Assurance Senior Manager

Talley LLP; Santa Ana (CA); Hybrid; USD 170,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Talley LLP, a hybrid Orange, California-based firm, seeks a Senior Manager of Audit & Assurance with an active CA CPA license and 8–10 years of public accounting experience, including management. You will lead engagements end-to-end, drive AI-enabled improvements, and mentor teams while expanding cross-functional services across Tax, Legal, CAS, and Wealth Management.

This client-facing role emphasizes relationship-building, strategic growth, and partnership readiness within a fast-moving,

Qualifications

• Active CPA license (California) required.
• Bachelor's degree in accounting or related field.
• 8–10 years of audit and assurance experience in public accounting, including at least 5 years in a management role.
• Strong command of GAAP and auditing standards.
• Interest in using AI and other technology to work smarter.
• Independent, entrepreneurial mindset with ownership of outcomes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Willingness to travel to client sites as needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional ties between Audit & Assurance and Talley's Tax, Legal, CAS, Consulting, and Wealth Management teams; look for cross-selling opportunities.
• Align audit deliverables with tax compliance and CAS processes for a single client experience.
• Use AI and other tools to streamline work and guide department adoption.
• Aim to grow the Audit & Assurance practice beyond $5 million in revenue, expanding into valuation services and cross-selling.

Skills

Active CPA license (CA)

Entrepreneurial mindset

Strong communication

Willingness to travel

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting or related field

Tools

CCH Engagement

Knowledge Coach

ARM

Job description

SENIOR MANAGER OF AUDIT & ASSURANCE

Partner-Track Opportunity

Talley LLP | Orange, California (Hybrid)

Build More Than an Audit Practice. Build Your Legacy.

About Talley LLP

Talley, LLP, and its affiliated entities—Talley Law Group, LLP (“TLG”), Talley Capital Group, LLC (“TCG”), and Talley Wealth Management, LLC (“TWM”) (collectively “Talley”)—is a full-service financial, tax, legal, and consulting organization serving entrepreneurially driven businesses and their owners. Talley partners with clients as business advisors, not just service providers, constantly seeking innovative ways to strengthen their bottom line.

Talley, LLP, was founded in 1989, with the mission of helping entrepreneurially driven businesses, their owners, and high net worth individuals, to manage their financial affairs and to achieve their business objectives profitably and efficiently. Our professionals strive to become each client’s Most Trusted Advisor (MTA) by delivering global solutions to our client’s complex challenges and opportunities.

Our services include:

• Audit & Assurance services, including financial reporting
• Tax compliance
• Tax planning, and proactive advice
• Business consulting
• Estate planning, business planning, M&A, and tax law services delivered through TLG
• Outsourced accounting, controller and CFO services
• M&A, growth-through-acquisition, and operational consulting delivered through TCG

Talley is a boutique firm with 70+ U.S.-based professionals and 20–30 offshore/outsourced team members. Headquartered in Orange, CA, the firm has grown rapidly, becoming a leading Orange County professional services provider. We embrace a hybrid work culture built on accountability, results, and exceptional client service delivered by professional, motivated individuals.

The Opportunity

Reporting directly to the Audit & Assurance Partner, the Senior Manager brings technical depth, leadership, and a client-first mindset to one of Talley's core practice areas. You'll lead process improvements, drive the adoption of new technology and AI tools, and work across departments to grow what Talley can offer its clients.

This is a role for someone who wants to move quickly into a Client Service Manager (CSM) position, designing and delivering audit, assurance, and consulting engagements while spotting the next opportunity for a client before they have to ask for it. You'll do well here if you're comfortable in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment and want a real, performance-based path to Partnership rather than a fixed timeline.

What You'll Do

Lead and Grow the Practice

• Help build stronger ties between Audit & Assurance and Talley's Tax, Legal, CAS, Consulting, and Wealth Management teams, and look for cross-selling opportunities beyond standard audit work
• Align audit deliverables with tax compliance and CAS processes so clients get one coordinated experience
• Use AI and other emerging tools to streamline your own work, and help guide adoption across the department
• Contribute to a multi-year goal of growing the Audit & Assurance practice past $5 million in revenue, including expansion into valuation services and broader firm-wide cross-selling

Own Technical Work

• Plan, execute, and document engagements from planning through fieldwork and reporting
• Build audit programs that balance interim and year-end work, and tailor your approach to each client's actual risk profile
• Design and test controls, prepare and review financial statements and disclosures, and draft reports for non-standard opinions when needed
• Research technical issues against authoritative guidance, and review workpapers for accuracy and completeness
• Bring real depth in industry-specific accounting, regulatory, and reporting issues

Build Client Relationships

• Get to know your clients' operations, strategy, and financial systems well enough to flag issues before they become problems
• Serve as a trusted resource clients come to with questions, not just the person who signs off on their audit
• Respond quickly to client requests and resolve issues without needing to elevate every time
• Spot opportunities to bring in Tax, CAS, Consulting, or Legal services
• An existing client network is a plus, but it is not a requirement for this role

Run Engagements

• Own engagements end to end, including budget, staffing, and timeline
• Delegate work thoughtfully and keep a close eye on how your team is performing against expectations
• Flag budget variances and significant accounting or reporting issues to the Partner early
• Keep deliverables and review notes moving so nothing sits

Develop Your Team

• Mentor staff beyond the day-to-day work, and push them to think critically rather than just follow a checklist
• Give feedback that's honest and useful, on a schedule people can count on
• Model the professionalism and accountability you want to see from your team

Lead the Department

• Help evaluate and roll out new software, AI tools, and process improvements
• Run department meetings, after-action reviews, and training sessions
• Support the Partner on budgeting, variance tracking, and peer review

What We're Looking For

• Active CPA license (California) required
• Bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field
• 8 to 10 years of audit and assurance experience in public accounting, including at least 5 years in a management role
• Strong command of GAAP and auditing standards, with the judgment to apply both to situations that don't fit a template
• A genuine interest in using AI and other technology to work smarter, not just faster
• An independent, entrepreneurial mindset, comfortable owning outcomes rather than waiting to be told what to do
• Excellent written and verbal communication, and the interpersonal range to work well with clients, staff, and partners alike
• Familiarity with CCH Engagement, Knowledge Coach, and ARM is a plus, but not required
• Willingness to travel to client sites as needed

What Success Looks Like in Year One

• You've stepped into the Client Service Manager role on at least a few engagements
• You're a trusted, direct point of contact for your clients, not just their auditor
• You've helped roll out at least one meaningful process or AI improvement in the department
• You've mentored at least one staff member into a stronger technical performer
• You've identified real cross-selling opportunities into Tax, CAS, Consulting, or Legal
• You're building the track record that puts Partnership within reach

Why Talley

• A collaborative, entrepreneurial culture where your ideas reach the people who can act on them
• Exposure to a diverse, sophisticated client base of entrepreneurially driven businesses and high-net-worth individuals
• Direct integration with Talley's Tax, Legal, Consulting, and Wealth Management teams, so your work reaches further than a typical audit practice
• A firm actively investing in AI and process innovation, with a role built to help lead that shift
• A genuine, performance-based path to Partnership

Compensation

Competitive and commensurate with experience.