Jump Back
Tax professionals remain in demand. Our latest talent monitor highlights specific trends and data around the movement, availability and salary trends for tax professionals in Ireland:
#1 Reasons for high demand:
The demand for tax professionals has arisen due to the rapid change in the tax landscape, particularly in the international tax environment. Tax professionals with international tax expertise are in high demand. Pillar II/BEPS and the focus on transformation/automation skills to support enhanced reporting requirements have heightened this demand. Recent years have also brought a focus on controversy, tax, audits and disputes as Revenue and tax authorities around the world ramp up investigations.
At the same time, tax professionals who are deemed generalists are back in demand to manage a broad scope of tax areas for their clients or company stakeholders. Domestic issues such as wealth & succession planning remain a focal point for private client tax advisors.
The recent Trump administration, with a focus on tax and tariffs, will be another factor contributing to the demand for tax professionals. Paradoxically, this focus on tariffs leading to potential trade wars could be a massive disruption in the global economy, which will slow down investment opportunities including recruitment plans. It’s too early to say whether this will impact the cohort of tax professionals looking for a new opportunity this quarter or next quarter.
#2 Salary trends of tax professionals
Salaries have remained steady over recent quarters and are in line with average salaries monitored throughout 2024. Below are some guidelines for salaries within the industry and practice.
You can expect a 10-15% reduction on the above numbers, when considering appointments outside of Leinster. For bespoke advice, our team can provide further details, for contact aoibhin.byrne@barden.ie (Leinster) or aideen.murphy@barden.ie (Munster).
Some important points to note:
- Figures relate to base salary only
- Context is key. There can be variances in these figures(and significant ones) dependent on the industry sector, scope of responsibility, geographical reach, reporting line and years of experience.
- Job titles themselves can vary between one company to another, so it’s important to figure out what they mean, particularly the title of Tax Manager/International Tax Manager
- Bonuses and other benefits impact the total comp value of a tax professional’s salary and need to be considered
- Finally to note the importance of benchmarking each role using real-time market info from a trusted source, as our salary guideline (as many others on the markets) is a broad guide…
#3 Continuum of Activity | Tax Industry
A job title in the Tax Industry doesn’t define your role in the external market. A rule of thumb, the smaller the tax team, the broader your scope of duties is likely to be. The role of the Tax Professional in industry is largely defined by the variables listed below. The variables that are relevant to the role you are hiring for matter a lot.
#4 Movement trends of tax professionals this quarter
The demand for tax professionals across Tax and Industry continues to outweigh the supply of experienced tax professionals. Companies recruiting in this quarter are predominantly international tax groups with their EMEA headquarters in Ireland and Irish professional service firms across the Big 4 and top 10 sector.
We are noticing a significant outflow of talent to international tax markets for tax professionals with 3 – 5 years’ experience– Australia, Canada, and London remain the most popular destinations.
The tax professional is in “very high demand”. Here are some data points about the tax talent pool in Ireland this quarter:
- There is a marked cautious sentiment due to the Trump administration, where some tax professionals, particularly at the senior end, are deciding to hang tight and wait out this period of uncertainty.
- Qtr 1 of any year is usually a time for promotions and bonuses paid, so it can result in lower movement and hence a lower supply of talent
#5 What can companies do to attract and retain talent?
- Align salary expectations to current market trends. Unfortunately, current team members may be below the salary averages, so when looking to recruit an additional person onto the team, it can be challenging for many hiring managers to meet an increased base salary.
- If base salaries can’t be moved, strengthen additional benefits – sign-on bonus, bonus multipliers, stronger employer % pension contribution, wellness subsidies, enhanced annual leave offering
- Emphasise the culture of the firm or company
- Provide a clear pathway for career development, and if possible, promotional opportunities
- Communicate the hybrid working policy or any flexible work practices
In Barden, we understand that each team, role, and requirement is unique. If you would like to discuss what tactics and approaches would suit you, contact Kate Flanagan, Aoibhín Byrne, Aideen Murphy our Tax Talent Advisory & Recruitment team here in Barden (kate.flanagan@barden.ie; aoibhin.byrne@barden.ie; aideen.murphy@barden.ie); we’re where leaders go before they start looking for Tax talent.
(This information is accurate as per April 2025 and will be updated periodically. Data sources include Barden Proprietary Data, LinkedIn Analytics and other 3rd party data sources. If you have a request and would like real-time information to inform your hiring decisions contact Kate Flanagan at kate.flanagan@barden.ie, Aoibhín Byrne at aoibhin.byrne@barden.ie or Aideen Murphy at aideen.murphy@barden.ie.