Associate Manager - Small Business Services

Why this role matters

We’re scaling Block Advisors’ small business services (bookkeeping, payroll, and related solutions) through a centralized operating model. As an Associate Manager, you will lead a client-facing team (Account Managers, Associate Account Managers, Onboarding Specialists, and Senior Account Managers) to deliver consistent, high-quality service, improve client outcomes, and drive growth. You’ll coach people, enforce SOPs, manage capacity, and partner across Sales, Operations, Product, Finance, and Marketing to remove barriers and elevate performance.

We’re scaling Block Advisors’ small business services (bookkeeping, payroll, and related solutions) through a centralized operating model. As an Associate Manager, you will lead a client-facing team (Account Managers, Associate Account Managers, Onboarding Specialists, and Senior Account Managers) to deliver consistent, high-quality service, improve client outcomes, and drive growth. You’ll coach people, enforce SOPs, manage capacity, and partner across Sales, Operations, Product, Finance, and Marketing to remove barriers and elevate performance.

• Lead & coach a client-facing team: set priorities, assign work, remove blockers, and develop talent through feedback, IDPs, and performance management.
• Own client experience standards: ensure SLAs are met; review service quality and escalations; approve resolutions/credits within policy; and champion “Better Together” behaviors across the team.
• Operational excellence: implement and enforce SOPs (client service concerns, invoicing escalations, unresponsive client protocol); drive consistency in Karbon/Xero/ADP workflows, and monitor adherence.
• Capacity & workflow management: forecast volume, manage staffing plans, balance portfolios, and optimize labor efficiency across books of business.
• Cross-functional collaboration:
  
  partner with Sales Executives, Operations Specialists, Client Advocates, and enterprise stakeholders to resolve issues, improve processes, and support strategic initiatives.
• Performance & outcomes: track KPIs (SLA attainment, churn/retention, revenue, portfolio health); run daily/weekly huddles; publish insights; and execute corrective actions where needed.
• Risk & compliance: uphold out-of-scope policy, timekeeping, invoicing guardrails, and data‑privacy standards; escalates legal/financial risks per protocol.
• Continuous improvement: identify process gaps, propose changes, pilot solutions, and document updates to SOPs and job aids.
• Talent & culture: interview/hire new team members, onboard effectively, and model Block Behaviors to cultivate an inclusive, high-performance culture.
• Special projects: lead initiatives that improve client experience, reduce avoidable churn, and support annual planning and readiness cycles.

Note:

In our current org design, each Associate Manager typically supports ~13–15 direct reports across the roles listed above.

• Work Environment:
  Normal office environment.
• Special
  
  Physical Requirements:
  
  None
• Travel:
  None

** Required**

• 2+ years of people leadership in client services or operations
• Bachelors degree in Accounting, Business Administration, or a related degree
• Strong operational acumen: SOP implementation, capacity planning, metric‑driven coaching, and continuous improvement.
• Excellent communication, problem‑solving, and stakeholder management skills; ability to navigate ambiguity and drive results.

• Hands‑on experience with client service platforms/work management tools (e.g., Karbon) and small‑business systems (e.g., Xero, ADP).
• Experience in a centralized service delivery model at scale.

At H&R Block, our purpose is simple: to provide help and inspire confidence in our clients and communities everywhere. For more than 70 years, we’ve led the tax industry and we continue to evolve through our Block Next strategy, blending human expertise with digital innovation.

That same commitment to care extends to our associates. When you join us, you become part of a High Performing, Connected Culture built on strong relationships,…