Tax Support Associate – CPA & Enrolled Agent Preferred

OpsArmy; Johannesburg; Remote; ZAR 350,000 - 550,000; Full time

Job summary

OpsArmy is seeking an experienced Tax Support Associate to provide specialized Level 2 support for complex US accounting, tax, bookkeeping, and payroll inquiries. The role requires strong accounting judgment and the ability to independently investigate and resolve issues while communicating clearly.

Ideal candidates will hold CPA or EA credentials, with exposure to US tax practices. This remote role offers staggered shifts overlapping US business hours and the opportunity to work with

Qualifications

• Demonstrated professional accounting experience, ideally with exposure to US accounting and taxation.
• Strong knowledge of bookkeeping, tax return review, reconciliations, payroll, and financial reporting.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication, analytical and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialized Level 2 support for complex US accounting, tax, bookkeeping, and payroll inquiries.
• Investigate and resolve escalated and directly assigned accounting and tax tickets.
• Review and troubleshoot bookkeeping discrepancies, reconciliations, and transactions.
• Assist customers with tax-related inquiries, notices, filing status, and tax return questions within scope.
• Support payroll questions, setup, processing issues, and troubleshooting.
• Communicate findings via Zendesk, email, and scheduled calls.
• Independently investigate issues, identify root causes, coordinate with internal teams as needed.
• Document resolutions and maintain accurate customer records.
• Identify recurring issues and opportunities to improve workflows and resources.
• Adapt to new internal systems as clients transition from Zendesk.

Skills

Professional accounting

US tax knowledge

Bookkeeping

Tax return review

Account reconciliations

Payroll processing

Financial reporting

English communication

Analytical skills

Troubleshooting

Documentation

Independent problem-solving

Explain complex topics

Adaptability

Education

CPA (Certified Public Accountant)

EA (Enrolled Agent)

Tools

QuickBooks

Excel/Google Sheets

Zendesk

Slack

Payroll software

Tax software

Job description

Tax Support Associate – CPA & Enrolled Agent Preferred

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced accounting professional to provide specialized Level 2 support for complex customer inquiries related to US accounting, tax, bookkeeping, and payroll.

This role requires genuine technical accounting judgment, not just scripted responses or basic ticket routing. The ideal candidate has strong accounting and tax expertise, excellent communication skills, and the ability to independently investigate and resolve complex issues.

Schedule & Coverage

• Required coverage window: 8:00 AM–8:00 PM Eastern Time (ET)
• Individual schedules will be staggered to provide coverage during US business hours.
• Ability to work shifts that overlap with US business hours is required.
• Specific shifts and weekly schedules will be finalized with the client.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide specialized Level 2 support for complex US customer accounting, tax, bookkeeping, and payroll inquiries.
• Investigate and resolve escalated and directly assigned accounting and tax support tickets.
• Review and troubleshoot bookkeeping discrepancies, reconciliations, and accounting transactions.
• Assist customers with:
  • Tax-related inquiries
  • Tax notices
  • Filing status questions
  • Tax return-related questions within the authorized scope
• Support payroll questions, setup, processing issues, and troubleshooting.
• Communicate technical findings clearly and professionally through Zendesk, email-style ticket responses, and scheduled phone support.
• Independently investigate issues, identify root causes, and coordinate with internal specialists when necessary.
• Document resolutions and maintain accurate customer records.
• Identify recurring issues and opportunities to improve workflows and knowledge resources.
• Adapt to new internal systems as the client transitions away from Zendesk.
• Learn and work effectively with proprietary platforms and AI-assisted workflows.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated professional accounting experience, ideally with exposure to US accounting and taxation.
• Strong working knowledge of:
• Bookkeeping
• Tax return review
• Account reconciliations
• Payroll
• Financial reporting
• Prior experience handling complex tax and accounting inquiries, tax notices, and customer-facing financial support.
• Excellent written and verbal English communication.
• Strong:
• Analytical skills
• Troubleshooting skills
• Documentation skills
• Independent problem-solving skills
• Ability to explain complex accounting and tax topics to nontechnical customers.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, technology-driven environment with evolving workflows.
• Ability to learn new systems, including proprietary platforms and AI-assisted workflows.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Public Accountant (CPA) — strongly preferred.
• Enrolled Agent (EA) certification — highly desirable, particularly for candidates with US tax experience.
• Background in a Big Four accounting firm, established accounting practice, or comparable professional accounting environment.
• QuickBooks certification or experience.
• International CPA credentials may be considered, provided the candidate can demonstrate relevant knowledge of US accounting and tax practices.

Technical Skills & Tools

• QuickBooks or comparable accounting software
• Microsoft Excel / Google Sheets
• Zendesk — preferred, not required; training can be provided.
• Slack or similar collaboration tools
• Familiarity with tax preparation and payroll software is beneficial.
• Ability to learn proprietary platforms and AI-assisted workflows.

What We Prioritize

Candidates should demonstrate the following priority of skills:

1. Technical accounting expertise — first priority
2. Communication and problem-solving skills — second priority
3. Prior support platform experience — third priority

Important Scope & Compliance Note

Advice, tax review, and other regulated activities must remain within the individual's qualifications and the client's approved responsibilities.

This position requires sound technical accounting judgment and the ability to handle complex issues appropriately while staying within the authorized scope of the role.