Tax Director Jobs in California
Tax Director jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in technology, entertainment, private equity, and multistate corporate operations, with openings at every level from senior tax manager stepping into a director seat through seasoned VP-adjacent leaders. The biggest hiring markets are Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, and San Diego, where employers such as Chevron, Apple, and Wells Fargo maintain substantial in-house tax functions. The most in-demand specialties are federal and state income tax compliance, ASC 740 provision work, and transfer pricing for companies with international footprints. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 59+ Tax Director jobs
POSITION PURPOSE:
The Tax Director is responsible for overall tax functions including managing internal teams, tax service providers, workstreams, and projects for the assigned funds and underlying assets. This role will be also responsible for internal department collaboration including accounting, investment, legal, and portfolio oversight to effectively manage the funds and minimize tax risks.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Communicate tax risks and alternatives clearly and effectively to investments, portfolio oversight, fundraising, sales, legal and accounting teams by translating complex tax concepts into practical, actionable, business-focused advice.
- Develop processes with fund administrators to ensure partner and tax allocation information for open-end funds with large numbers of partners is delivered timely and accurately to tax preparers.
- Ensure W-8 forms received from investors are adequately reviewed and claims for treaty benefits are granted.
- Ensure tax allocations associated with carried interest/promote paid by assigned funds are as tax efficient for the manager as possible.
- Advise fund accounting to ensure fund level and investment level tax structures are executed correctly and accounted for properly.
- Manage internal accounting teams, fund administrators and external tax preparers to ensure timely and accurate tax compliance, including delivery of tax returns and Schedule K-1s, quarterly federal and state corporate income taxes and withholding taxes, and satisfaction of quarterly and annual REIT qualification requirements.
- Perform tax technical research and work closely with external legal counsel and tax providers to identify tax risks to ensure tax positions are agreed upon real-time and tax reporting is streamlined.
- Work collaboratively within the tax team to ensure tax issues from funds within purview are clearly and thoughtfully communicated to other members of the tax team so implications can be properly considered.
- Work with investor relations to respond to ad hoc tax information requests from potential and existing investors.
- Apply tax technology, automation tools, and data analytics platforms to improve tax compliance, reporting accuracy, efficiency, and scalability.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: (including certification, licenses, etc.)
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or related field.
- 8+ years’ previous tax accounting experience at a public accounting firm (Big 4 firm with strong real estate, credit, or investment management practice preferred) or asset management firm.
- Extensive partnership experience in large open end real estate equity and/or credit funds.
- Extensive experience with equity and mortgage REIT qualification issues and quarterly/annual REIT compliance and reporting requirements.
- Private equity real estate tax experience required including experience with U.S. tax issues and structures, for foreign investors (ECI, FDAP and FIRPTA) and U.S. tax exempt investors (UBTI).
- Experience with state non-resident withholding preferred.
- MBT, CFA or additional designation a plus.
ABOUT YOU:
- Self-driven and display strong initiative and eagerness to learn and grow.
- Must have excellent verbal and written communication and inter-personal skills for dealing with internal and external stakeholoders.
- Strategic thinking and ability to align tax strategies with overall business objectives.
- Demonstrate strong work ethic.
- A variety of Medical, dental, and vision benefit plans
- Health Savings Account with a generous employer contribution
- Company paid life and disability insurance
- 401(k) savings plan, with company match
- Comprehensive paid time off, including: vacation days, 10 designated holidays, sick time, and bereavement leave
- Up to 16 hours of volunteer time off
- Up to 16 weeks of Paid Parental Leave
- Ongoing professional development programs
- Wellness program, including monthly and quarterly prizes
- And more!
- Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on CIM Group. Please inform our Talent team if you need any assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.
POSITION PURPOSE:
The Tax Director is responsible for overall tax functions including managing internal teams, tax service providers, workstreams, and projects for the assigned funds and underlying assets. This role will be also responsible for internal department collaboration including accounting, investment, legal, and portfolio oversight to effectively manage the funds and minimize tax risks.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Communicate tax risks and alternatives clearly and effectively to investments, portfolio oversight, fundraising, sales, legal and accounting teams by translating complex tax concepts into practical, actionable, business-focused advice.
- Develop processes with fund administrators to ensure partner and tax allocation information for open-end funds with large numbers of partners is delivered timely and accurately to tax preparers.
- Ensure W-8 forms received from investors are adequately reviewed and claims for treaty benefits are granted.
- Ensure tax allocations associated with carried interest/promote paid by assigned funds are as tax efficient for the manager as possible.
- Advise fund accounting to ensure fund level and investment level tax structures are executed correctly and accounted for properly.
