Staff Tax Specialist (Wake Forest, NC)

BA Global Talent • North Carolina, NC

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

BA Global Talent is seeking a Staff Tax Specialist in North Carolina to join a small CPA firm specializing in tax strategy, compliance, and advisory services for small and medium-sized businesses and high-net-worth individuals across a variety of industries nationwide. Unlike many small accounting firms, the tax team is focused exclusively on tax services. This allows the Staff Tax Specialist to build focused tax expertise without transitioning into bookkeeping or assurance work during the off-season. This role is ideal for an early-career tax professional interested in both business and individual taxation who wants to strengthen their technical skills and gain exposure to increasingly complex tax matters. During the first few years, the position will provide experience across both individual and business taxation, with an increasing emphasis on business tax matters as the individual develops. Many of the firm’s clients have unique or complex tax situations that require thoughtful analysis and customized strategies. Rather than focusing solely on routine return preparation, the Staff Tax Specialist will have the opportunity to work on tax matters that encourage critical thinking, research, and creative problem-solving. Beyond tax preparation, this position provides an opportunity to develop proactive tax planning skills and learn how to grow from a tax preparer into a trusted tax advisor. The firm focuses on helping clients anticipate tax issues and optimize their financial outcomes through proactive planning, including the use of proprietary tax projection software that applies linear programming to evaluate multiple variables and identify effective tax strategies.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field; active CPA or pursuing CPA required.
• Minimum of 1–2 years of tax preparation experience, preferably in a public accounting firm.
• Experience with tax seasons at other public accounting firms is highly desirable.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace (G Suite), and basic computer skills required.

Nice To Haves

• Foundational experience preparing U.S. individual and/or business tax returns.
• Exposure to common business entity returns, such as partnerships, S corporations, or C corporations.
• Interest in developing deeper expertise in business taxation over time.
• Basic exposure to tax research or experience investigating tax questions under the guidance of more senior professionals.
• Interest in learning proactive tax planning and developing skills beyond traditional tax return preparation.
• Strong analytical skills and curiosity when approaching unfamiliar or non-routine tax situations.
• Ability to produce accurate, organized work and incorporate feedback from senior team members.
• Comfort communicating with clients to gather information, follow up on outstanding items, and address routine tax-related questions.
• Strong attention to detail and an interest in identifying available deductions, credits, and other tax-saving opportunities.
• Eagerness to learn from experienced tax professionals and progressively take ownership of more complex assignments.
• Long-term interest in developing from a tax preparer into a client-facing tax advisor.

Responsibilities

• Prepare business and individual tax returns.
• Set up year-end tax planning projections for clients and support the development of proactive strategies designed to minimize tax liabilities and optimize financial outcomes.
• Maintain consistent communication with clients, build strong relationships, and effectively address tax-related questions and information requests.
• Research tax situations and assist in developing thoughtful solutions that benefit clients.
• Think creatively to identify potential value-added services and tax-saving opportunities.
• Deliver clean, polished, and accurate work while thoroughly identifying available deductions, credits, and other potential tax benefits.
• Collaborate with more senior tax professionals on complex tax matters and planning opportunities.
• Continue developing technical tax knowledge and advisory skills through hands-on client work.

Benefits

• Annual Bonus: Target bonus is 10% of base salary. Historically, employees have received between 15% and 30%, depending on individual performance and firm results.
• Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA): Maximum monthly HRA contribution available to all employees.
• Client Referral Commission: Employees who bring in and manage new clients receive 20% of the client’s first-year billings. This performance-based incentive is separate from the standard compensation package. Historically, payouts have ranged from approximately $1,000 to more than $30,000, averaging around $12,000.
• Expense Reimbursement: Approved work-related expenses are reimbursed through an accountable reimbursement plan.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level