Tax Senior, Private Client Services

BDO USA, LLP; Grand Rapids (MI); On-site; USD 84,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A national accounting firm is seeking a Tax Senior for its Private Client Services division in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The ideal candidate will have a background in accounting with at least two years of relevant experience in tax compliance and consulting. Responsibilities include preparing complex tax returns and collaborating with high net-worth clients. A Bachelor's degree is required, with CPA certification preferred. The position offers competitive remuneration based on qualifications and experience.

Qualifications

• Two or more years of relevant tax experience or public accounting.
• Experience in private client service is preferred.
• CPA certification, Attorney, or Enrolled Agent certification preferred.

Responsibilities

• Participates in tax and consulting engagements.
• Prepares complex individual and trust tax returns.
• Collaborates with clients and advisors to gather necessary information.
• Reviews tax returns and provides feedback.

Skills

Time management

Leadership

Communication

Technical skills

Business development

People development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, or Statistics

Master's degree in Accountancy or Taxation

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

GoSystems

BNA Tax Planner

Tax research software

Job description

Job Summary

Private Client Services at BDO is a boutique practice within our firm. Offering a high touch approach, we have extensive experience serving high net-worth individuals, their families, family offices, C‑Suite executives, athletes, entertainers, as well as other people with complicated tax and financial structures. The Private Client Services Practice is experienced in all aspects of estate, income, gift, and trust tax consulting and compliance; charitable giving and philanthropic foundations; executive compensation; and cash‑flow, retirement, and life insurance planning.

A Tax Senior, Private Client Services is responsible for utilizing their educational background and professional experience as well as their communication, time management, leadership, technical, business development, and people skills to provide tax compliance and consulting services to our high net‑worth clients.

Job Duties

• Participates in tax and consulting engagements and enhances skills identifying and addressing client needs
• Works with clients and their advisors to gather information needed to prepare tax returns
• Prepares complex individual, trust, estate, S‑Corp, foundation, partnership, and gift tax returns, both Federal and State jurisdictions, while demonstrating the ability to follow instructions and actively seek feedback
• Reviews basic individual and trust tax returns and provides written and verbal feedback to staff and interns
• Analyzes tax notices received from government agencies and prepares initial drafts of response
• Identifies technical issues, conducts advanced tax research, and develops sound recommendations for PCS leadership
• Works in a fast‑paced, deadline‑driven environment both independently and within a team dynamic
• Prioritizes and completes tasks
• Collaborates and builds new relationships with other new professionals both inside and outside the firm

Supervisory Responsibilities

• May supervise and manage the day‑to‑day work assignments of PCS Associates
• Provides verbal and written performance feedback to PCS Associates, as necessary
• Acts as mentor to PCS Associates

Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, or Statistics, required; OR Bachelor's degree in other focus area and CPA certification, required
• Master's degree in Accountancy or Taxation, preferred

Experience

• Two (2) or more years of prior relevant tax experience and/or public accounting, private industry accounting, or consulting/professional services experience, required
• Experience in private client service, preferred
• Prior basic supervisory experience, preferred

License/Certifications

• CPA certification, Attorney (admitted to practice in a U.S. jurisdiction), or Internal Revenue Service Enrolled Agent (“EA”) (or the equivalent of one of these designations), preferred
• Possession of other professional degrees or certifications applicable to role, preferred

Software

• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office Suite (specifically Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and Adobe Acrobat, required
• Experience with tax compliance process software (GoSystems, BNA Tax Planner, GoFileRoom, SurePrep), preferred
• Experience with tax research tools (BNA Portfolio, CCH IntelliConnect, Checkpoint and Lexis Nexis), preferred

Other Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Initiative
  • Works hard, putting in extra effort when necessary to complete their assignments within given deadlines; self‑starting; doesn't need to be explicitly told to put in this effort; when set, meets weekly/engagement hours expectations
  • Owns their own career and technical development; demonstrates self‑awareness, actively pursues projects and learning experiences to fill in their technical knowledge gaps
• Communication
  • Expresses themselves effectively verbally and in writing; takes complex thoughts, synthesizes them into works using clear, concise language, and presents a cohesive narrative
  • Internally, communicates the status of their work to their team; promptly responds to requests
• Leadership
  • Leads by example, acting as a model for the firm's core values
  • Takes on challenges; sees tasks through completion, even if there are obstacles
• Business Development
  • Builds new relationships and maintains existing relationships with BDO professionals and external sources
• People Development
  • Ability to interact effectively with people at all organizational levels of the firm
  • Takes the time to teach others information/skills that are critical to their current and future work
  • Trains associates and interns on how to use all current software tools and PCS methodology

Individual salaries that are offered to a candidate are determined after consideration of numerous factors including but not limited to the candidate's qualifications, experience, skills, and geography.

California Range: $84,000 - $110,000
Colorado Range: $72,000 - $90,000
Illinois Range: $80,000 - $93,000
Maryland Range: $90,000 - $94,000
Massachusetts Range: $90,000 - $100,000
Minnesota Range: $75,000 - $84,000
New Jersey Range: $82,000 - $112,000
Ohio Range: $81,000 - $95,000
NYC/Long Island/Westchester Range: $100,000 - $118,000
Washington Range: $80,000 - $95,000
Washington DC Range: $93,000 - $98,000