National Business Services Leader, Accounting & Business Advisory

Savant•Rockford, IL

13d

About The Position

The National Business Services Leader will lead the strategy, growth, and performance of Savant Accounting and Business Advisory’s (SABA) national Accounting and Business Services practice. Reporting to the Head of SABA, this leader will bring accounting, payroll, CFO and Family Office services, business consulting, and specialized advisory offerings together into a cohesive, scalable practice. The role is focused on building strong service-line leaders, expanding advisory capabilities, driving profitability, and delivering a consistent client experience. The leader owns the practice P&L, develops new service offerings, partners across Savant to grow the business, and maintains select high-value client relationships. The leader will design a national practice structure and operating model, establish consistent service standards, and identify and launch niche offerings. They will own financial planning and performance, drive revenue and margin targets, build referral and cross-serving opportunities, and contribute selectively to senior client relationships and business development. They will set business requirements for practice technology and serve as the Business Services owner for M&A integration. The role directly leads service-line Directors and Managers and, through them, Accounting and Business Services professionals nationally. Responsibilities include developing leadership depth, setting performance expectations, coaching leaders, overseeing staffing and capacity, and promoting a constructive, values-driven culture. The role also coordinates administrative support and shared resources for Savant’s affiliated alternative CPA practice while respecting that firm’s independent professional authority over attest engagements and decisions. A bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field (or equivalent education and experience) and a CPA credential are required. Candidates should have a record of leading and scaling a multi-service accounting, business advisory, or professional services practice; substantial P&L and people-leadership experience; and senior leadership experience in a multi-office or distributed environment. Travel across offices is required as business needs dictate. The expected base salary range is $200,000–$300,000, with possible additional incentive compensation.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent education and experience.
CPA credential required.
Demonstrated success leading and scaling a multi-service accounting, business advisory, or professional services practice, including direct accountability for a substantial P&L, profitable growth, and people leadership.
Substantial senior leadership experience in a multi-office or distributed environment, with a track record of building leaders, setting standards, and achieving results through service-line specialists.
Broad understanding of accounting and business advisory services sufficient to evaluate performance, make strategic decisions, and hold technical leaders accountable without personally being the expert in every discipline.
Experience designing or expanding service offerings, strengthening pricing and delivery economics, and leading change across teams and systems.
Credibility with senior clients and ability to contribute selectively to complex advisory relationships and business development.
Willingness to travel across offices as business needs require, including during initial practice build-out and acquisitions.
Authorization to work for any employer in the United States; the employer is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa.

Nice To Haves

Experience with recurring accounting and payroll services alongside CFO, consulting, or specialty advisory offerings.
Experience building a Family Office or similarly coordinated cross-functional offering.
Experience integrating acquired teams, services, and systems into a national practice.
Experience evaluating and implementing accounting, workflow, and practice-management technology in a wealth-integrated environment.

Responsibilities

Design and implement a cohesive national structure for accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, bill pay, cash-flow management, CFO services, business consulting, and specialty advisory services.
Establish consistent service models, scope definitions, pricing and rate standards, workflows, quality controls, escalation practices, and client service expectations.
Identify and prioritize niche opportunities and develop business cases, talent plans, delivery methods, pricing, technology needs, and launch plans for new offerings.
Coordinate with Wealth, Growth, Operations, and other Savant leaders to define the Family Office proposition; own the SABA portion’s staffing, service delivery, processes, and implementation.
Own the national Business Services P&L, annual plan, forecast, and corrective actions; drive approved revenue and contribution-margin targets.
Partner with Growth, Wealth Advisors, and Tax leadership to develop referral pathways, cross-serving opportunities, and repeatable offerings; represent the practice with priority clients and centers of influence.
Contribute approximately 20% of capacity to senior client relationships, complex advisory work, service-line development, and business development while avoiding routine delivery backlogs.
Set business requirements and make strategic practice decisions about software and tools; partner with Operations and Technology on selection, implementation, adoption, and controls.
Serve as the Business Services owner for M&A integration, assessing acquired talent and capabilities and integrating clients, offerings, pricing, systems, and teams into the national service model with the integration team.
Contribute to SABA strategy and coordinate with the National Tax Leader, Operations Director, Growth Director, and enterprise shared services on cross-service-line priorities.
Coordinate administrative support and shared resources for Savant’s affiliated alternative CPA practice while respecting its independent authority over attest scope, pricing, quality review, independence, peer review, and regulatory compliance.
Directly lead service-line Directors and Managers and, through them, national Accounting and Business Services professionals.
Build leadership depth and succession plans; set performance expectations, coach and develop leaders, oversee staffing and capacity, and hold leaders accountable for results, quality, and team experience.
Create a national operating cadence and constructive culture across offices while preserving specialist ownership of technical work and avoiding dependence on the leader for day-to-day decisions.
Champion a constructive, values-driven culture; model sound judgment, ethical conduct, and collaboration; represent Savant professionally and adhere to its policies, procedures, and core values.
Perform additional duties as assigned and adapt responsibilities as the firm and role evolve.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision coverage with multiple plan options, effective day one.
Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA).
Company-paid life insurance, AD&D, and disability coverage.
401(k) with company match and Roth and Traditional options.
Team-based incentive opportunities and recognition programs.
Flex Time Off.
Annual Savantiversary day.
Summer Hours with shorter work weeks during the summer.
Parental leave, personal leave, and other life-event support.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
Wellness reimbursements, such as gym memberships.
Flexible Dress for Your Day approach.
Potential additional incentive compensation based on responsibilities and performance.
Majority employee-owned company, providing employees a shared stake in long-term success.
Career development opportunities and long-term impact.