Chief Operating Officer

WANTED: One of the BEST Chief Operating Officer (A Player only)

At Shah & Associates CPAs PA we dont just prepare tax returnswe partner with clients year-round to deliver proactive tax planning strategies that create measurable savings and long-term wealth. Our mission is to elevate our clients financial position through collaborative advisory services designed to increase revenues profits and overall net worth.

This role exists because the firm is growing rapidly and we need a senior operations leader who can bring structure accountability and execution discipline to support the next stage of scale.

If you thrive in fast-paced environments enjoy building systems holding people accountable and turning vision into execution this role is for you.

We Live by Our Core Values

Client Success Our clients success is the foundation of everything we do.

Communication & Collaboration Open communication and teamwork are central to our culture.

Accountability We hire professionals who own their responsibilities and deliver results.

Adaptability & Flexibility We welcome change and thrive in an evolving industry.

Transparency Knowledge flows openly; informed teams make better decisions.

Innovation Were forward-thinkers always seeking better ways to serve clients.

Growth We invest in your professional and personal development.

Aligned & Intentional Clear goals deliberate action and consistency lead to big wins.

Results-Oriented Success is measured by outcomes not just effort.

Gratitude Integrity & Empathy High integrity empathy for people and accountability for performance

Primary Goal of the Role

The Chief Operating Officer owns everything related to delivery people process and capacityso the CEO never has to.

Your mandate is to drive operational excellence accountability and efficiency to support firm growth to $4M in Annual Recurring Revenue with a 50% profit margin. You will serve as the firms day-to-day execution leader allowing the CEO to focus exclusively on vision strategy and R&D.

You will directly manage a team of approximately 8 team members (including administration and marketing) and will be responsible for scaling the organization to 15 people while maintaining performance culture and profitability.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Achieve and maintain a 50% profit margin on ARR
• Successfully scale the team from 8 to 15 A-players
• Improve systems documentation from 6/10 to 8/10
• Reduce qualified client churn by 50%
• Implement firmwide utilization and billable-time tracking via Karbon
• Reduce CEO time spent on operational and managerial tasks
• Improve system integration across core platforms
• Implement and adapt the firms SCALE operating model quarterly
• Eliminate last-minute scrambles and seasonal chaos
• Maintain strong performance without losing A-players

Tasks

Core Responsibilities

1. Leadership People Management & Accountability (The Will Driver)

Serve as the direct manager for all department leaders and managers

Execute a consistent non-emotional accountability framework

Define and Track KPIs: Work with the CEO to define and track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for all staff roles to drive desired outcomes (the will) not just tasks (the skill).

Drive a high-performance culture focused on ownership and execution

Run daily huddles weekly planning and monthly reviews

2. Operational Execution & Systems Management

Document and consolidate SOPs into a firmwide Operations Manual

Lead software transitions automation and AI initiatives

Convert CEO decision-making into repeatable workflows

Own the P&L and partner with finance to improve margins pricing and cost control

Manage vendor and referral-partner relationships and lead negotiation of terms/fees.

Balance delivery capacity across tax strategists

Improve Compliance and Manage the existing team that own client delivery tax plans tax return extension filing deadlines tax return filing deadlines

3. Scaling & Organizational Design

Build scalable org charts for 15- and 50-person firms

Create a predictable recruiting and onboarding system

Run quarterly planning to replace reactive execution

Identify and solve operational bottlenecks

How Youll Contribute

1. 30 Days

Shadow CEO heavily map processes understand systems and design own a weekly ops meeting.

Meet 1:1 with every team member

Map hidden dependencies on the CEO

Understand technology stack that the firm uses along with AI tools were rolling out.

Complete the training on our clients journey how we deliver more value how the firm plans to improve client retention how to get client referrals from existing clients and how to install the upsell revenue streams

Meet with key stakeholders (Tax Planners; Sales Rep Marketing Manager Fractional HR Fractional Recruiter Fractional Legal Team Existing Referral Partners Client Success Manager) to understand our client base and determine what has and has not been working from an expansion perspective.

Team up with Tax Manager to improve strength of our service.

Understand performance management framework PTO approval process onboarding new client and onboarding new team member process.

