Audit Services Partner - Life Science Bio Pharma

rsm; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 250,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

RSM is seeking an Assurance Partner in the San Francisco area to lead audit engagements, manage complex portfolios, and serve as a trusted advisor to clients and firm leaders.

The role emphasizes growth, delivery quality, and risk management across the Assurance line, with responsibility for engagement profitability, team leadership, and external relationship development within the market.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting and active CPA or equivalent credential.
• 13+ years of progressive public accounting / external audit experience with leading engagements.
• Proven ability to grow client portfolios and manage engagement profitability.
• Strong leadership, communication, and risk-management skills.
• Deep knowledge of US GAAP/US GAAS and complex multi-entity audits.

Responsibilities

• Lead audit engagements and client service coordination for Assurance line of business.
• Manage multiple engagements, timelines, and resources across complex audits.
• Identify accounting/audit issues early and coordinate with firm specialists.
• Review work products and communicate status to clients clearly.
• Develop external relationships to drive growth and brand presence.
• Coach and develop junior staff; oversee staffing and performance feedback.
• Ensure quality, independence, and risk-management compliance.

Skills

Leadership

Business development

Strategic thinking

Client relationship management

Communication

Risk management

Team supervision

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting

CPA or equivalent

Tools

Digital audit tools

Job description

We are the leading provider of professional services to the middle market globally, our purpose is to instill confidence in a world of change, empowering our clients and people to realize their full potential. Our exceptional people are the key to our unrivaled, culture and talent experience and our ability to be compelling to our clients. You'll find an environment that inspires and empowers you to thrive both personally and professionally. There's no one like you and that's why there's nowhere like RSM.

Role Summary

As an Assurance Partner, you will lead audit and assurance client relationships for the Assurance line of business while advancing quality, growth, and consistent delivery. This role focuses on leading engagement teams, managing complex audit portfolios, and serving as a trusted advisor to clients and firm leaders.

Job Responsibilities

• Serve as audit engagement leader and/or client service coordinator, managing required financial statements, related disclosures, and other client deliverables.
• Manage multiple engagements, oversee engagement status, and maintain milestones for complex audit and assurance projects.
• Identify technical accounting and auditing matters early, assess impact, and coordinate with firm specialists as needed.
• Review work product, communicate audit status to clients, and assess resources needed for project completion.
• Maintain contact with clients throughout the year to build deeper relationships and better understand client goals and strategies.
• Manage profitability, billing, collections, engagement economics, and operational discipline consistent with firm expectations.
• Assess risk and design and communicate audit procedures to engagement teams.
• Develop external relationships and centers of influence to support business growth and brand presence.
• Provide insightful business advice and present as a trusted business advisor to clients and stakeholders.
• Understand team member skillsets and capabilities, monitor and review work product, and provide timely coaching and performance feedback.
• Develop others within the firm through training, career development, coaching, and participation in firm initiatives.
• Anticipate and address client concerns, elevate issues promptly, and support quality, independence, and risk management expectations.
• Maintain professional development through ongoing education and stay current on relevant standards, firm policies, and quality expectations.
• Use digital quality enablers, data, and global delivery resources where appropriate to support consistent, efficient, high-quality outcomes.
• Lead with an enterprise mindset, aligning decisions to long-term firm value, cultural stewardship, and client outcomes.

USA: Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in accounting or related field.
• Active CPA (or equivalent professional credential) required.
• 13+ years of progressive public accounting / external audit or assurance experience, including significant experience leading audit engagements of increasing complexity and size.
• Proven track record of building and maintaining a substantial client portfolio, including bringing in new business, retaining clients, and ensuring engagement profitability and growth.
• Demonstrated leadership and management skills, with success managing multiple large or complex audit portfolios, supervising senior leadership teams, and guiding firm-wide talent development and staffing strategies.
• Deep technical mastery of accounting and auditing standards including US GAAP, US GAAS or other relevant regulatory standards. Ability to apply risk-based audit methodology, internal control frameworks, complex financial reporting, and capacity to guide complex / multi-entity / high risk audits.
• Demonstrates strong business development and strategic leadership, identifying and advancing growth opportunities, driving cross firm service expansion, and shaping market strategy. Builds and leverages deep local market and COI relationships to generate sustained client growth while ensuring exceptional client service delivery.
• Strong stakeholder management, communication, and relationship‑building skills, able to interact with senior client executives, boards or audit committees, firm leadership, and cross‑functional teams.
• Strategic thinking and firm‑wide vision, with ability to influence firm direction, contribute to leadership decisions, and participate in governance or partnership‑level deliberations.
• Leads with strong ethical judgment and independence, ensuring firmwide compliance with audit standards, quality expectations, and professional conduct.
• Flexibility to travel, manage demanding workloads, and adapt to client and market pressures.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading complex, multi-entity, industry-specialized, or higher‑risk assurance engagements.
• SEC experience
• Experience using digital audit tools, data‑enabled audit approaches, or global delivery resources to improve quality and consistency.

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