Role and industry
Tax Manager (corporate) Recruiters for Technology and SaaS
No postings. No stacks of resumes. No chasing. You interview a short list.
Financial Headhunters: You need a manager who can map complex SaaS revenue streams to tax provisions and defend positions under audit
This is what we do all day: recruit accounting, finance, banking and insurance professionals.
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
Need someone now? Call 305-306-4829.
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
- 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
- No upfront fee
- Pay only if you hire
- Accounting, finance, banking and insurance
- We reach people who aren’t on job boards
- Replacement terms on standard searches
01
The Real Anatomy of this Hire
This hire sits between the Controller and the CFO. They hold the power to decide which software tax modules we adopt. They control the accuracy of the quarterly tax provision. How do you manage the relationship with outside firms during tax audits? They own the tax calendar for the business.
We need someone who can handle the math behind ASC 740 and ASC 718. You are looking for a person who knows how to map revenue data from NetSuite into a tax provision. They must handle the complexity of multi-element SaaS contracts. They decide when to pull in outside experts for audit defense or specific M&A tax planning.
We ask them these three questions. How did you reconcile your deferred tax assets in your last SaaS role? When did you last disagree with an external tax advisor and why? Can you explain the tax impact of a specific stock compensation plan change to a non-tax executive?
State the specific tax pain points during intake. Decide if you need a preparer or a manager who directs audit defense. We check evidence by asking for their ASC 740 work. Ignore vague answers about software or data flow. Press for details on how they managed a specific audit inquiry regarding deferred tax assets or equity-heavy compensation. Look for clear steps taken to reconcile NetSuite revenue against tax provision calculations. If they cannot explain these mechanics, they are not ready to manage your tax cycle. We prioritize evidence of past execution over general knowledge to save your interview time.
- 01CPA LicenseWe check if it is active. A lapsed license indicates a lack of continuing professional education.
- 02ASC 740 MasteryWe require a deep walk-through of their last provision. If they cannot explain the effective tax rate bridge, they fail.
- 03Software ProficiencyWe test their experience with Corptax or ONESOURCE. Using Excel only is a red flag for a scalable SaaS role.
- 04Audit HistoryWe verify their involvement in tax audits. They must have successfully managed federal or state inquiry responses.
- 05Stock Comp KnowledgeWe probe their understanding of ASC 718. This is critical for any equity-heavy SaaS employer.
- 06Revenue UnderstandingWe assess if they understand how ARR and multi-element deals flow into tax reporting.
02
Finding and Assessing Talent
We source from existing internal corporate tax departments in software firms. We also look at large public accounting or mid-market CPA firms. We look for individuals who are stuck at a firm where they only touch one piece of the puzzle. They are usually ready to move when they want to own the full cycle of corporate tax.
People move when the growth of the company exceeds their current internal tools. If their employer is moving from spreadsheets to a new ERP system, a tax manager often seeks a move to a company that has already finished that transition. We look for those seeking to own the provision process from start to finish.
We identify candidates through direct networking in the accounting community. We filter for people who have managed tax compliance in a fast-paced technology environment. We avoid candidates who lack experience in a high-volume data setting. We target those with a mix of public and private experience.
Before you interview, we verify their practical ability to build tax models from raw data. We begin with a scope conversation to identify if you need a hands-on builder for early-stage complexity or a manager to oversee external consultants. We require candidates to provide a redacted version of a tax provision or work paper they personally produced. We assess the tradeoff between hiring a candidate with deep technical tax knowledge versus one who understands how to integrate tax data directly into accounting software. We ask if they have ever manually corrected a provision error during an audit. If they cannot describe the adjustment, they do not move forward.
- 01Prioritizing technical skill without testing for business communication.
- 02Prioritizing tenure at large firms over the ability to manage small teams.
- 03Failing to verify experience with SaaS revenue models and stock-based compensation.
03
The Search Process
We keep this simple. You pay only if you hire someone we introduce. Our fees are defined in writing at the start.
The search follows these steps.
- 01Step oneWe define the technical gaps in your current tax function.
- 02Step twoWe interview candidates to filter for direct software tax experience.
- 03Step threeWe coordinate interviews and finalize terms for the offer.
04
Which related hiring decisions are worth comparing?
How your Tax Manager (corporate) search runs
How does The Six-Step Search work?
One sequence, from a well-defined seat to a shortlist you can judge.
Search Calibration
We start with a call about the seat, the books, the owners and the people the hire will work with. We learn what the role must fix in the first year and what would make a candidate wrong even if the resume looks right.
You get: A written search brief: scope, must-haves, deal-breakers and the pay range, agreed with you.
Market Mapping
We map the companies and institutions where the right people already work: similar size, similar ownership, similar complexity, in your market and in others.
You get: The target list of companies and institutions we will search, reviewed with you before outreach.
Professional Contact Intelligence
We find direct ways to reach the people on the map. Most are employed and not reading job boards, so reaching them takes real research.
You get: Direct routes to people who are not on job boards, researched for your search.
Persistent Personalized Outreach
We call and write to people individually and follow up. Interest varies, so we discuss the actual opportunity rather than promising a particular response.
You get: One-to-one conversations about your actual role, followed up, never a mass email blast.
Live Candidate Qualification
We speak with every candidate before you do. We check scope, systems, reporting lines, compensation expectations, location and why they would move.
You get: Only candidates we have spoken with, checked on scope, systems, pay, location and motive.
Candidate Intelligence and Process Support
You receive a short written brief on each finalist covering what they have done, where they are thin and what they want. Then we help with interviews, references and the offer.
You get: A short written brief on each finalist, plus help with interviews, references, counteroffer risk and the offer.
Questions people ask
What happens if we do not like the first set of candidates?
We review the feedback and calibrate the search parameters. We adjust our source pool to better align with your specific technology and growth stage.
Are there fees before finding a manager who owns the tax calendar and provision?
No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
Is this a permanent contingency search?
Yes, permanent contingency is our default model. If you need contract or interim support, we can discuss those arrangements separately.
Do you handle the background check process?
We screen candidates; you manage final employment verification and background checks per your internal policies.
What level of experience is standard for this role?
We look for a track record of managing tax provisions and compliance. Most candidates have five to ten years of relevant experience in industry or firm settings.
How soon will I see a Tax Manager (corporate) shortlist?
It depends on the seat, the location and the pay. We give you an honest read after the calibration call and we do not promise dates we cannot control.
What about counteroffers on a Tax Manager (corporate) hire?
We ask every Tax Manager (corporate) candidate early why they would move and what their employer might do to keep them. Counteroffer risk goes in the written brief before you make an offer.
What is your guarantee?
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
What don't you do?
We do not post your Tax Manager (corporate) job and forward whoever applies. We do not send stacks of unscreened resumes, and we do not recruit outside accounting, finance, banking and insurance.
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No upfront fee. You pay only if you hire.
We offer a candidate replacement guarantee on standard search agreements. The applicable period and exact terms are set out in the signed client recruiting agreement.
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