Tax Manager

Tax ManagerFrederick, MD (Hybrid) | Full-Time | $125,000–$150,000 + bonusesBefore you apply, please read: This role requires US work authorization (we do not sponsor visas) and 3 days per week in our Frederick, MD office for your first 90 days. The final interview is in person. You also need an EA or CPA certification and 5+ years of hands-on US tax experience at a US CPA, EA, or boutique firm.Who We AreSpark Tax Services is a boutique proactive tax advisory firm serving high-net-worth clients — W-2 professionals and business owners with $500K+ in income. We don’t file taxes and send a bill. We build strategies, implement them, and stay in our clients’ corner year-round.Our clients pay us because we save them significantly more than we cost.We are a lean, remote-first team with members across the US, Perú, and Nepal. We move fast, take ownership, and hold a high standard. We are growing and we need a Tax Manager who is ready to own the tax function — not learn it.This Role Is Not for EveryoneIf you want to review returns and hand them up the chain, this is not the right fit.If you have 5–7+ years of experience, you know the work inside and out, and you’re ready to run a tax department without someone looking over your shoulder — keep reading.You will have real ownership here. The founder trusts you with the clients, the team, and the process. That’s not something most firms offer. It’s something you earn here from day one.The OpportunityYou will own the entire tax function at Spark. That means the prep process, the review process, the client experience, and the team that makes it all happen. The founder steps out of fulfillment entirely — you step in.This is not a role where you manage a process someone else designed. You will shape how tax is done at Spark, improve it, and scale it as the firm grows.What Success Looks LikeWe hire for outcomes. Here is what you will be accountable for — not a list of tasks, but results.Phase 1 First 6–9 Months Own the tax prep and review process✓ Completely own the tax prep process end to end — individual and business returns, managed and delivered without founder involvement✓ Tax associates report through you — you manage their work quality, deadlines, and professional development✓ Review comments are clear, actionable, and developmental — zero repeat errors on previously flagged items✓ Loom video summaries recorded for every delivered return — clients feel informed and valued, not just filed✓ Quarterly and after-strategy tax projections reviewed and approved within 3 business days✓ Client tax inquiries researched and resolved — staff drafts, you approve, founder is not in the loop on routine matters✓ Tax research memos produced independently — clients get clear, actionable answers on complex questions✓ Tax prep process documented, systematized, and running efficiently — the machine works without you manually pushing itPhase 1 boundary: client-facing advisory meetings and agency calls remain with the founder while trust is established. This is intentional — not a limitation on your authority.Phase 2 Months 9+ — Full Ownership Client-facing and strategic✓ Advisory meetings owned and run independently — founder is not in the room unless he chooses to be✓ Tax plans created, reviewed, and presented to clients — you handle the full strategy presentation from start to finish✓ Agency calls handled independently — IRS, state agencies, transcript requests, abatements, elections, notices✓ Full tax assessment process owned — onboarding call, strategy review, results presentation to the client✓ Tax department runs as a fully independent function✓ Year-over-year measurable improvement in prep efficiency, review quality, and client satisfactionPhase 2 is where this role becomes what it was designed to be. The founder’s goal is to remove himself from fulfillment entirely.You make that possible.What You Bring5–7 years of tax experience in a regional, boutique, or independent CPA firm — you have owned your work, not passed it up a chainDeep technical knowledge of individual and business returns — 1040, 1120S, 1065, 1120Experience reviewing staff work and developing junior tax professionalsComfortable with tax projections, after-strategy modeling, and technical research memosExperience presenting tax strategies and plans to clients directly — or ready and confident to do soCPA or EA credential requiredStrong communicator in writing and on video — clients will hear from you regularlyYou bring solutions. You don’t wait to be told what to do.We are not looking for Big 4 or national firm experience. Small and mid-size firm candidates consistently outperform here — they own their work from start to finish and know how to figure things out without a support structure doing it for them.The RoleReports to: Firm founderLocation: Frederick, MD — hybrid (3 days in office / 2 days remote for first 90 days, then fully remote)Hours: Full-time, Monday–Friday, US Eastern hoursTools: ProConnect Tax, TaxDome, Microsoft 365, LoomTeam: You will lead tax associates and collaborate with client success, operations, and bookkeeping team members across the US, Perú, and NepalCompensation & BenefitsSalary: $125,000–$150,000 depending on experiencePerformance bonuses: tax season bonus paid in April and holiday bonus paid in December, both based on firm performance — new client acquisition, client retention, and strategies implementedHealth reimbursement: $500/month QSEHRAPaid time off and paid holidaysPaid continuing education and CPA/EA licensing supportPath to full remote after initial 90-day hybrid periodHow to ApplySend your resume and a brief note (3–5 sentences) on why this role fits where you are in your career right now to support@sparktaxservices.com.Subject line: Tax Manager — [Your Name]Shortlisted candidates will complete a brief Loom video screening before any live interviews. Final interview is in-person at our Frederick, MD officePay: $125,000.00 - $150,000.00 per yearBenefits:401(k)401(k) matchingContinuing education creditsDental insuranceFlexible scheduleHealth insuranceLicense reimbursementLife insuranceOpportunities for advancementPaid sick timePaid time offPaid trainingProfessional development assistanceVision insuranceWork from homeWork Location: Hybrid remote in Frederick, MD 21704