Senior Tax Associate

DO NOT APPLY IF YOU ARE NOT WITHIN 100 MILES OF THE FREDERICK, MD AREA

Before you apply, please read: This role requires US work authorization (we do not sponsor visas) and 3 days per week in our Frederick, MD office for your first 90 days. The final interview is in person. You also need 4 years of hands-on US tax experience at a US CPA, EA, or boutique firm, including 1120S and 1065 returns. Applications that don't meet these requirements will not be reviewed.

Role - General Description

• Location: Frederick, MD — hybrid (3 days in office / 2 days remote for the first 90 days, then fully remote)
• Hours: Full-time, Monday–Friday, US Eastern hours
• Tools: ProConnect Tax, TaxDome, Microsoft 365, Loom
• Team: You will work with tax associates, client success, operations, and bookkeeping team members across the US, Perú, and Nepal

What we look for

• 4–6 years of tax experience in a regional, boutique, or independent CPA firm — you’ve owned your work from start to finish 
• Solid technical knowledge of individual and business returns — 1040, 1120S, 1065, 1120 
• Experience with tax projections and research memos — or strong enough fundamentals to develop this quickly 
• Reviewer mentality — you catch things others miss and you communicate feedback clearly  
• CPA or EA credential, or actively pursuing one 
• You communicate well in writing and on video — clients and team members will hear from you 
• You’re hungry. You want to build something, not maintain something. 

Your responsibilities

• Tax returns reviewed and delivered on time — individual and business — without the founder touching them 
• Tax associates receive clear, actionable review comments that improve their work each season — zero repeat comments on the same issue 
• Loom video summaries recorded for every delivered return — clients feel informed, not just filed 
• Quarterly tax projections reviewed for accuracy before client delivery 
• After-strategy tax projections reviewed and approved within 3 business days of strategy implementation 
• Client tax inquiries researched and responded to — staff drafts, you approve, founder signs off only on exceptions 
• Tax research memos produced independently — e.g., a client considering a short-term rental purchase needs a clear analysis of whether it makes sense and how to execute 
•  Agency calls handled independently — IRS, state agencies, transcript requests, abatements, elections 
• Advisory meetings run without founder present for appropriate client profiles 
• Full assessment process owned — onboarding call, reviewing draft strategy, presenting results to the client 
• Tax department operates as an independent function
• Measurable reduction in review cycles per return and total prep hours year-over-year 

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary: $85,000–$115,000 depending on experience 

• Path to Tax Manager title within 12–18 months based on performance 

• Performance bonuses: tax season bonus paid in April and holiday bonus paid in December, both based on firm performance — new client acquisition, client retention, and strategies implemented 

• Health reimbursement: $500/month QSEHRA 

• Paid time off and paid holidays 

• Paid continuing education — CPA/EA licensing supported 

• Path to full remote after initial 90-day hybrid period 

How to Apply

Send your resume and a brief note (3–5 sentences) on why this role fits where you are in your career right now to support@sparktaxservices.com. Subject line: Senior Tax Associate — [Your Name] Shortlisted candidates will complete a brief Loom video screening before any live interviews. Final interview is in-person at our Frederick, MD office.