Senior Tax Manager (Non-Partner Track)

Ascend; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 215,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible PTO

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) with employer match

Life and disability insurance

Paid parking

Generous firm holidays

Continuing education support and CPA?l

Job summary

LevitZacks in San Diego seeks a Senior Tax Manager to own a client book focused on partnerships and S corporations across industries. You will manage the client relationship, including business returns, the owners’ individual returns, projections, and year-round planning.

The role involves leading a tax team, developing staff, and contributing to practice development while delivering proactive, technical guidance to clients.

Qualifications

• Active CPA license and 10+ years of progressive tax experience in public accounting.
• Deep experience with pass-through entities and multi-state tax complexities.
• Strong federal and state tax technical skills with proven client-relations ability.
• Experience leading and developing tax professionals and communicating clearly.

Responsibilities

• Oversee complex federal and California tax engagements for pass-through entities and their owners.
• Manage client relationships, ensuring timely returns, projections, and proactive planning.
• Supervise and mentor senior associates, managers, and staff.
• Identify planning opportunities and support business development across tax and related service lines.

Skills

Active CPA license

10+ years of progressive tax exp.

Pass-through entities experience

Federal and state tax knowledge

Client relationship management

Team leadership

Written and verbal communication

Ownership mindset

Education

Master’s degree in taxation or accounting

Tools

CCH Axcess

CCH Engagement

CCH Axcess Document

CCH Workflow

Job description

The Opportunity

LevitZacks is looking for a Senior Tax Manager to take ownership of a book of business focused on partnerships and S corporations across a range of industries.

You’ll manage the client relationship, including business returns, the owners’ individual returns, quarterly projections and estimates, and year-round tax planning.

LevitZacks has been a fixture in San Diego’s business community since 1964. We work with privately held businesses and their owners — the kind of clients where your advice matters, relationships run deep, and proactive planning makes a real difference.

What You’ll Do

Tax Compliance & Planning

Serve as the primary advisor on complex federal and California tax engagements for closely held pass-through entities and their owners. Ensure the team delivers accurate, timely returns, projections, and estimates.

Client Relationships

Own a portfolio of client relationships. This is not a behind-the-scenes review role — you will be the trusted advisor in the room. Build long-term client loyalty through proactive communication, sound judgment, technical depth, and responsive service.

Team Leadership

Supervise, mentor, and develop senior associates, supervisors, and managers. Help team members set goals, navigate complex engagements, strengthen their technical skills, and continue advancing in their careers.

Practice Development

Contribute to the continued growth of the tax practice by identifying planning opportunities, supporting business development, and collaborating across tax, audit, and other service lines.

Required Qualifications

• Active CPA license
• 10+ years of progressive tax experience in public accounting
• Deep experience with pass-through entities
• Strong federal and state tax technical skills
• Proven ability to manage client relationships independently
• Experience leading, supervising, and developing tax professionals
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Sound judgment, ownership mentality, and a proactive client-service approach

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in taxation or accounting
• California tax experience, including PTET, FTB compliance, and apportionment
• Experience advising closely held businesses and their owners across industries such as real estate, construction, professional services, manufacturing/distribution, investment partnerships, family-owned businesses, and high-net-worth individuals.
• Familiarity with CCH Axcess, CCH Engagement, CCH Axcess Document, and CCH Workflow

The Path

This role is intended for someone with the technical ability, leadership skills, and client-service mindset to grow into a Partner-level role. We will walk you through the timeline, expectations, and milestones in the first conversation so you have clarity from the beginning.

Benefits

• Flexible PTO
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) with employer match
• Life and disability insurance
• Paid parking
• Generous firm holidays
• Continuing education support and CPA license reimbursement
• Hybrid flexibility

Why LevitZacks

• 60+ years in San Diego with deep roots in the local business community
• Sophisticated client work without the bureaucracy of a large national firm
• A collaborative, team-oriented culture where people are known by name, not headcount
• Direct access to firm leadership and meaningful client relationships
• A firm repeatedly recognized as one of San Diego’s Best Places to Work

Who We Are

About LevitZacks

For more than 60 years, LevitZacks has served the San Diego business community with high-quality tax, accounting, and business advisory services. We are proud of our local roots, our long-standing client relationships, and the strong technical expertise of our team.

Although we have one office in San Diego, our people are located across the country, allowing us to combine the connection of a local firm with the flexibility of a modern workplace. We also have the highest ratio of CPAs to total professional staff among the top 17 firms in San Diego, according to the San Diego Business Journal’s Book of Lists 2024.

What really defines LevitZacks, though, is our culture. Our team members are valued, respected, and heard. We believe exceptional client service starts with taking care of our people, and we are committed to creating an environment where team members can do meaningful work, grow professionally, and maintain a healthy work/life balance.

About Ascend

Backed by private equity from people-focused Alpine Investors, Ascend is building a dynamic platform for regional accounting firms that enables them to stay independent while accessing the resources of a Top 25 firm to help them grow. Ascend provides access to growth capital, robust talent acquisition and training, leading quality management resources, best-of-breed technology, AI tools, an offshore captive, shared back-office services, a catalytic leadership system, and modernized equity incentives so that firms can surmount today’s industry challenges to reach their full potential. For more information, visit www.ascendtogether.com.

The pay range for this role is $170,000 - $215,000 per year. This range includes the anticipated low and high end of the pay range for this position, inclusive of base salary and variable incentive. Actual compensation may vary based on various factors, including experience, education and/or skill level.

At Ascend, we provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic. Ascend hires and promotes individuals solely based on qualifications for the position to be filled and business needs.