Case Study: Confidentially Recruiting the Head of Tax for a Global Technology Company

The Challenge

A large, publicly traded multinational technology company engaged UNITY Executive Tax to confidentially recruit its next Head of Tax. Operating in more than 150 countries worldwide, the organization needed an accomplished tax executive capable of leading a sophisticated global tax function and overseeing a team of approximately 40 tax professionals.

The mandate was broad and highly technical. The new Head of Tax would be responsible for direct and indirect tax accounting, tax reporting, planning and compliance across the company’s U.S. and international operations.

The ideal candidate needed a rare combination of experience:

• 20+ years of combined Big Four and global public company tax experience
• 10+ years of leadership experience, including oversight of a large tax organization
• Deep ASC 740 and international tax expertise
• Significant M&A and transfer pricing experience
• The executive presence and leadership capabilities required to lead a large, global tax function

Compounding the challenge was the need for absolute confidentiality. The company was replacing its existing Head of Tax, and leadership was concerned that a prolonged search could increase the likelihood that the incumbent would become aware of the transition.

Speed mattered—but not at the expense of quality.

Why UNITY Executive Tax

The company’s VP of Human Resources initially contacted UNITY Executive Tax specifically because of our specialization in senior-level tax searches.

During our initial discussions with the VP of HR and Chief Accounting Officer, one of their most important questions was straightforward: How quickly could we identify the caliber of tax executives required for this role?

Because executive tax is our specialty, we did not need to spend weeks learning the market or determining which executives might fit the profile. We were able to immediately leverage our national tax network, technical tax knowledge, and longstanding relationships with senior tax leaders.

Our tax technical expertise also allowed us to evaluate candidates well beyond the resume. Before presenting an executive, we could assess whether the individual truly possessed the required depth in ASC 740, international tax, transfer pricing, M&A, public company environments, and large-team leadership.

For a confidential search with an exceptionally specific candidate profile, this combination of market access, technical credibility, and speed was critical.

Our Approach

From the outset, we conducted a highly targeted national search focused on tax executives with the technical background, leadership scope, and global public company experience required for the position.

The results came quickly.

• Week 1: 3 highly qualified candidates presented
• Week 2: 4 additional highly qualified candidates presented
• Week 3: 3 additional highly qualified candidates presented

Within three weeks, UNITY Executive Tax had delivered a slate of 10 highly qualified executives.

More importantly, the quality of the slate was strong enough that the company chose to interview all 10 candidates and asked us to pause additional recruiting. Leadership was confident that its next Head of Tax was already among the executives we had identified.

The Interview Process

The interview process was intentionally thorough:

• 10 candidates completed initial interviews with the Director of HR and Chief Accounting Officer
• 4 candidates advanced to on-site interviews with the Treasurer, VP of Finance, and VP of Internal Audit
• 2 finalists met with the CFO and VP of Human Resources
• An offer was extended and accepted

Throughout the process, UNITY Executive Tax worked closely with company leadership and candidates to maintain confidentiality, facilitate communication, and keep the search moving efficiently.

The Result

Eight weeks from search launch to accepted offer.

For a confidential Head of Tax search requiring more than 20 years of experience, significant global public company expertise, and the ability to lead a 40-person tax organization, the company was able to move from initial kickoff to its selected executive accepting the position in just eight weeks.

The search demonstrated the advantage of working with an executive search firm dedicated specifically to tax: immediate access to the relevant market, the technical expertise to accurately assess candidates, and the relationships required to engage senior tax executives who may not otherwise be actively considering a move.

Client Feedback

“I have been thoroughly impressed with the services provided by Unity. Their deep understanding of the tax industry, coupled with their ability to identify and attract top talent, has been instrumental in fulfilling our recruitment needs.”

“The candidates they have presented have consistently been of the highest caliber, perfectly matching our requirements and organizational culture.”

“Their professionalism, efficiency, and attention to detail have made the recruitment process smooth and successful. We highly recommend Robyn at Unity to any company seeking reliable and expert tax recruitment solutions.”

The UNITY Executive Tax Difference

Executive tax recruiting is an exceptionally narrow market. At the Head of Tax level, adding requirements such as global public company experience, ASC 740 expertise, international tax depth, M&A and transfer pricing experience, and leadership of a sizable tax organization can reduce an already limited candidate pool to a small number of executives nationwide.

That is where specialization matters.

UNITY Executive Tax combines deep tax technical knowledge with decades of tax recruiting experience and an extensive national network of senior tax professionals. We understand the technical requirements of the role, know where the relevant executives sit in the market, and have the credibility and relationships to engage them confidentially.

For companies making one of the most important hires within their finance organization, that specialization can mean the difference between conducting a search—and successfully securing the right tax leader.