We held focussed discussions with tax professionals in our network and analysed tax vacancy data across commerce & industry, financial services and professional services to compare the market in 2024 with the same period so far in 2025, to gain insight and predict trends that we anticipate for the rest of this year. We’re pleased to report that market data indicates a double-digit year-on-year increase in tax vacancies across the board with businesses actively seeking tax talent to address growth, new regulations, and increased workloads.
Sector Hiring Trends
- Commerce & Industry: Large companies continue to expand their in-house tax teams in 2025. Compared to this time last year, hiring in Commerce & Industry is up as corporates adapt to new tax regulations.
- Financial Services: Recruitment in Financial Services remains busy and ahead of 2024. Banks, insurers, asset managers and private equity firms are bolstering their tax departments amid regulatory changes and high deal activity.
- Professional Services: Accounting and consulting firms are hiring aggressively, much as they were in 2024, but now with even greater urgency. Intense competition for experienced tax advisors continues as firms respond to surging client demand. Many firms are also backfilling roles lost to industry moves and also adding new headcount to support growth.
Regional v London Hiring
A standout change in the market is the shift towards regional hiring. While London remains a hub for tax jobs, growth outside the capital is currently outpacing London as businesses look to manage costs and take advantage of hybrid working policies.
Technical Specialisms in High Demand
Across all sectors and locations, we have identified that the tax skillsets below are especially sought-after in 2025:
- Corporate & International Tax
- Indirect Tax
- M&A and Transaction Tax
- Transfer Pricing
- Tax Technology & Data Analytics
Private Equity Investment and its Impact on Hiring Trends
Another standout shift in the market this year is the notable Private Equity investment landing in the accountancy sector which has become a significant driver of hiring trends. Some notable investments include Cinven’s majority stake in Grant Thornton, Apax Partners acquisition of Evelyn Partners accounting division and their subsequent re-brand back to S&W and a new challenger firm in the market called Unity Advisory who are backed by Warburg Pincus.
These investments of capital are now translating into aggressive growth plans in 2025 and beyond. PE-backed firms are scaling up their tax and advisory teams to expand service offerings and gain market share which is naturally intensifying competition for talent. With private equity backing, some firms are offering premium salaries and equity incentives to attract top tax professionals, prompting upward pressure on pay in the wider market.
Outlook for H2 2025
Based on current indicators, we expect continued strong demand for tax professionals across all sectors going into H2. Key drivers such as ongoing regulatory reforms, increased corporate transactions and deal flow, heightened compliance requirements and ongoing Private Equity investment in the sector show no sign of slowing which we predict will sustain high volume recruitment for tax professionals. Candidates will remain in a position of strength, as the talent shortage in tax continues. We anticipate businesses will need to continue offering attractive packages, clear career progression, and flexible working options to secure the best people.
If you would like to discuss our findings in more detail, please contact:
Graham Young – Director
Tel: 020 3826 8832
Email: graham.young@capitaltaxrecruitment.com