Assurance Partner - Life Sciences

RSM•San Diego, CA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

RSM is seeking an experienced Assurance Partner to join its Life Sciences practice. The role offers opportunities to work on projects through RSM offices in biotech hubs across the country and exposure to organizations ranging from clinical R&D companies to large public biopharmaceutical companies. Common accounting areas include collaboration and licensing arrangements, complex debt and equity transactions, and internal controls over financial reporting. The Assurance Partner leads audit and assurance client relationships while advancing quality, growth, and consistent delivery. The partner leads engagement teams, manages complex audit portfolios, and serves as a trusted advisor to clients and firm leaders. The role also involves developing client relationships and business, managing engagement economics, coaching and developing firm personnel, and upholding quality, independence, and risk-management expectations. Most roles at RSM follow a hybrid workstyle, with team members aligned to an RSM office and meeting in person when it supports clients, teams, development, or relationship-building. Some roles may be virtual or primarily on-site depending on role requirements, team priorities, and client needs. Flexibility to travel and manage demanding workloads is required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in accounting or a related field.
Active CPA license in the state of residence, or equivalent professional credential.
13+ years of progressive public accounting, external audit, or assurance experience, including significant experience leading increasingly complex and large audit engagements.
Proven ability to build and maintain a substantial client portfolio, bring in new business, retain clients, and ensure engagement profitability and growth.
Demonstrated leadership and management skills, including managing multiple large or complex audit portfolios, supervising senior leadership teams, and guiding firm-wide talent development and staffing strategies.
Deep technical mastery of accounting and auditing standards, including US GAAP, US GAAS, or other relevant regulatory standards.
Ability to apply risk-based audit methodology and internal control frameworks, address complex financial reporting, and guide complex, multi-entity, or high-risk audits.
Strong business development and strategic leadership skills, including identifying and advancing growth opportunities, driving cross-firm service expansion, and shaping market strategy.
Ability to build and leverage local market and center-of-influence relationships to generate sustained client growth while delivering exceptional client service.
Strong stakeholder management, communication, and relationship-building skills, including the ability to work with senior client executives, boards or audit committees, firm leadership, and cross-functional teams.
Strategic thinking and firm-wide vision, with the ability to influence firm direction, contribute to leadership decisions, and participate in governance or partnership-level deliberations.
Strong ethical judgment and independence, ensuring compliance with audit standards, quality expectations, and professional conduct.
Flexibility to travel, manage demanding workloads, and adapt to client and market pressures.

Responsibilities

Serve as audit engagement leader and/or client service coordinator, managing required financial statements, related disclosures, and other client deliverables.
Manage multiple engagements, oversee engagement status, and maintain milestones for complex audit and assurance projects.
Identify technical accounting and auditing matters early, assess their impact, and coordinate with firm specialists as needed.
Review work product, communicate audit status to clients, and assess resources needed to complete projects.
Maintain contact with clients throughout the year to deepen relationships and understand client goals and strategies.
Manage profitability, billing, collections, engagement economics, and operational discipline consistent with firm expectations.
Assess risk and design and communicate audit procedures to engagement teams.
Develop external relationships and centers of influence to support business growth and brand presence.
Provide business advice and serve as a trusted advisor to clients and stakeholders.
Understand team members’ skills and capabilities, monitor and review work product, and provide timely coaching and performance feedback.
Develop others through training, career development, coaching, and participation in firm initiatives.
Anticipate and address client concerns, escalate issues promptly, and support quality, independence, and risk-management expectations.
Maintain professional development through ongoing education and stay current on relevant standards, firm policies, and quality expectations.
Use digital quality enablers, data, and global delivery resources where appropriate to support consistent, efficient, high-quality outcomes.
Lead with an enterprise mindset, aligning decisions to long-term firm value, cultural stewardship, and client outcomes.