Director Ria Firm Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Job Summary:

Tax is the foundation of planning at Mercer Advisors. Our Team is a dedicated team of professionals who work in conjunction with our wealth advisors, and other in-house experts, to provide tax planning and compliance services to our clients.

We are looking for a Tax Director to join our Tax team to deliver tax planning strategies for our high-net-worth and ultra-high net worth (UHNW) clients. We are looking for someone who loves client service but does not enjoy the headaches of a traditional public accounting firm. We offer a great work/life balance, a fun and supportive environment, and the chance to work directly with a wide variety of clients. We do not do audits or assurance work, and there are no business development requirements.

As a member of the Tax Team, the Tax Director is primarily responsible for leading and deepening client relationships, reviewing and signing income tax returns, delivering tax projections and analysis for our UHNW clients. The Tax Director is personable, demonstrates superior communication skills, and possesses the flexibility to multi-task in a fast-paced tax preparation environment.

Unlike other firms, Mercer has a dedicated Sales team so that our wealth advisors and tax experts can focus exclusively on their clients. Our Tax Directors are client-focused fiduciaries who take pride in utilizing their advanced knowledge of tax and their superior relationship skills to diagnose the needs of clients and propose solutions that fit each client's unique scenario.

Essential Job Functions will include:

• Partners with UHNW clients to identify their tax goals, analyze their tax landscape and develop recommendations that help them work towards their tax and financial planning objectives.
• Communicates complex tax solutions to clients, utilizing interpersonal communication and relationship building skills.
• Ensures client retention by building meaningful and long-lasting relationships, alongside the development and implementation of appropriate tax and financial planning solutions.
• Review and sign individual, gift, trust, corporate and partnership tax returns for a UHNW clients
• Provide insight on clients' current entity structures, family businesses, corporate tax issues and philanthropic strategies.
• Research and analyze sophisticated models of wealth transfer and philanthropic strategies for clients, incorporating federal and state income tax consequences.
• Responsible for clear & concise communication with clients on all matters related to the delivery of tax strategy and income tax returns
• Work with tax staff to respond to tax notices and review of correspondence
• Assist with the advancement of technical knowledge and mentorship of less experienced tax team members
• All other duties as assigned

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Minimum 15+ years of public accounting experience, or equivalent tax experience
• Advanced degree or designation required (e.g., CPA or JD, MS/LLM)
• Advanced tax code knowledge, application and accounting skills
• Experience with CCH, including Axcess, Workflow and Practice, and SafeSend, a plus
• Highly organized
• Ability to communicate concepts to clients and advisors in concise and understandable fashion
• Must be detail-oriented and have excellent time-management skills
• Team player, collaborative and able to work in concert with others
• Client first attitude including a passion for providing an excellent client experience

Location: Hybrid (needs to be within 30 miles of an office because will be required to meet clients in offices from time-to-time), with a preference for West Coast or Mountain.

Work Schedule: This professional role requires availability during standard business hours of Monday through Friday from 8AM to 5PM, and Saturdays as needed during tax season. At times, the role may have early or late hours to meet business tasks and deadlines for external and internal client needs.

Working Conditions: This position may be in a professional office environment or a dedicated home office workspace which is free of interruptions. Whether position is in a dedicated office space or home office workspace, basic technology needs will be provided to satisfy position requirements. Routinely sitting and standing for periods of time. No heavy lifting over 10 lbs.

Application Deadline: The initial deadline for applications is 5/7/2026. Applications submitted after this date may still be considered on a rolling basis until the position/program is filled. We encourage all interested candidates to apply as early as possible. If a final decision has not been made by the initial deadline, subsequent applications will be reviewed as they are received.

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