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Positions we recruit: Tax
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Financial Headhunters: Practical recruitment for tax professionals
This is what we do all day: recruit accounting, finance, banking and insurance professionals.
- Controller
- CFO
- VP Finance
- FP&A Director
- Accounting Manager
- Director of Accounting
- Assistant Controller
- Tax Director
- Treasury Manager
- Internal Audit Director
- Senior Accountant
- Financial Analyst
- Head of Financial Reporting
- Commercial Lender
- Chief Credit Officer
- Business Systems Finance Lead
How long did your last search take?
How much did the empty seat cost while you waited?
Every week a finance seat stays empty costs you in overtime, late closes and work that waits. We go straight to people already doing the job.
01
Hiring strategy for tax teams
Focus on specific technical proficiency over general experience. Determine if the role needs heavy compliance execution or strategic planning. Compliance roles need precision with forms 1120 or 1065. Planning roles need experience with M&A structuring. Check if they use software like Corptax or ONESOURCE effectively. Start with the core technical demand to filter the pool.
Assess if the current need is permanent or project based. A permanent role requires long term stability. Project work fits interim hiring. Distinguish between tax directors who oversee strategy and managers who own the provision schedules. Do not hire a manager for a director role and expect strategic leadership. Match the level to the output required.
- 01Define if the role is provision heavy or compliance heavy.
- 02Check technical tool proficiency early in the process.
- 03Separate executive oversight from functional management.
- 04Verify state and federal experience alignment.
02
Interviewing candidates
Ask how they prepare ASC 740 provisions. Inquire about their process for audit defense. Require clear steps, not theory. Use follow up questions to confirm their direct role. Ask how they manage tax planning for M&A. Verify their knowledge of 1120 or 1065 compliance. Select candidates who provide concrete examples.
Ask about errors in past tax returns and how they identified the root cause. Inquire how they manage deadlines during peak season. Require practical organizational tactics. Ask how they explain complex tax code outcomes for the leadership team.
We map your specific volume of work against candidate history to align expectations. Before presenting a profile, we verify they own the data chain of custody from source to return. We confirm if they built the ASC 740 workbook or reviewed drafts from consultants. Decide whether to hire for high-volume execution or technical research. We filter candidates based on evidence of handling your primary bottleneck.
- 01Walk me through your last ASC 740 provision review.
- 02How do you prepare for a state tax audit?
- 03Explain your workflow for partnership 1065 compliance.
- 04Describe a time you found a tax saving opportunity.
03
Avoiding common hiring mistakes
Do not overvalue industry experience if the technical task is identical. A candidate from manufacturing can often handle compliance for retail if the software and tax rules are consistent. Prioritize the toolset and regulation knowledge. Stop searching for perfect fit candidates who do not exist. Look for high competency in your primary pain point. If you need a provision manager, hire for provision skill.
Avoid hiring candidates who rely on outside help for everything. Your team needs individuals who can own the workpaper process. Check their independence level. If they always managed a team but never touched the data, they may struggle with the actual work. Verify their ability to handle individual tasks before you assign leadership responsibilities.
- 01Do not confuse tax planning with tax compliance skills.
- 02Do not ignore software proficiency gaps during screening.
- 03Do not hire for potential when you need immediate output.
- 04Do not overlook detail orientation in provision tasks.
04
Credential verification
Check the CPA license through the state board. A CPA confirms foundational knowledge. An LLM or JD indicates legal expertise relevant for M&A. These are formal educational credentials. Confirm their current active standing.
Do not assume a credential replaces a technical test. Use your own assessment to verify their actual work output. Credentials prove someone met an external benchmark. They do not mean the candidate knows your specific company data. Validate the candidate understands the difference between tax advice and compliance execution.
- 01Check CPA status on state board websites.
- 02Confirm degree completion for JD or LLM.
- 03Verify license expiration dates.
- 04Distinguish between tax preparation and tax law.
05
Tradeoffs in tax staffing
You trade time for specialized knowledge. A generalist fills the gap but requires more oversight. A specialist costs more but manages the provision without guidance. Choose based on your internal bandwidth. If you have a senior manager who can train, hire a sharp analyst. If your manager is too busy, hire someone who is fully autonomous.
A candidate moves if they find a role with more control or better technical tools. They stay where they are if they have high influence. If you cannot offer control, offer better tools or clear technical growth. Match the job to their career stage. A junior professional wants to learn, a senior professional wants to build.
- 01Cost versus technical independence.
- 02Senior oversight versus individual contributor volume.
- 03Automation potential versus manual process need.
- 04Broad exposure versus deep niche focus.
15 positions in this family
- VP of TaxA leader projects the impact of new entities on global tax rates and defines the strategy for internal filings.
- Tax DirectorThis director defines the technical strategy for tax filings and verifies that provisions align with actual corporate book records.
- Tax Manager (corporate)A manager handles calculations for filings and takes ownership of tax provisions to verify records match local statutory rules.
- Senior Tax AnalystAn analyst spots the difference between temporary and permanent adjustments to produce balance sheets showing actual tax implication results.
- Tax Provision (ASC 740) ManagerThis manager identifies which differences cause deviations in tax rates to bridge the gap between book income and liability.
- International Tax ManagerA manager reconciles foreign tax credits and local filings to keep the organization from missing deadlines or audit penalties.
- State and Local Tax (SALT) ManagerThis manager builds logic to track nexus across states and maps tax implications before transactions occur for the company.
- Partnership Tax ManagerA manager calculates waterfall mechanics and ownership tiers to produce documents without seeking guidance from external firm consultants today.
- Senior Tax ManagerLead corporate tax compliance, ASC 740 provisions, and strategic tax planning initiatives.
- Tax AnalystA Tax Analyst role managing tax compliance, provision support, and workpaper preparation for the accounting function.
- Transfer Pricing ManagerDirecting intercompany pricing policies and global tax compliance for complex corporate entities.
- Sales and Use (Indirect) Tax ManagerDirects indirect tax compliance, nexus strategy, and audit resolution processes.
- Property Tax ManagerDirect the property tax lifecycle, appeal valuations, and manage assessments to optimize tax liabilities.
- Trusts and Estates (Private Client) Tax ManagerDirecting complex tax planning, compliance, and wealth transfer strategy for high-net-worth private clients.
- Senior International Tax AnalystLead cross-border tax compliance and provision reporting for international operations.
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Questions people ask
When should I hire a tax manager versus a director?
Hire a manager to own the provision and compliance lifecycle. Hire a director to lead strategy and communicate risk to the business.
Does a CPA license indicate they can manage ASC 740?
No, the CPA is a foundational credential. Verify their specific provision history during the interview.
What is the best way to test for tax software skills?
Use a practical assessment task using Corptax or ONESOURCE to see if they can manipulate the data without assistance.
Why do tax candidates leave roles?
Most leave when their technical growth stalls or when they lack the necessary tools to manage compliance effectively.