Firm Operations Manager

Firm Operations Manager Skills: Preferred Experience · Experience managing workflow in a CPA firm or tax preparation environment. · Experience with tax season deadline management. · Experience supervising administrative or professional staff. · Experience with client onboarding and engagement letter processes. · Experience with billing, accounts receivable, work-in-process, or budget tracking. · Experience implementing or improving practice management software. · Experience working with AI tools, automation tools Experience level: Associate Education level: Bachelor’s degree Relocation assistance: No Primary Responsibilities 1. Workflow Management and Production Oversight · Oversee firm workflow across individual tax preparation, business tax returns, bookkeeping/accounting services, tax resolution, and tax notice response work. · Maintain visibility over all active client engagements, including status, assigned staff, due dates, internal deadlines, budgets, open items, review status, billing status, and completion status. · Assign, monitor, and update internal due dates, milestones, and staff responsibilities for client engagements. · Work with firm leadership and department leaders to balance workloads, identify capacity issues, and reassign work as needed. · Monitor firm output compared to statutory deadlines, internal target dates, assigned budgets, and client expectations. · Identify workflow bottlenecks and proactively recommend solutions before deadlines are at risk. · Coordinate regular workflow meetings with staff and firm leadership. · Prepare weekly and seasonal production reports for partners and managers. · Assist in developing workflow checklists, status codes, project templates, routing rules, and deadline tracking systems. 2. Process Improvement, Controls, and Efficiency · Evaluate existing administrative and production processes and recommend practical improvements. · Create, implement, and monitor internal controls over client intake, document collection, workflow routing, review readiness, e-file authorization, billing, and project closeout. · Standardize procedures to reduce rework, missed steps, delays, and partner-level administrative involvement. · Develop methods to track realization, turnaround time, budget-to-actual performance, missing information delays, and staff capacity. · Assist firm leadership in improving tax season procedures, extension procedures, bookkeeping workflows, and notice response tracking. · Help design repeatable workflows for recurring services such as monthly bookkeeping, quarterly estimates, business tax returns, and annual individual tax preparation. 3. Technology, IT Systems, and AI Workflow Coordination · Serve as a key internal liaison for the firm’s practice management software, tax software, client portal, document management system, e-signature tools, communication platforms, and related applications. · Coordinate with outside IT providers and software vendors to resolve operational issues and improve system usage. · Assist with implementation, testing, and refinement of technology tools that support client workflow and firm operations. · Help maintain templates, automated task lists, recurring workflows, dashboards, reports, and system permissions. · Work with firm leadership to integrate AI agents and automation tools into appropriate administrative and workflow processes. · Monitor AI-enabled workflows to ensure proper human review, data privacy, accuracy, and adherence to firm procedures. · Identify opportunities to use automation and AI tools to reduce manual follow-up, improve document intake, summarize client communications, monitor due dates, and create management reporting. · Train staff on appropriate use of firm systems, workflow tools, portals, and automation processes. 4. Staff Coordination and Administrative Leadership · Supervise and coordinate administrative staff responsible for client communications, document collection, engagement letters, billing support, collections, tax season preparation, scanning, portal activity, and other office functions. · Help establish clear responsibilities and accountability for administrative team members. · Coordinate staff schedules, workload assignments, and recurring administrative deadlines. · Assist with onboarding and training of administrative personnel. · Facilitate internal staff meetings and follow up on assigned action items. · Serve as a liaison between professional staff, administrative staff, firm leadership, outside vendors, and IT providers. · Promote a culture of accountability, responsiveness, organization, and continuous improvement. 5. Client Onboarding and Service Coordination · Oversee the new client onboarding process from initial acceptance through setup in firm systems. · Ensure that engagement letters, client information, prior-year records, portal access, billing arrangements, and service expectations are properly established. · Coordinate annual tax season preparation, including organizer distribution, engagement letter tracking, client document requests, and follow-up procedures. · Monitor missing client information and ensure timely follow-up. · Assist with client communication procedures, including standard email templates, deadline reminders, document request notices, and status updates. · Help ensure a consistent and professional client experience across all firm service lines. 6. Billing, Collections, and Engagement Budget Monitoring · Coordinate with firm leadership and administrative staff to ensure timely billing of completed work. · Monitor engagement budgets and compare budgeted time or fee expectations to work status and completion. · Assist with tracking work-in-process, completed-but-unbilled projects, unpaid invoices, and past-due balances. · Support procedures requiring payment before release of returns or final deliverables, where applicable. · Provide reporting to firm leadership regarding billing status, collections issues, and budget overruns