Who Are We
Established in 1948, RAMS CPAs is a full-service public accounting firm providing audit, accounting, tax, and consulting services to a diverse client base throughout California and beyond. While we're proud of our longstanding reputation for technical excellence and client service, what truly sets us apart is our people.
We foster a collaborative and supportive environment where employees at all experience levels are valued and encouraged to grow. At RAMS, we believe exceptional client service starts with investing in our people. Through team celebrations, professional development opportunities, and a genuine commitment to employee success, we strive to create a workplace where individuals can build rewarding, long-term careers.
Position Summary
The Tax Manager leads complex tax engagements, actively manages a designated book of business, and serves as a trusted strategic advisor to clients. Partnering closely with firm leadership, this role provides high-level tax planning, consulting, and compliance services. The Tax Manager oversees complex technical research, reviews sophisticated client deliverables, manages overall engagement economics (including budgeting, realization, and profitability parameters), develops management-level staff, and drives business development initiatives to support the firm's growth and success.
Required Qualifications
- Education: Bachelor's degree in accounting. Master of Science in Taxation (MST) strongly preferred (candidates actively pursuing an MST will be considered).
- Licensure: Active CPA (Certified Public Accountant) or EA (Enrolled Agent) license required.
- Experience: 6+ years of public accounting experience with increasing responsibility in complex tax preparation, technical review, and portfolio management.
- Portfolio Management: Proven experience managing an assigned client portfolio/book of business, ensuring client retention, and driving financial performance.
- Engagement Economics: Strong proficiency in evaluating engagement financial metrics, tracking staff utilization, managing billings, and maintaining targeted profitability percentages.
- Technical Knowledge: Advanced knowledge of federal and state tax regulations, corporate tax structures, and high-net-worth individual planning strategy.
- Technology: Strong proficiency with professional tax infrastructure, research platforms, and practice management workflow software.
- Soft Skills: Exceptional leadership, sophisticated client relationship management, and strong written and verbal communication skills.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Portfolio & Book of Business Management
- Manage and oversee a designated book of business, serving as the primary relationship owner and ensuring exceptional client service delivery, high retention, and organic portfolio growth.
- Take full ownership of engagement economics for managed clients; establish realistic job budgets, monitor scope creep, manage WIP (Work in Progress), and execute timely billing and collection processes to optimize cash flow.
- Track and analyze critical financial metrics for your portfolio, including realization rates, margin performance, write-downs, and overall profitability, implementing corrective workflow strategies as needed.
Tax Advisory, Compliance & Review
- Lead complex tax engagements, structural consulting projects, and advanced tax planning initiatives; oversee technical tax research and deliver high-impact strategic advice.
- Perform final technical review on highly complex tax returns and workpapers, specializing in multi-tiered entities, tiered partnerships, consolidated C-corporations, S-corporations, high-net-worth individuals, exempt organizations, trusts, and estates.
- Ensure accurate accounting and structural alignment for complex allocations, intercompany transactions, and consolidated tax groupings.
- Monitor legislative, regulatory, and California-specific tax law developments, proactively translating complex tax updates into actionable planning strategies for clients and staff.
Team Leadership & Development
- Lead, mentor, and develop Tax Supervisors, Seniors, and Staff, providing advanced technical guidance, career coaching, and formal performance evaluations.
- Oversee engagement staffing, cross-functional workflow allocation, and deadline tracking while promoting operational efficiency and a collaborative team environment.
Business Development & Firm Growth
- Drive firm expansion and increase revenue by actively growing the size and valuation of your managed book of business through organic expansion and new client acquisition.
- Support firm expansion through proactive marketplace networking, community involvement, and business development initiatives.
- Collaborate with partners on client proposals, new business onboarding, cross-selling firm services, and long-term practice development efforts.
Benefits
We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support our employees' professional growth and personal well-being, including:
- Competitive base salary with lucrative performance and business development bonuses
- Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
- 401(k) retirement plan with employer match
- Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays
- Flexible scheduling
- CPA/EA/MST development support and comprehensive continuing education (CPE)
- Clear, accelerated pathways to Partner-track opportunities within a historic, premier firm