Tax Principal - Dealer Services

Baker Tilly•Seattle, WA

About The Position

Baker Tilly is hiring a Tax Principal for its Dealer Services practice to grow the Seattle and broader Pacific Northwest market. The role provides industry-focused federal tax advisory and compliance services to dealership owners, dealer groups, and related businesses. The Principal will lead client relationships and engagements, advise on technical and strategic tax matters, and work with firm leadership and associates to expand the practice. Baker Tilly's Dealer Services practice serves more than 1,500 dealership clients and is supported by over 90 dedicated professionals. Its industry coverage includes automotive, motorcycle, recreational vehicle, trucking, powersports, heavy equipment, and marine dealerships. The Principal will draw on this national platform and collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to serve clients and develop dealership-focused tax services across the Pacific Northwest. The position also includes business development, practice strategy and market positioning, engagement management, mentoring and staff development, and representing Baker Tilly at industry and community events. The role requires a bachelor's degree, CPA or JD, at least 15 years of relevant tax experience, and at least five years of supervisory experience.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree.
CPA or JD.
15 or more years of experience providing federal tax compliance and consulting services in a professional services firm; relevant industry experience is also considered.
Significant experience serving automotive dealerships, dealership groups, or related dealer services businesses, with understanding of the industry's tax and business considerations.
Five or more years of supervisory experience, including mentoring and counseling associates.
Demonstrated success developing new business, expanding client relationships, and contributing to tax practice growth.
Strong technical knowledge of federal taxation for corporations, partnerships, S corporations, and closely held businesses.
Knowledge of dealership-specific tax planning involving inventory accounting, LIFO, accounting methods, depreciation, and entity structuring.
Demonstrated management, analytical, organizational, interpersonal, project management, and communication skills.
Ability to lead and supervise others, provide exceptional client service, maintain current knowledge of applicable strategies, handle both broad business considerations and details, demonstrate ethical commitment, and deliver quality work on time.
Ability to serve as a trusted advisor to dealership owners and senior executives and translate complex tax matters into practical business recommendations.
Strong professional presence, established industry credibility, and ability to represent Baker Tilly in the dealership community.
Highly developed software and Microsoft Suite skills.

Nice To Haves

Master's or other advanced degree.
Established relationships with dealership owners, dealer groups, industry executives, and professional referral networks in Seattle, Washington, or the broader Pacific Northwest.
Experience advising dealership clients on mergers and acquisitions, succession planning, ownership transitions, and complex tax planning matters.

Responsibilities

Lead federal tax compliance and consulting services for dealership owners, dealer groups, and related businesses throughout Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.
Manage day-to-day tax client relationships, serving dealerships ranging from independently owned businesses to large, multi-location dealer groups.
Advise on corporate and flow-through taxation, accounting methods, and dealership-specific planning, including inventory accounting, LIFO, capitalization policies, depreciation, and fixed assets.
Research tax matters, respond to IRS and other tax authority inquiries, and make recommendations to clients.
Coordinate with specialty tax practices on state and local, high-net-worth, international, research and development, credits, and incentives matters.
Oversee tax planning for federal and individual clients and review complex tax research concerning business transactions and related entities.
Advise dealership owners and management teams on entity structuring, succession planning, shareholder transactions, wealth transfer, and strategic tax matters.
Recommend business and process improvements based on clients' operations, processes, and objectives, using dealership benchmarking and advisory resources to identify profitability and efficiency opportunities.
Manage engagement staffing, billings, and collections, and ensure client profitability targets are met.
Network and build internal and external relationships to acquire clients, projects, and revenue.
Participate in requests for proposals to pursue clients and services and expand the Dealer Services presence in Seattle, Washington, and the Pacific Northwest.
Collaborate with service-line and market leadership on tax service positioning, branding, strategy, and messaging.
Develop relationships with dealership owners, dealer groups, industry executives, referral sources, and industry associations to identify business opportunities.
Collaborate with assurance, transaction advisory, state and local tax, risk advisory, cybersecurity, and other specialty professionals to deliver integrated client solutions.
Support clients through mergers and acquisitions, ownership transitions, and other significant business transactions in coordination with transaction advisory and specialty tax professionals.
Invest in professional development and participate in firm-wide learning and development programs.
Mentor and develop team members in keeping with Baker Tilly's Care and Teach philosophy and support recruitment efforts.
Demonstrate leadership, initiative, teamwork, and high ethical standards.
Represent Baker Tilly at community events, firm functions, dealership industry conferences, professional associations, and networking events throughout the Pacific Northwest.