Tax Partner - Private Company

About the role

RSM is looking for an experienced Tax Partner to lead and grow its Private Company tax practice in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. The partner acts as a trusted advisor to privately held middle-market businesses, entrepreneurs, owner-managers and family enterprises, combining Canadian corporate and personal tax advice with their business, ownership and family objectives, and also advises high-net-worth individuals, trusts and family offices. The role leads complex client relationships and covers tax structuring, reorganizations, succession, estate and wealth transfer planning, and ongoing compliance.

Key responsibilities

• Serve as lead relationship partner and trusted tax advisor to private companies and their families, translating complex tax matters into clear recommendations.
• Lead Canadian tax planning and implementation for private corporations, partnerships, shareholders and trusts, including structuring, reorganizations, ownership transitions and succession planning.
• Oversee integrated corporate, personal, trust and partnership tax compliance, including elections and information reporting, and review significant technical positions and planning memoranda.
• Lead complex technical research, advise on legislative and administrative developments, and coordinate responses to CRA and provincial tax authority enquiries, reviews and audits.
• Coordinate with Canadian and U.S./international tax, M&A, indirect tax, estate and trust specialists on acquisitions, divestitures, cross-border structures and wealth transfer needs.
• Advise on estate, wealth transfer, post-mortem and philanthropic tax planning, working with legal counsel and other advisors.
• Oversee tax accounting and provision support for private-company financial reporting engagements.
• Develop and execute a Toronto market strategy, build and convert a qualified pipeline, lead proposals and set engagement scope and fees.
• Own engagement quality, client acceptance and continuance, staffing, scope, pricing, profitability, billing, collections and the client experience.
• Recruit, coach and develop professionals, lead succession and workforce planning, and contribute to practice strategy and cross-service collaboration.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, business or a related discipline, or equivalent.
• CPA designation in good standing with CPA Ontario (or eligibility to join), or an equivalent professional qualification.
• At least 12 years of relevant tax experience in public accounting, including substantial experience advising private companies and their owners on Canadian tax matters.
• Completion of the CPA In-Depth Tax Program or an equivalent advanced Canadian tax qualification, such as a master's degree in taxation.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships with business owners, develop new business, negotiate scope and fees, and grow a profitable client portfolio.
• Proven leadership of complex engagements and multidisciplinary teams, with coaching and mentoring of professionals.

Required skills

• Deep knowledge of Canadian corporate and owner-manager tax, including estate freezes, section 85 rollovers, TOSI, intergenerational transfers and integrated corporate, personal and trust compliance.
• Ability to recognize cross-border issues and engage specialists.
• Strong tax research, compliance and productivity tools, including Microsoft Excel.
• Excellent judgment, analytical, written and verbal communication skills.

Preferred: experience as a tax partner, principal, director or senior manager in a Big Four or established firm with a private-business focus; additional advanced education in Canadian taxation, reorganizations, estate and trust planning or owner-managed business taxation; established relationships in the Toronto entrepreneurial and family-business community; experience coordinating cross-border tax advice for private businesses.