Tax Principal

About the Role

At the Principal level, the opportunity should be about more than managing a portfolio. It should be about having a meaningful role in where the practice goes next.

A well-established public accounting and advisory firm in San Diego is looking to add a Tax Principal who can own significant client relationships, generate and expand revenue, and play an active role in the continued growth of the tax practice.

This is an opportunity for an established tax leader who has built strong relationships with privately held businesses, business owners, and high-net-worth clients and is ready for greater autonomy around those relationships and the business they create.

The firm is particularly interested in someone who brings an existing network and established client relationships, with flexibility around the size of a portable book for the right person.

Compensation: $220,000–$300,000+ base salary + bonus/incentive compensation, depending on experience, portable business, revenue generation, and overall fit.

Responsibilities

• Own and expand a significant portfolio of tax and advisory client relationships
• Serve as a primary strategic advisor to business owners, executives, investors, and high-net-worth clients
• Lead complex tax planning and consulting involving business structuring, transactions, succession, ownership transitions, and other significant tax matters
• Maintain senior-level oversight of complex partnership, pass-through, corporate, individual, trust, and related tax engagements
• Develop new business through existing relationships, referrals, centers of influence, and broader market activity
• Identify opportunities to expand existing accounts across tax, accounting, assurance, and advisory services
• Lead pricing, scoping, engagement economics, realization, and profitability across the client portfolio
• Build and maintain relationships with attorneys, bankers, wealth advisors, and other centers of influence
• Lead and develop Senior Managers, Managers, and other tax professionals
• Collaborate directly with Partners on strategic client matters, business development, and practice initiatives
• Participate in recruiting, talent development, resource planning, and broader practice leadership
• Help shape the continued growth and direction of the San Diego tax practice
• Build toward Partner-level responsibility through continued client development and revenue growth

Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive public accounting tax experience
• Current Principal, Director, Senior Tax Manager, or equivalent senior leadership experience
• CPA required
• Strong experience serving privately held and middle-market businesses and their owners
• Deep technical foundation across partnerships, pass-through entities, corporations, and individual taxation
• Significant tax planning and advisory experience beyond traditional compliance
• Proven ownership of substantial client relationships and engagement economics
• Demonstrated business development and revenue-generation experience
• Existing referral relationships and centers of influence
• Portable book of business or clearly transferable client relationships strongly preferred
• Track record of expanding existing accounts and developing new business
• Experience leading and developing senior-level tax professionals
• Strong executive presence and ability to advise business owners and C-suite decision-makers
• Established relationships within San Diego / Southern California are highly valuable

Why This One Is Worth a Conversation

For someone already operating near the top of a tax practice, changing firms only makes sense if the new platform gives you something materially better.

Here, the opportunity is greater ownership.

You'll have the infrastructure and resources of an established firm while maintaining the autonomy to build relationships, grow revenue, develop your network, and have a meaningful voice in the direction of the practice.

The firm isn't looking for someone to simply inherit engagements. They want someone who can help build what's next.

For a Senior Manager or Director who has already begun developing business, this creates a path to turn those relationships into a larger leadership role. For an existing Principal, it offers a platform where your clients, network, and growth capabilities can directly influence your trajectory toward Partner.

All inquiries will be handled confidentially.