National Business Services Leader, Accounting & Business Advisory

Savant•Rockford, IL

14d•$200,000 - $300,000

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 diverse service lines together into one cohesive, scalable practice, overseeing accounting, payroll, CFO and Family Office services, business consulting, and specialized advisory offerings. This is a build-and-lead role focused on developing strong service-line leaders, expanding advisory capabilities, driving profitability, and delivering a consistent client experience. The leader will own the practice P&L, build new service offerings, and partner across Savant to grow the business while maintaining select high-value client relationships. The role establishes the national operating structure and consistent service models for accounting, bookkeeping, payroll, bill pay, cash-flow management, CFO services, business consulting, and specialty advisory services. It identifies niche opportunities and develops business cases, talent plans, delivery methods, pricing, technology needs, and launch plans. In coordination with Wealth, Growth, Operations, and other Savant leaders, the leader helps define the Family Office proposition and owns SABA’s staffing, service delivery, processes, and implementation for that business line. The leader owns the national Business Services P&L, annual plan, forecast, corrective actions, and approved revenue and contribution-margin targets. They partner with Growth, Wealth Advisors, and Tax leadership on referrals, cross-serving, and repeatable offerings, and represent the practice with priority clients and centers of influence. Approximately 20% of capacity is expected to be devoted to senior client relationships, complex advisory work, service-line development, and business development. The role sets business requirements and makes strategic practice decisions about software and tools, partnering with Operations and Technology on selection, implementation, adoption, and controls. It serves as the Business Services owner for M&A integration, determining how acquired talent, clients, offerings, pricing, systems, and teams enter the national service model. The leader also contributes to SABA strategy and coordinates priorities across service lines with the National Tax Leader, Operations Director, Growth Director, and enterprise shared services. The leader coordinates administrative support and shared resources for Savant’s affiliated alternative CPA practice while respecting that CPA-owned firm’s independent authority over attest scope, pricing, quality review, independence, peer review, and regulatory compliance. This administrative relationship does not confer supervision or control of attest engagements or professional decisions. The position directly leads service-line Directors and Managers and, through them, national Accounting and Business Services professionals. The leader builds leadership depth and succession plans; sets expectations; coaches and develops leaders; oversees staffing and capacity; and holds leaders accountable for results, quality, and team experience. They establish a national operating cadence and constructive culture across offices, champion Savant’s values, model sound judgment and ethical conduct, and represent the firm professionally. Additional duties may be assigned, and responsibilities may be refined as the firm and role evolve. The role typically requires a bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field, or equivalent education and experience, and a CPA credential. Candidates should have a record of leading and scaling a multi-service accounting, business advisory, or professional services practice, including substantial P&L accountability, profitable growth, and people leadership. The role requires senior leadership experience in a multi-office or distributed environment; broad understanding of accounting and business advisory services; experience designing or expanding offerings, improving pricing and delivery economics, and leading change across teams and systems; and credibility with senior clients. Travel across offices is required as business needs dictate, including during initial build-out and acquisitions. The expected base salary range is $200,000–$300,000. The role may also be eligible for incentive compensation based on responsibilities and performance. Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.; visa sponsorship is not available.

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 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.
Must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.; 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, clarifying reporting lines, decision rights, and delivery ownership.
Establish consistent service models, scope definitions, pricing and rate standards, workflows, quality controls, escalation practices, and client service expectations while allowing appropriate specialization.
Identify and prioritize niche opportunities based on client demand, expertise, economics, and strategic fit; 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, and 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 Net New Revenue and contribution-margin targets using pricing, realization, utilization, retention, capacity, and service-line profitability measures.
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 without becoming the default owner of 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 determining how clients, offerings, pricing, systems, and teams enter the national service model in partnership with the integration team.
Contribute to SABA strategy and coordinate cross-service-line priorities with the National Tax Leader, Operations Director, Growth Director, and enterprise shared services.
Coordinate administrative support and shared resources for Savant’s affiliated alternative CPA practice while respecting the CPA-owned firm’s independent professional authority and decisions regarding attest work.
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 through clear goals, timely feedback, recognition, and consistent accountability; model sound judgment, ethical conduct, and collaboration.
Represent Savant positively and professionally and adhere to its policies, procedures, and core values.
Perform additional duties as needed to support business and role needs; responsibilities may be refined or adjusted consistent with the role’s overall purpose and scope.

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, with 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 eligibility for additional incentive compensation based on responsibilities and performance.