- TaxForce Staff
- Tuesday, September 16, 2025
The path to senior tax leadership is no longer defined by technical mastery alone.
In our April 2025 TaxNotes TaxPulse article, Breaking Down Finance Silos: A New Era for Tax Leadership, executives from Disney, Perrigo, and Carrier emphasized a common theme: The next generation of leaders must blend tax expertise with treasury, FP&A, risk, and even ESG fluency.
The Tax Specialist Trap
For years, many ambitious professionals climbed the ladder by going deeper in tax planning, compliance, or controversy. While that technical foundation remains essential, it’s now just table stakes. As Sonia Hollies of Perrigo put it, “You need to understand the code to get the job, but that’s not how you keep it.”
Staying confined to a single specialty risks narrowing career options. Without exposure to adjacent functions, talented professionals may find themselves passed over for broader leadership opportunities.
Tax Consulting as a Shortcut to Breadth
One of the fastest ways to break out of this trap is through fractional tax consulting and interim assignments. Unlike traditional corporate roles, consulting projects immerse professionals in cross-functional challenges immediately.
Examples include:
- Partnering with treasury to design intercompany funding strategies.
- Collaborating with FP&A on forecasting tax impacts of business decisions.
- Supporting ESG disclosures alongside financial reporting teams.
- Advising procurement and supply chain groups on tariff or sales/use tax issues.
These assignments expand skill sets while keeping tax expertise sharp—a combination companies increasingly demand.
Building Career Capital Through Variety
Every consulting engagement becomes a case study in tax leadership development. Exposure to different industries, systems, and teams builds adaptability—one of the most valuable traits for modern finance leaders.
Over time, consultants develop the profile of a true generalist: a professional who sees around corners, understands business interdependencies, and can step into CFO-level conversations with credibility.
Why TaxForce Is the Platform for Growth
For senior tax professionals exploring cross-functional tax career paths, TaxForce offers more than project flexibility. It provides a curated marketplace where seasoned consultants connect with companies needing interim expertise.
That means professionals can:
- Gain broader finance exposure while choosing assignments that fit their lifestyle.
- Build reputational capital by solving high-stakes problems across functions.
- Position themselves as candidates for future CFO or global finance roles.
Consulting for Tax Leaders: A Smart Bet
The market is shifting. Companies are actively searching for leaders who can bridge tax with treasury, FP&A, and beyond. For ambitious professionals, consulting for tax leaders is no longer a side path—it’s a direct route to the skill set that defines tomorrow’s executive class.
The Takeaway for Tax Professionals
If you aspire to senior leadership, don’t wait for your company to build rotations or expand your role. Interim and project-based consulting can provide the breadth you need now.
By stepping into cross-functional challenges today, you’ll build the resilience, versatility, and business fluency that tomorrow’s global finance leaders already demand.
With TaxForce as your platform, the leap from specialist to generalist is not only possible—it’s the smartest move you can make.
