Director of Accounting

About the role

The Director of Accounting at Savant leads and oversees Savant’s accounting and business advisory services, providing strategic direction for a team of accounting professionals dedicated to delivering exceptional client outcomes. This role is responsible for the quality, consistency, and growth of Savant’s accounting, write up, payroll, and business consulting service offerings. This role serves as the senior leader for client relationships within the Tax & Consulting practice, partnering closely with the Tax & Consulting and Wealth Management teams to deliver an integrated, client centered experience.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute the strategic vision for the Tax & Consulting practice, aligning with Savant’s broader organizational goals and OKRs
• Act as a catalyst for new initiatives, products, and service enhancements within the accounting and business advisory practice
• Partner with executive leadership to execute on the buildout of niche service offerings
• Evaluate staffing needs, capacity, and structure to ensure the team is positioned for growth and exceptional service delivery
• Own practice level financial performance, including revenue and team utilization targets for the Accounting, Payroll, and Consulting service lines
• Facilitate and model a culture of continuous improvement, innovation, and operational excellence
• Serve as a senior advisor for complex client engagements, including multi entity business owners, high net worth individuals, and closely held companies
• Oversee and manage fee only accounting and business advisory engagements from engagement letter through billing and final delivery
• Provide strategic guidance on business structure, compensation modeling, cash flow planning, and financial reporting for business owner clients
• Develop and maintain compensation models for multi owner entities and advise on retirement plan options for various business structures
• Collaborate with the Tax & Consulting and Wealth Management teams to deliver integrated, holistic client solutions
• Participate in and lead client facing presentations, webinars, and educational events
• Oversee monthly accounting, financial statement preparation, payroll processing, and business consulting activities across the practice
• Review and sign off on complex financial statements, write up engagements, and advisory deliverables
• Ensure accuracy, timeliness, and compliance across all accounting and payroll client deliverables
• Review and analyze new technology, software, and vendor relationships to continuously improve team effectiveness; lead the consolidation and streamlining of existing tools and platforms into a unified “one Savant way” technology stack, and proactively evaluate and adopt AI and automation solutions to drive efficiency, quality, and scalability
• Maintain and enhance best practices, workflows, and standardized procedures across the accounting and payroll functions
• Facilitate communication and responsiveness between the Accounting & Business Advisory team and other internal and external partners
• Drive business development efforts for the Tax & Consulting practice, including referrals from the Wealth and Tax & Consulting teams
• Build and strengthen relationships with clients, centers of influence, and prospective clients to grow the practice
• Identify and pursue opportunities to expand service offerings and deepen existing client relationships
• Establish, monitor, and meet business development KPIs and metrics, and report on practice performance against these targets
• Train, mentor, and develop accounting, payroll, and consulting staff in a highly interactive and collaborative team environment
• Partner with acquisition integration team on the operational integration of A&P books of business, tools and technology, and team members, ensuring a smooth transition to Savant’s “one team” operating model
• Perform other duties as requested; maintain a team approach by assisting and filling in for others

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, or related field from an accredited college or university is required
• Preferred, but not required: Active CPA license, Master’s in Accounting, Taxation, or related field, CFP® certification or Series 65
• 10+ years of proven success in accounting and/or business advisory services, including direct client facing experience
• 5+ years of management or leadership experience overseeing accounting or financial services teams
• Demonstrated experience working with business owners, closely held companies, and multi entity structures
• Experience with write up, bookkeeping, payroll, and business consulting services