Strategic Tax Infrastructure · San Diego, CA
Architect of Modern
Tax Infrastructure
Strategic design. Structured systems. Long-term clarity.
Jane Watkins brings executive-level perspective to the way tax functions are built—moving beyond compliance toward systems that support growth, stability, and scale.
About Jane
Strategist.
Architect. Leader.
Jane Watkins is a CPA, Chartered Accountant, and tax strategist with over 20 years of experience across Big 4, public accounting, and industry leadership.
Her work spans global compliance, corporate tax leadership, and operational transformation – supporting organizations through growth, complexity, and change.
What distinguishes Jane is her ability to step beyond execution and into design, bringing structure, clarity, and long-term thinking to the way tax functions operate.
Experience
20+ years
Location
San Diego, CA
Credentials
CPA, CA, Barrister & Solicitor (NZ)
“There is no one-size-fits-all approach to building a business. The right structure is designed intentionally around where you are and where you’re going.“
Two Firms, One Vision
A Structured Approach
to Modern Tax
Jane leads two distinct platforms, each designed for a different level of complexity, aligned by a shared philosophy of structure, clarity, and long-term thinking. The approach is modern, technology-enabled, and built around long-term client relationships.
Executive Tax Design & Strategic Advisory
Koru Accountancy at the executive layer, supporting growing and complex organizations with integrated tax strategy, financial insight, and long-term structural design.
Designed for businesses navigating expansion, multi-jurisdiction operations, and increased complexity, Koru Accountancy brings a collaborative, leadership-level approach to the tax function.
- Corporate Tax Strategy & Planning
- Fractional Head of Tax
- M&A and Transaction Support
Modern Financial & Tax Advisory for Growth
TTS Advisory is designed for individuals and growing businesses seeking clarity, structure, and ongoing financial insight and long-term financial stability.
TTS works as a proactive partner, supporting clients with tax strategy, financial management, and day-to-day transactional oversight, all within a structured, efficient, and streamlined system.
- Individual & Business Tax Strategy
- Financial Management & Advisory
- Tax Relief & Ongoing Support
Leadership Philosophy
Three Pillars
of Leadership
These are not values carved into a wall. They are the working principles behind every engagement, every decision, and every system Jane builds.
I
Empower
My goal is not to make myself indispensable. It is to make you more capable. Every engagement should leave your team with greater clarity, better systems, and the confidence to move forward independently.
Clarity Confidence Informed Decisions
II
Collaborate
I work with your team, not above it. Best outcomes come from genuine partnership — understanding how your business operates, where it is going, & what it needs from its tax function to get there.
Partnership Alignment Long-term
III
Designed Differently
Don’t be beige. There is always a better way — a smarter system, a cleaner process, a more intentional structure. I design tax functions built for how your business works, not how accounting firms have operated.
Systems Thinking Innovation Simplicity
Career Foundation
A Career Built on Expertise
Twenty years across Big 4, in-house corporate leadership, and independent practice — building tax functions from the ground up, transforming inherited complexity, and leading teams through change.
Big 4 Leadership
Senior leadership at Ernst & Young, including West Area Tax Finance Operate — shaping firm-wide tax strategy, client delivery, and team development at scale.
In-House Leadership
Led internal tax functions within complex, high-growth environments, including organizations in life sciences and high-tech sectors – handling scale, regulatory demands, and operational transformation.
Global Compliance
Led global compliance functions across multi-jurisdiction organizations, including managing large offshore teams across India, Argentina, and the U.S. to deliver scalable, structured tax and reporting operations.
Technology & Automation
Early advocate for workflow automation and technology-enabled accounting — building systems that reduce friction and create capacity for higher-value strategic work.
Cross-Border Expertise
Deep experience leading cross-border teams through evolving international tax frameworks, transfer pricing, and ASC 740 compliance requirements.
International Foundation
BCom and LLB from the University of Canterbury, CA (CAANZ) and Barrister & Solicitor (NZ) — international credentials combined with over two decades of US practice.
Innovation & Thinking
Thinking at the Edge of the Profession
The accounting profession is changing fast. Jane writes, speaks, and thinks at the intersection of tax strategy, modern technology, and the future of the tax function.
- Automation and AI in tax and accounting operations
- Building scalable systems for growing firms
- Fractional leadership models for the modern CFO
- The future of the tax function — from compliance to strategy
- Making the complex simple, without losing rigour
Advisory & Solutions
Sharing Expertise, Driving Change
Jane works with leadership teams to build, strengthen, or transform the tax function. Whether you are starting from scratch or inheriting complexity, the work begins with understanding what you actually need.
Fractional Head of Tax
Senior tax leadership, on a fractional basis. Strategic oversight, team guidance, and board-level reporting — without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire. Right for growth-stage companies that need executive-level thinking now.
Tax Infrastructure Design
Every tax function is a system. Jane assesses what you have, identifies what is missing, and builds a structure that scales with your business — from compliance architecture to technology integration and workflow design.
Compliance Transformation
Moving from reactive to proactive. Redesigning compliance operations to reduce risk, improve accuracy, and create the capacity your team needs for higher-value work.
COMMUNITY & CONTRIBUTION
Beyond the Profession
Jane’s perspective is shaped by more than professional experience. She is an active member of the accounting community — speaking, connecting, and contributing to a profession she genuinely believes in.
Originally from New Zealand, Jane has built her career and her family in San Diego over more than two decades. Her commitment to mentorship, industry advocacy, and lifelong learning reflects the same values she brings to every client engagement: show up fully, contribute meaningfully, and never stop at good enough.
Industry Engagement
Jane actively contributes to the accounting profession through conferences, peer groups, and leadership discussions, and has also served in volunteer board roles for over two decades, including as treasurer.
Leadership Forums
Participant in executive roundtables and thought leadership circles focused on modernizing accounting practice and expanding access to senior tax expertise.
Mentorship
Committed to developing the next generation of tax and accounting professionals — particularly those navigating the transition from technical expert to trusted advisor.
Advocacy
Championing innovation, diversity, and modernization within the industry.