You’ll want this to read as a senior, client-facing leadership role with a clear pathway into the firm’s equity. Here’s a draft you can use on Indeed or your careers page.
Job Title and Summary
Title: Tax Director (Partnership / Equity Track)
Location: Charlottesville, VA (On-site or hybrid)
Company: Wills & Associates
Wills & Associates is a growing accounting and advisory firm serving small and mid-sized businesses, business owners, and high‑net‑worth individuals with tax, accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, and consulting services. We are seeking an experienced Tax Director to lead our tax practice, oversee complex engagements, mentor our team, and help drive strategic growth—with a clear track to partnership and potential equity participation in the firm.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the tax practice across Wills & Associates, including planning, compliance, and quality control for individual, business, trust, and estate engagements.
- Review and sign complex federal and state returns (Forms 1040, 1065, 1120, 1120‑S, 1041, etc.), ensuring technical accuracy and consistency with firm standards.
- Develop and implement tax planning strategies for business owners and high‑net‑worth clients (entity structure, compensation planning, retirement, succession, real estate, and investment-related planning).
- Serve as a primary tax advisor for key client relationships, leading meetings, explaining tax positions, and coordinating with bookkeeping and advisory teams.
- Research complex tax issues and provide clear, practical guidance to clients and internal stakeholders; monitor tax law changes and lead implementation of necessary updates.
- Oversee tax workflows: engagement setup, workpaper standards, review processes, deadlines, and coordination with operations leadership.
- Mentor and manage tax staff and senior preparers, providing coaching, technical training, and regular performance feedback.
- Collaborate with firm leadership on growth initiatives, pricing and service mix, niche development, and integration with related entities under common ownership.
- Maintain high standards of professionalism, ethics, and confidentiality in all client and staff interactions.
Qualifications
- 8+ years of progressive tax experience in public accounting, with significant exposure to business owners, SMBs, and high‑net‑worth individuals.
- Expert-level knowledge of federal income tax and strong familiarity with state rules (Virginia and surrounding jurisdictions; experience with multi‑state is a plus).
- Demonstrated experience reviewing and signing complex returns and leading tax planning engagements.
- CPA license required; additional credentials (e.g., MST, JD/LLM, EA) are a plus.
- Strong proficiency with professional tax software and comfort working with cloud-based accounting systems (e.g., QuickBooks Online) and client portals.
- Proven leadership skills, including mentoring staff, managing workflows, and contributing to firm strategy.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to translate complex tax concepts into plain language for clients and team members.
- High level of judgment, integrity, and commitment to client service.
Partnership and Equity Potential
- This role is designed as a leadership position with a defined pathway to partnership/equity participation for the right candidate.
- The firm will work with the Tax Director to establish clear performance and contribution milestones tied to partnership eligibility (e.g., technical leadership, business development, team development, and practice growth).
- Equity participation details (structure, timing, and buy‑in options) will be discussed with serious candidates during the interview process, with the goal of creating a long‑term, mutually beneficial relationship.
Desired Attributes
- Strategic thinker who can balance technical depth with practical, business‑oriented advice.
- Strong relationship builder, comfortable owning key client relationships and representing the firm in the community.
- Process‑oriented, open to modernizing workflows and leveraging technology and automation in the tax practice.
- Collaborative, with a willingness to work closely with operations, bookkeeping, and advisory teams to deliver a seamless client experience.
Compensation and Benefits
- Competitive salary commensurate with experience and credentials.
- Performance-based bonus potential tied to individual and firm results.
- Paid time off, holidays, and flexibility outside of peak tax season.
- Continuing professional education and support for maintaining licenses and credentials.
- Defined pathway to partnership/equity for high-performing candidates.
Pay: $140,000.00 - $180,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k) matching
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Profit sharing
- Referral program
Work Location: In person
