Senior Tax Associate

Faycroft Search; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Faycroft Search is assisting an independent CPA firm in San Diego to hire a Senior Tax Associate. The role centers on preparing complex returns, real estate partnerships, and pass-through entities with direct client contact from day one.

You will operate with autonomy, under a Tax Partner who prioritizes trust over micro-management, and enjoy genuinely accessible partnership leadership. The position supports a flexible hybrid model: 2–3 days in the office weekly, with core hours 10 to 3 and a

Qualifications

• 3 to 7 years in public accounting, tax focused.
• CPA licensed.
• Strong on partnerships and pass-throughs. Real estate exposure helps, but isn't a prerequisite.
• Some review experience, and the appetite to mentor and develop juniors

Responsibilities

• Prepare complex returns and review more straightforward ones to enable progression to manager.
• Manage real estate partnerships and pass-through entities, including S-corps and multi-state considerations.
• Direct client contact from the start, with autonomy in how you run engagements.
• Work with Tax Partner to lead engagements with trust and mutual respect for independence

Skills

Client relations

Partnerships & pass-throughs

Mentor juniors

Education

CPA licensed

Public accounting experience 3-7 years

Real estate exposure (helpful)

Job description

Most senior associates don't move because they're unhappy. They move because they've done the math on how long the manager seat is going to take where they are, and the answer is too long.

If that's landed with you recently, keep reading.

An independent CPA firm in San Diego is hiring a Senior Tax Associate.

Independent means what it says. No private equity, no sale process, no consolidation. What they do have is an ambitious five year organic growth plan, which is the version of growth that creates manager seats.

The San Diego office runs its own book of around 700 returns, and you'd also work with the wider tax team across a few other California offices. Partner access here is genuinely unusual, and retention reflects that. People are given a reason to stay.

The work

• Preparing the complex returns, reviewing the more straightforward ones. That mix is deliberate as it's the step that gets you to manager.
• Real estate partnerships and closely held businesses at the core, with S-corps, HNW individuals and multi-state alongside.
• Direct client contact from the start, not rationed out over three years.
• Autonomy over how you run your work. The Tax Partner leads with trust rather than oversight.

What you'll need

• 3 to 7 years in public accounting, tax focused
• CPA licensed
• Strong on partnerships and pass-throughs. Real estate exposure helps, but isn't a prerequisite.
• Some review experience, and the appetite to mentor and develop juniors
• Based in San Diego or within commuting distance 2-3 days a week

Who this tends to land with

• Seniors at national or PE-backed firms who want the breadth back in their day to day rather than being specialized into a corner
• Anyone who's noticed the partner they report to is now three levels away and getting further
• People who want the reviewer seat this year, not on a five year timeline someone else controls

Practical detail:

flexible hybrid arrangement - 2-3 days in office a week. Core hours 10 to 3, with a realistic view of San Diego traffic. Busy season is 50 to 55 hours, closer to 60 at the peak.

On timing:

they'll do informal conversations this side of busy season for the right people. No process or pressure, just a look at whether it's worth pursuing. And if you're not planning to move until after October, that's completely fine. Better to have the conversation now than start from zero in November.

We work with a range of independent CPA firms across California (San Francisco, San Jose, San Diego, Sacramento, LA) and we're regularly placing at Senior Associate, Manager and Senior Manager level across tax disciplines.