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A career in direct tax covers a range of fields and appeals to all skill sets.

For example, I much prefer legal research and opinion drafting to analysis of financial statements, but the beauty of direct tax is that everyone can find an enjoyable niche to best utilise their skills and knowledge.

Direct tax requires well-honed communication skills and the ability to explain complicated tax issues to numerous parties, because in the same day you face an anxious FD concerned about BEPS, you may also face a confused OAP who is worried by a HMRC notice. Additionally, foreign language skills are definitely a plus as many firms have a diverse client base. It is also a career boost to network and market tax services. A direct tax specialist must be comfortable with IT as more and more tax compliance shifts from paper to online. As a result, I would envisage a more collaborative style of working with HMRC in the coming years.

Harvey John have a great service for ambitious tax professionals and I am pleased to recommend them.

Richard Wernick, Private Client Tax Specialist

Market overview

In a politically divisive and economically turbulent time, today's tax professionals are reaping the rewards. With advancements in automation and technology, a changing face of global trade, BEPs implementation, and the prominence of the gig economy in today's news bulletins, we're seeing a heightened need for skills across the direct taxes in both practice and industry.

Recent months have seen a continuing trend of private client tax opportunities across all levels with 'trusts' experience being a key demand. Equally, corporate tax and transfer pricing have been at the heart of tax hiring plans due the legislative changes surrounding BEPs and CbCR. But as with all tax disciplines within professional firms, the necessity to hire experienced talent and upskill the team is never far from a conversation.

In commerce and industry, tax very much shares centre stage with its finance counter-parts. Whilst the FTSE are continuously looking to bolster their international teams, we're also seeing a growing number of first time tax opportunities opening up amongst SMEs.

The tax landscape makes for a diverse and fruitful ground of opportunities for those with the acquired skills. For more information on opportunities within your specialism or preferred location, please contact David and Claire for practice opportunities or Ed or Tom for commerce and industry.

Our coverage of direct tax

Who do we recruit?

From boutiques to Big 4 firms, and FTSE 250 to Global 500 companies, we cover both advisory and in-house positions across the global market. Our areas of focus are:

Corporate Tax
In-house
Private Client
R&D
Trusts
Employer and Expatriate
Transfer Pricing

What grades do we recruit?

To truly be specialists in the entire direct tax sector, we believe in engaging with the entire market. Knowing what takes place at grassroots as well as what influences movements at the leadership grade gives us that ‘big picture’ approach.

From Tax Assistants to Partners and Global Heads of Tax, we recruit across all grades.