- Manage internal accounting teams, fund administrators and external tax preparers to ensure timely and accurate tax compliance, including delivery of tax returns and Schedule K-1s, quarterly federal and state corporate income taxes and withholding taxes, and satisfaction of quarterly and annual REIT qualification requirements.
- Perform tax technical research and work closely with external legal counsel and tax providers to identify tax risks to ensure tax positions are agreed upon real-time and tax reporting is streamlined.
- Work collaboratively within the tax team to ensure tax issues from funds within purview are clearly and thoughtfully communicated to other members of the tax team so implications can be properly considered.
- Work with investor relations to respond to ad hoc tax information requests from potential and existing investors.
- Apply tax technology, automation tools, and data analytics platforms to improve tax compliance, reporting accuracy, efficiency, and scalability.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS: (including certification, licenses, etc.)
- Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance or related field.
- 8+ years’ previous tax accounting experience at a public accounting firm (Big 4 firm with strong real estate, credit, or investment management practice preferred) or asset management firm.
- Extensive partnership experience in large open end real estate equity and/or credit funds.
- Extensive experience with equity and mortgage REIT qualification issues and quarterly/annual REIT compliance and reporting requirements.
- Private equity real estate tax experience required including experience with U.S. tax issues and structures, for foreign investors (ECI, FDAP and FIRPTA) and U.S. tax exempt investors (UBTI).
- Experience with state non-resident withholding preferred.
- MBT, CFA or additional designation a plus.
ABOUT YOU:
- Self-driven and display strong initiative and eagerness to learn and grow.
- Must have excellent verbal and written communication and inter-personal skills for dealing with internal and external stakeholoders.
- Strategic thinking and ability to align tax strategies with overall business objectives.
- Demonstrate strong work ethic.
- A variety of Medical, dental, and vision benefit plans
- Health Savings Account with a generous employer contribution
- Company paid life and disability insurance
- 401(k) savings plan, with company match
- Comprehensive paid time off, including: vacation days, 10 designated holidays, sick time, and bereavement leave
- Up to 16 hours of volunteer time off
- Up to 16 weeks of Paid Parental Leave
- Ongoing professional development programs
- Wellness program, including monthly and quarterly prizes
- And more!
- Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws. A reasonable accommodation is a change in the way things are normally done which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on CIM Group. Please inform our Talent team if you need any assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.
See All 59 Tax Director Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Tax Director JobsTax Director Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Tax Director Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Accounting & Auditing12
- Consulting & Professional Services7
- Technology & Software3
- Investment & Asset Management3
- Electronics & Hardware1
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in tax director jobs across California.
- CPA license active with the California Board of Accountancy required or strongly preferred
- Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, or taxation with advanced degree often preferred
- Extensive experience in corporate tax compliance, provision, and multistate reporting
- Proven leadership over in-house tax teams or as senior manager in public accounting
- Deep familiarity with California Franchise Tax Board rules and California-specific tax law
- Experience managing Big Four or national firm relationships and external audit processes
Tax Director Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a tax director in California?
The most direct path is earning a CPA license through the California Board of Accountancy, which requires passing the Uniform CPA Examination and meeting California's education and experience requirements. Most tax directors combine that credential with a degree in accounting or taxation, several years in public accounting or a large corporate tax department, and progressive management experience. An advanced degree such as a Master of Taxation or LLM in Tax strengthens candidacy for director-level roles at California's largest employers.
How much do tax directors make in California?
Tax directors in California earn a median of about $97,050 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $61,770 for the lowest 10% to over $160,520 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire tax directors in California?
Employers hiring tax directors in California right now include BDO, BPM, and Cynch AI, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. California's concentration of Fortune 500 headquarters, major technology companies, and large entertainment studios means in-house tax director roles are consistently available across the state.
Which California cities have the most tax director jobs?
Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Irvine have the most tax director openings in California. Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area dominate because of the high density of corporate headquarters, private equity firms, and large entertainment and technology companies, while San Diego draws demand from its biotech and defense industries.
Are there remote tax director jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 68% of tax director openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting how heavily the role centers on analysis, compliance review, and management of outside advisors rather than physical presence. Provision and compliance work are the functions most commonly performed remotely, while roles with heavy collaboration across finance leadership tend to require at least a hybrid schedule.
How can I get hired as a tax director in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is moving up through a senior tax manager role at a California-based public accounting firm or corporate tax department before stepping into a director seat. Large California employers such as major technology companies and financial institutions often promote from within, so starting as a tax manager or senior associate and building ASC 740 and multistate compliance experience creates a clear internal track. Holding an active California CPA license and an advanced tax degree significantly shortens that timeline.
Where can I find and apply to tax director jobs in California?
You can find and apply to tax director jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings. Find roles that fit your experience and apply directly to each employer through the listings.
See All 59 Tax Director Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find Tax Director Jobs