SENIOR MANAGER OF AUDIT & ASSURANCE Partner-Track Opportunity Talley LLP | Orange, California (Hybrid) Build More Than an Audit Practice. Build Your Legacy.
About Talley LLP
Talley, LLP, and its affiliated entities—Talley Law Group, LLP (“TLG”), Talley Capital Group, LLC (“TCG”), and Talley Wealth Management, LLC (“TWM”) (collectively “Talley”)—is a full-service financial, tax, legal, and consulting organization serving entrepreneurially driven businesses and their owners. Talley partners with clients as business advisors, not just service providers, constantly seeking innovative ways to strengthen their bottom line. Talley, LLP, was founded in 1989, with the mission of helping entrepreneurially driven businesses, their owners, and high net worth individuals, to manage their financial affairs and to achieve their business objectives profitably and efficiently. Our professionals strive to become each client’s Most Trusted Advisor (MTA) by delivering global solutions to our client’s complex challenges and opportunities. Our services include:
Audit & Assurance services, including financial reporting
Tax compliance
Tax planning, and proactive advice
Business consulting
Estate planning, business planning, M&A, and tax law services delivered through TLG
Outsourced accounting, controller and CFO services
M&A, growth-through-acquisition, and operational consulting delivered through TCG
Talley is a boutique firm with 70+ U.S.-based professionals and 20–30 offshore/outsourced team members. Headquartered in Orange, CA, the firm has grown rapidly, becoming a leading Orange County professional services provider. We embrace a hybrid work culture built on accountability, results, and exceptional client service delivered by professional, motivated individuals.
The Opportunity
Reporting directly to the Audit & Assurance Partner, the Senior Manager brings technical depth, leadership, and a client-first mindset to one of Talley's core practice areas. You'll lead process improvements, drive the adoption of new technology and AI tools, and work across departments to grow what Talley can offer its clients. This is a role for someone who wants to move quickly into a Client Service Manager (CSM) position, designing and delivering audit, assurance, and consulting engagements while spotting the next opportunity for a client before they have to ask for it. You'll do well here if you're comfortable in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment and want a real, performance-based path to Partnership rather than a fixed timeline.
What You'll Do
Lead and Grow the Practice
Help build stronger ties between Audit & Assurance and Talley's Tax, Legal, CAS, Consulting, and Wealth Management teams, and look for cross-selling opportunities beyond standard audit work
Align audit deliverables with tax compliance and CAS processes so clients get one coordinated experience
Use AI and other emerging tools to streamline your own work, and help guide adoption across the department
Contribute to a multi-year goal of growing the Audit & Assurance practice past $5 million in revenue, including expansion into valuation services and broader firm-wide cross-selling
Own Technical Work
Plan, execute, and document engagements from planning through fieldwork and reporting
Build audit programs that balance interim and year-end work, and tailor your approach to each client's actual risk profile
Design and test controls, prepare and review financial statements and disclosures, and draft reports for non-standard opinions when needed
Research technical issues against authoritative guidance, and review workpapers for accuracy and completeness
Bring real depth in industry-specific accounting, regulatory, and reporting issues
Build Client Relationships
Get to know your clients' operations, strategy, and financial systems well enough to flag issues before they become problems
Serve as a trusted resource clients come to with questions, not just the person who signs off on their audit
Respond quickly to client requests and resolve issues without needing to escalate every time
Spot opportunities to bring in Tax, CAS, Consulting, or Legal services
An existing client network is a plus, but it is not a requirement for this role
Run Engagements
Own engagements end to end, including budget, staffing, and timeline
Delegate work thoughtfully and keep a close eye on how your team is performing against expectations
Flag budget variances and significant accounting or reporting issues to the Partner early
Keep deliverables and review notes moving so nothing sits
Develop Your Team
Mentor staff beyond the day-to-day work, and push them to think critically rather than just follow a checklist
Give feedback that's honest and useful, on a schedule people can count on
Model the professionalism and accountability you want to see from your team
Lead the Department
Help evaluate and roll out new software, AI tools, and process improvements
Run department meetings, after-action reviews, and training sessions
Support the Partner on budgeting, variance tracking, and peer review
What We're Looking For
Active CPA license (California) required
Bachelor's degree in accounting or a related field
8 to 10 years of audit and assurance experience in public accounting, including at least 5 years in a management role
Strong command of GAAP and auditing standards, with the judgment to apply both to situations that don't fit a template
A genuine interest in using AI and other technology to work smarter, not just faster
An independent, entrepreneurial mindset, comfortable owning outcomes rather than waiting to be told what to do
Excellent written and verbal communication, and the interpersonal range to work well with clients, staff, and partners alike
Familiarity with CCH Engagement, Knowledge Coach, and ARM is a plus, but not required
Willingness to travel to client sites as needed
What Success Looks Like in Year One
You've stepped into the Client Service Manager role on at least a few engagements
You're a trusted, direct point of contact for your clients, not just their auditor
You've helped roll out at least one meaningful process or AI improvement in the department
You've mentored at least one staff member into a stronger technical performer
You've identified real cross-selling opportunities into Tax, CAS, Consulting, or Legal
You're building the track record that puts Partnership within reach
Why Talley
A collaborative, entrepreneurial culture where your ideas reach the people who can act on them
Exposure to a diverse, sophisticated client base of entrepreneurially driven businesses and high-net-worth individuals
Direct integration with Talley's Tax, Legal, Consulting, and Wealth Management teams, so your work reaches further than a typical audit practice
A firm actively investing in AI and process innovation, with a role built to help lead that shift