Public Accounting Professional

About the Firm

We are a locally rooted public accounting firm serving individuals and closely held businesses with a mix of tax, accounting, and advisory services. With a team of fewer than 25 professionals, we offer a collaborative environment where you can work directly with clients, build technical depth across engagements, and grow into a long-term leadership role.

Position Summary

We’re hiring an experienced public accounting professional (CPA or CPA candidate) who enjoys both accounting and tax work and is motivated to grow into a trusted advisor and future firm leader. You’ll manage and deliver client work with increasing autonomy, collaborate closely with partners and managers, and mentor staff while building the technical and relationship skills.

Key Responsibilities

• Prepare and review federal and state tax returns for individuals, partnerships, S corporations, and C corporations (experience-based level of review).
• Prepare and review bookkeeping and write-up work, including general ledger maintenance, reconciliations, and month/year-end close support.
• Prepare and/or review compiled financial statements and related workpapers (as applicable to the firm’s service mix).
• Research tax and accounting issues; document conclusions and communicate recommendations clearly.
• Work directly with clients to gather information, answer questions, and provide proactive guidance.
• Meet with new clients and participate in firm growth initiatives.
• Support tax planning and advisory projects (entity selection, estimated tax planning, extensions, and deadline management).
• Coordinate workflow to meet deadlines, especially during peak periods; communicate status updates early and often.
• Identify process improvements and help strengthen standard procedures in a growing, relationship-driven firm.
• Mentor and review the work of staff accountants; provide coaching and feedback in real time.

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in a public accounting firm.
• CPA license in good standing or active CPA candidate (taking sections and progressing toward completion).
• Strong working knowledge of accounting fundamentals (GAAP concepts, reconciliations, adjusting entries, financial statement relationships).
• Strong working knowledge of tax compliance for individuals and closely held businesses.
• Comfort working in a small-firm environment (under 25 people) where priorities can shift and teamwork is essential.
• Excellent communication skills (written, verbal, and client-facing).
• Ability to manage multiple engagements, meet deadlines, and maintain attention to detail.

Preferred Qualifications (Nice to Have)

• Experience reviewing returns and/or supervising/mentoring staff.
• Experience with multi-state filings, SALT considerations, and/or complex pass-through issues (basis, distributions, guaranteed payments).
• Comfort with common small-business accounting platforms and Excel (pivot tables, lookups, workpaper organization).
• Experience with practice management and tax/accounting software (tell us what you’ve used).
• Advisory mindset—interest in helping clients make decisions, not just report results.
• Demonstrated interest in long-term growth, business development, and leadership.

What We Offer

• Clear growth path with direct exposure to firm partners, one-to-one mentorship and a genuine opportunity to develop toward leadership.
• Client-facing work and varied engagements across tax, accounting, and advisory services.
• Supportive team culture in a smaller firm where your work is visible and your ideas matter.
• Competitive compensation, performance-based bonus opportunities, and benefits
• Modern tools and a commitment to improving processes and workpapers over time.

Schedule & Work Environment

• Full-time position based in Wilmington, NC.
• Busy-season hours may increase based on deadlines; we emphasize planning and communication to keep workloads manageable.
• We offer the opportunity for off-season four-day weeks or other hybrid arrangements
• In-office is preferred, but hybrid may be considered based on experience and firm needs.

How to Apply

Please submit your resume and a brief note about (1) your public accounting experience, (2) CPA status (licensed or exam progress), and (3) what you’re looking for in a long-term firm home and leadership opportunities. • Apply via: [ellen@stroudcompanycpa.com]