Financial Services Tax Principal — Lead & Grow Practice

CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen); Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 400,000; Full time

Job summary

CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) seeks a Financial Services Tax Principal to lead a national team and provide tax advisory, planning, and compliance guidance across markets. This role drives practice growth, quality, and client relationships while shaping priorities and ensuring execution across US locations.

The ideal candidate has CPA certification, 10+ years of tax experience in professional services, and deep knowledge of ASC 740, REITs, and financial instruments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in accounting, taxation, or a related field.
• Current CPA required; JD or EA may be accepted in lieu of CPA.
• 10+ years of public accounting or professional services tax experience.
• Deep understanding of tax issues affecting banks, insurance companies, investment funds, and specialty finance entities.
• Strong technical knowledge of ASC 740, partnership taxation, REITs, and financial instruments.
• Demonstrated success leading geographically dispersed teams and translating strategy into clear priorities and accountability.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor a national financial services tax team delivering advisory, consulting, and compliance services while helping professionals build a deep understanding of each client’s business and needs.
• Serve as the industry tax leader and partner with leadership to grow the financial services tax practice nationally, align priorities, support consistent execution across markets, and advance the practice’s strategic growth goals.
• Set clear expectations, provide timely coaching and feedback, recognize contributions, support career development, and build a high-performing, collaborative team with role clarity and accountability.
• Manage workforce deployment and capacity planning across the national practice, balancing skills, workloads, deadlines, and development needs while supporting year-round planning, advisory work, and proactive client communication beyond peak filing periods.
• Drive accountability for client service, technical quality, staffing leverage, workload balance, portfolio health, practice standards, and practice economics.
• Protect client relationships by identifying risks early, ensuring strong communication, and supporting effective escalation.
• Strengthen client relationships, expand services, develop pipeline opportunities, activate referrals and priority markets, and increase national recognition of the financial services tax practice.
• Lead change with transparency and sound judgment, partnering with leaders to implement practice improvements, communicate decisions appropriately, and maintain team stability and client confidence.

Skills

Leadership

Tax advisory

Client relationship management

Strategic planning

Team management

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in accounting/taxation

CPA

Job description

CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) seeks a Financial Services Tax Principal to lead a national team and provide tax advisory, planning, and compliance guidance across markets. This role drives practice growth, quality, and client relationships while shaping priorities and ensuring execution across US locations.

The ideal candidate has CPA certification, 10+ years of tax experience in professional services, and deep knowledge of ASC 740, REITs, and financial instruments.