Staff Tax Specialist - CPA Firm

Responsibilities

• Prepare business and individual tax returns.
• Set up year-end tax planning projections for clients and support the development of proactive strategies designed to minimize tax liabilities and optimize financial outcomes.
• Maintain consistent communication with clients, build strong relationships, and effectively address tax-related questions and information requests.
• Research tax situations and assist in developing thoughtful solutions that benefit clients.
• Think creatively to identify potential value-added services and tax-saving opportunities.
• Deliver clean, polished, and accurate work while thoroughly identifying available deductions, credits, and other potential tax benefits.
• Collaborate with more senior tax professionals on complex tax matters and planning opportunities.
• Continue developing technical tax knowledge and advisory skills through hands-on client work.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; active CPA or pursuing CPA required.
• 1–2 years of tax preparation experience, preferably in a public accounting firm.
• Experience with tax seasons at other public accounting firms is highly desirable.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace (G Suite), and basic computer skills required.
• Familiarity with CCH Axcess Tax, PDFlyer, Podio, ShareFile, and QuickBooks/Xero is a plus but not required.
• Nice-to-Have: Foundational experience preparing U.S. individual and/or business tax returns.
• Exposure to common business entity returns, such as partnerships, S corporations, or C corporations.
• Interest in developing deeper expertise in business taxation over time.
• Basic exposure to tax research or experience investigating tax questions under the guidance of more senior professionals.
• Interest in learning proactive tax planning and developing skills beyond traditional tax return preparation.
• Strong analytical skills and curiosity when approaching unfamiliar or non-routine tax situations.
• Ability to produce accurate, organized work and incorporate feedback from senior team members.
• Comfort communicating with clients to gather information, follow up on outstanding items, and address routine tax-related questions.
• Strong attention to detail and an interest in identifying available deductions, credits, and other tax-saving opportunities.
• Eagerness to learn from experienced tax professionals and progressively take ownership of more complex assignments.
• Long-term interest in developing from a tax preparer into a client-facing tax advisor.

Benefits

• Annual Bonus: Target bonus is 10% of base salary. Historically, employees have received between 15% and 30%, depending on individual performance and firm results.
• Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA): Maximum monthly HRA contribution available to all employees.
• Client Referral Commission: Employees who bring in and manage new clients receive 20% of the client’s first-year billings. This performance-based incentive is separate from the standard compensation package. Historically, payouts have ranged from approximately $1,000 to more than $30,000, averaging around $12,000.
• Expense Reimbursement: Approved work-related expenses are reimbursed through an accountable reimbursement plan.

Work Arrangement

This position follows a hybrid work model. Location: Wake Forest, North Carolina