About Astute Advisors
Astute Advisors is a boutique virtual tax advisory firm that helps small and mid‑sized business owners (especially in California) legally cut their tax bill by $30K–$100K+ a year with proactive planning, not just filing.
We run lean, move fast, and go deep with a select group of clients. Many have been with us 7+ years because we’re calm, accurate, and proactive.
The Role
Your mission:
- Own client communication and internal coordination so the founder can stay focused on tax strategy and growth, not logistics.
- You’ll be the primary day‑to‑day contact for clients and the bridge between them, the founder, and our offshore team.
How We’ll Work Together (read this)
This role is full‑time W‑2, but we include a small paid project as the final step in the interview process so we both know it’s a good fit.
Phase 1 – Paid test project (1099, 5–10 hours total)
- Short, real work (5–10 hours over ~1–2 weeks) so we can see how we work together.
- You can do this around your current job.
- Only offered to top finalists.
Phase 2 – Full‑time W‑2 with 90‑day review
- If the project goes well on both sides, we move directly into a full‑time role.
- The first 90 days are a mutual review period to confirm it’s the right long‑term fit.
- This is not a long‑term contractor position. The goal is a stable, full‑time seat as the firm’s first Client Success & Operations Manager.
What You’ll Do
- Run onboarding for new advisory clients: welcome email, Karbon client tasks, document checklists, and scheduling.
- Manage ongoing client communication: respond to emails, keep clients updated, and make sure they always know “what’s next.”
- Join selected client calls to take notes and turn strategy into clear recaps and next steps.
- Translate strategy into internal tasks for the offshore team in Karbon / Google Drive; track progress and close loops.
- QA basic outputs (returns, reports, checklists) before they reach the founder.
- Keep Karbon Practice Management clean and up to date: statuses, due dates, assignees, and client tasks.
- Help improve SOPs as you see patterns and bottlenecks.
You’re a Great Fit If You
- Have 5+ years in a CPA firm or outsourced accounting / controller / CAS role.
- Have strong written and spoken English; you can explain tax/accounting in plain language to non‑accountants.
- Like people but aren’t “salesy” - clients describe you as calm, dependable, and kind.
- Are highly organized: you think in checklists, systems, and follow‑through.
- Are comfortable with tools: QuickBooks Online, Google Workspace, and any modern PM/CRM (Karbon is a plus).
- Take ownership: when you see a problem, you fix it or flag it with a clear proposal.
Education: Bachelor’s in Accounting/Finance or related field preferred, or equivalent CPA‑firm experience.
Schedule
- Remote, U.S.‑based, working primarily on Pacific time.
- Core hours are roughly 8am–5pm PT, with flexibility as long as client emails are answered promptly and deadlines are met.
- We care about keeping clients updated and hitting deadlines, not about watching the clock.
Compensation & Details
We use one FTE band of $85K–$105K and treat the project separately.
Phase 1 – Paid test project (contract) [this can be done outside of core hours]
- 1099 contractor, ~5–10 hours total over ~1–2 weeks
- Hourly rate: $45–$55/hr
- No benefits during this project (it’s part of the interview)
Phase 2 – Full‑time W‑2 (after the contract position)
- Base salary: $85,000–$105,000 depending on experience
- Health: monthly stipend / HRA reimbursement toward your own health insurance
- Retirement: potential annual “retirement stipend” after year one
- Simple performance bonus tied to 2–3 metrics (client response time, onboarding timeliness, client satisfaction)
- PTO and standard holidays
- First 90 days treated as a mutual review period
We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are especially interested in candidates who value precision, integrity, and long‑term client relationships.
Pay: $85,000.00 - $105,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Paid time off
- Work from home
Application Question(s):
- Why this role, and why now for you?
- In 150 words or less, What is an S-Corp election, in simple terms for a business owner?
Work Location: Remote
