence and avoid double counting adjustments.
• Prepare clear, defensible reports and workpapers under applicable professional standards.
• Own valuation conclusions and final professional sign-off.
• Explain analysis to clients, advisers, reviewers, and taxing authorities when needed.
• Establish engagement, documentation, quality-control, and review procedures.
• Manage deadlines and communicate scope, information needs, and progress to clients and their advisers.
• Help select valuation software and research data; build repeatable workflows.
• Use automation and AI thoughtfully; maintain confidentiality, verify outputs, and retain professional responsibility for final work.
• Assist with staffing and training as the practice develops; coach team members on analysis, report writing, and professional judgment.

Requirements

• Ideally 5–10 years of relevant business valuation experience, including substantial direct estate and gift tax work.
• Proven ability to independently lead valuations of family entities and noncontrolling interests from intake through report issuance.
• Deep practical experience developing and defending discounts for lack of control and lack of marketability, including the judgment to determine when a discount is appropriate and how to support it.
• Current ABV, ASA in Business Valuation, or CVA credential in good standing.
• CPA qualification is helpful, but direct valuation expertise is essential.
• Strong command of fair market value principles, relevant tax valuation guidance, and applicable professional standards (including AICPA, ASA, NACVA, or USPAP requirements as applicable).
• Strong financial modeling and research skills, with careful documentation.
• Ability to write reports that make assumptions, methods, and conclusions easy to follow.
• Ability to work directly with attorneys, CPAs, business owners, and families; explain technical issues plainly; protect confidential information.
• Judgment to maintain objectivity, raise concerns early, and support conclusions with evidence.
• Comfort with detailed analytical work while helping build a new practice.

Preferred Qualifications / Additional experience we value

• Experience responding to IRS valuation questions.
• Experience supporting counsel in valuation disputes.
• Experience reviewing other professionals' work.
• Experience developing a valuation team.
• Familiarity with valuation software and data platforms.
• Experience improving workflows.

Compensation & Benefits

• $160,000–$180,000 annual base salary
• 15% target bonus
• Equity in a private equity-backed company
• 401k with competitive matching
• Health insurance
• Paid-time off
• Flexible hours

Location

Not specified in the provided description.