Deliverable by Day 30: Written Operational Assessment with a clear list of what COO vs CEO should be doing.

2. 60 Days

Take over Daily Huddle meetings weekly capacity planning deadline management workflow assignments client onboarding execution internal escalations.

Improve or rebuild SOPs

Establish clear KPIs: On-Time Delivery; Utilization; Rework rate and Client Satisfaction.

Start Implementation on how the firm plans to improve client retention to get client referrals from existing clients and how to install the upsell revenue streams.

Start meeting (all virtually) our external stakeholders to build the network.

Ad Hoc Projects if any.

Deliverable by Day 60: CEO is no longer the operational hub; Team goes to them first; CEO can miss a week without Chaos.

3. 90 Days and Beyond

Complete Implementation on how the firm plans to improve client retention to get client referrals and install upsell revenue streams

Proactive hiring plan and margin improvement initiatives

AI/process improvements across Delivery

You bring solutions to CEO not problems

You push back on bad ideas

Deliverable by Day 90: CEO is fully out of the day-to-day ops; Clear Scorecard for operations; Predicted Delivery; 70-80% TRE (Tax Return Equivalent) work completed on or before June; Calm Busy Seasons Q4 (Sept through December) mainly (as calm as possible in Tax)

Requirements

What Youll Bring (Non-Negotiables)

A True Executor: Demonstrated track record of taking vision/strategy and translating it into clear measured and successful execution. You should have done this kind of role before (if not in an accounting firm at least in a professional services industry). Most importantly you should have been able to take CEO out of the operations in your prior role.

Accountability Driver: The confidence and ability to have direct fact-based conversations that hold team members accountable without emotion.

Systems Thinker: A deep passion for building and documenting scalable systems (SOPs workflows decision trees) to remove organizational bottlenecks.

Prior Experience: You MUST have ran ops for a similar professional service business from $2M to $10M range.

Ability to work Hands On: You run everything that is not sales/content/vision.

Record of Stable Work History: We are looking for someone that has lived the consequences of their operations design

Youre A Fit If You

Have 10 years in operations / delivery / client success in professional services consulting tax accounting or similar environment AND have achieved the KPIs.

Are highly organized data driven have solid attention to details and critical thinking skills.

30-day resignation notice (in place of two weeks).

Disincentives for resigning midtax season.

We are accepting candidates US Based Candidates only in Central and Eastern Time Zone.

MUST currently have a full time job.

MUST have worked remotely before.

Nice to have (not required):

Experience in tax accounting financial services or compliance-heavy industries.

Familiarity with CRMs (Karbon ProConnect) project management tools and basic reporting.

Benefits

Compensation & Benefits

Base Salary: $190000 - $200000

Performance Bonus: Up to $60000

Mainly Remote Occasional Travel for Conferences Team Retreats and Learning Events

100% company-paid health dental Short Term and Long Term disability insurance

PTO (up to 4 weeks)

401(k) with up to 6% company contributions

HSA or FSA Available

Fully covered CPE if applicable.

Schedule

This is a full-time exempt remote role with occasional travel.

We operate primarily on U.S hours (EasternTime Zones). You must be consistently available Monday-Friday 9 am-5pm ET for internal and external facing meetings.

As a senior operations leader there will be periods (quarter-end launches right deadlines) where additional hours are required to ensure delivery and client success.

Outside of core hours you have flexibility to structure your day as you see fit but you have be ready for times (including evenings and weekends) where theres a hot and time sensitive issue which requires immediate attention.

Who This Role Is NOT For

This role is not for B-players clock-watchers or anyone who needs hand-holding avoids accountability struggles with changing priorities or is unwilling to put in additional hours during peak periods.

People who guard their evenings and weekends like sacred ground this role flexes when Firm and CEO do.

People who hesitate to take initiative or wait for permission to lead.

Next Steps:

If you have read through this description and are thinking Heck Yes Im in then here are the next steps:

Submit application

Round 1 - Prescreen interview with CEO (60 minutes) Take Home Pre-Employment Tests

Round 2 Deep Dive Interview with CEO (60-90 minutes) Take Home Pre-Employment Tests

Round 3 - Final interview and offer (30-45 minutes)