Senior Tax Associate

Overview

This role is for a Senior Tax Associate position with a base salary of $80,000–$105,000 annually, depending on experience, credentials, and demonstrated capability.

• Target start date: no later than January 5, 2027
• Work arrangement: Remote within approved U.S. work locations

The role focuses on end-to-end tax work across entity and individual clients, including workpaper preparation, reviewer-ready deliverables, early issue identification, and collaboration with accounting and advisory teammates.

Responsibilities

• Prepare a wide variety of returns for individuals and closely held entities, including federal, state, and local filings (core mix includes Forms 1040, 1065, 1120-S, and 1120); trusts and estates and other returns as assigned
• Build clean, complete workpapers with clear support, reconciliations, calculations, notes, and tie-outs so review is straightforward
• Connect the financial trail across business, related-entity, real estate, and individual filings so related returns tell a consistent story
• Apply accounting knowledge to tax work, including reconciliation of balance-sheet accounts, retained earnings, fixed assets, basis, owner activity, payroll, sales or excise tax, and other book-to-tax items included in the engagement
• Enter and validate tax data (including carryforwards, fixed assets, prior-year items, and current-year activity) in UltraTax CS or a comparable platform
• Raise issues early by identifying missing information, inconsistencies, unusual issues, capacity concerns, and potential deadline problems
• Support filing and delivery, including extensions, estimates, e-filing, secure delivery, and responding to tax notices and technical projects
• Recognize scope changes and bring services outside agreed scope to a manager before committing to additional work, fees, or timing
• Support planning by identifying potential planning opportunities, researching assigned questions, documenting facts and authority, and presenting clear recommendations and any unresolved questions to the manager

Responsibilities (Technology & Process)

• Use Excel for traceable workpapers and analysis, including data cleanup, review of trial balances, and proposing journal entries
• Learn new tools quickly (tax software, workflow platforms, portals, collaboration tools) to improve the work
• Use AI thoughtfully to improve research, documentation, data handling, and repetitive workflows using only firm-approved systems, protecting client information and verifying outputs
• Improve processes by identifying clunky workflows, testing practical fixes, documenting what works, and helping scale without sacrificing accuracy or confidentiality

Responsibilities (Communication & Teamwork)

• Provide status updates early regarding open items, scope, risks, and deadlines
• Write clearly and professionally in client communication, explaining requests without burying key points in tax jargon
• Apply review notes effectively by asking questions when needed and using feedback to improve the next engagement
• Contribute to firm documentation, training, and systems as the team grows
• Coordinate across teams (accounting, advisory, client service) when tax return work uncovers accounting issues, planning opportunities, or client needs

Requirements

• At least three years of recent public accounting tax experience, including at least two busy seasons owning returns from client intake through reviewer submission
• Experience preparing individual and closely held business returns (not limited to a narrow slice of work); trusts and estates are a bonus
• Strong accounting fundamentals, including ability to read financial statements, reconcile accounts, understand journal entries, and trace activity into a tax return
• Advanced Excel capabilities, including formulas, lookups, pivot tables, data cleanup, and well-organized workpapers
• Attention to detail, including catching transposed numbers, missing support, and items that do not tie
• Curiosity about AI and automation, with a commitment to approved tools, client privacy, professional judgment, and verified outputs
• Clear communication and sound judgment, including the ability to receive feedback constructively
• Busy-season availability for 55+ hours during peak filing periods, typically February through April 15 and September through October 15
• Remote work reliability, including a secure, professional workspace and dependable internet; availability for Pacific Time collaboration during agreed working hours (typically 10am–2pm PST)
• Professional references from prior employers, supervisors, or clients

Credential note

• CPA or Enrolled Agent credential is not required. Demonstrated capability, sound judgment, and commitment to continued learning are valued.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPA license, EA certification, CPA eligibility, or active progress toward a credential
• Experience reviewing simpler returns or training less-experienced preparers
• Tax-tech fluency with UltraTax CS or other preparation platforms, e-file workflows, and portal/digital delivery tools
• Experience or examples of using AI/automation to improve research, workflows, or outcomes
• Comfort across the broader accounting stack (examples include QuickBooks, Workpapers CS, Practice CS, SurePrep, SafeSend, SharePoint, Notion, Missive, Bill.com, Gusto, Double, or similar systems)
• Experience with complex ownership structures (closely held businesses, multi-entity structures, real estate, professional service firms)
• Experience with multistate, pass-through entity tax, basis, fixed asset, owner compensation, or closely held business planning

Compensation & Benefits

• Compensation: $80,000–$105,000 base salary annually (exempt, full-time)
• Medical, dental, vision: employer currently pays 100% of employee premium for medical (BCBS PPO) and dental and vision plans (Delta Dental PPO); coverage begins the first day of the month following the employee’s start date; dependents may be added at the employee’s cost; benefits subject to plan terms
• 401(k): employer matches employee contributions up to 3% of eligible pay; eligibility begins on the employee’s start date, subject to plan terms and applicable vesting schedule
• Paid holidays: six current firm holidays (New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, the day after Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day) plus four floating holidays; tax-season blackout dates apply
• Vacation: 15 vacation days per calendar year, prorated based on the official start date; subject to firm calendar and busy-season blackout periods
• Paid sick and safe time: accrual begins on the first day of employment; uses Seattle’s paid sick and safe time requirements as a minimum standard and applies any more protective law required by the employee’s work location
• Volunteer time: two paid volunteer days
• Professional development: continuing education and growth opportunities, including reimbursement for approved certification, licensing, professional membership, and destination CPE expenses within firm policy
• Optional cell-phone coverage: participation in the current Verizon plan is available under the firm’s cell-phone policy; the firm does not subsidize or reimburse device purchases
• Personal tax support: employees may use firm software to prepare personal income tax returns and may request reasonable tax guidance from the firm’s principals at no charge, subject to firm policy
• Equipment: firm provides the computer and standard technology equipment for the role, including monitors, keyboard, mouse, headset, and related accessories

Location

• Remote within approved U.S. work locations
• Must maintain dependable availability for Pacific Time collaboration during agreed working hours (typically 10am–2pm PST)
• Changes in primary work location or regular work from another state or locality require advance approval

Hiring Process

• Introductory interview
• Practical tax assessment
• Technical conversation with the hiring manager

The organization considers complete applications in the following order:

• Introductory video (30 seconds to 3 minutes) submitted with the application
• Thoughtful cover letter
• Standard application without a video or cover letter

Equal Opportunity & Accommodations

The employer is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable accommodations throughout the hiring process. Applicants who require an accommodation may request support during the hiring process.