In Case You Missed It: Tax Hiring is Still Happening

Welcome to The Oxford Tax Recruiting Brief, your monthly read on where the tax job market is actually moving.

Each issue breaks down current hiring patterns, firm developments, and compensation trends across public accounting and corporate tax teams. You’ll find concise analysis, real job opportunities, and straightforward insight from recruiters who work these searches every day.

Here’s what we have for you this month:

• What the Layoff Headlines Miss About Tax Careers
• Retail tax shop adds 15,000 new staff
• More layoffs at the IRS

Let’s get into this month’s market.

Breaking News: The Entire Tax Profession Did Not Collapse This Week

Three tax professionals called last week asking if the market was collapsing, all because of one Big Four layoff headline. It’s understandable; a bold headline and a LinkedIn repost can sound dramatic. But let’s keep perspective.

Layoffs make noise, but they don’t tell the full story. When a large firm cuts staff, it’s usually trimming underperformers, consolidating offices, or exiting low-margin work. It’s not a verdict on tax hiring. In fact, we’ve seen other firms recruit those same professionals within days.

The tax market doesn’t move as one block. While one Big Four office sheds audit staff, a mid-sized firm two states over is hiring transfer pricing specialists. While a Fortune 500 pauses hiring, a PE-backed company is building out its tax function.

What we’re seeing now: demand is uneven but real. Federal and state compliance roles are moving fast. Tax accounting and reporting positions remain steady. M&A advisory and transfer pricing are selective but active. Firms that paused last year are rebuilding lean teams, often through contract-to-hire models. The professionals getting multiple offers aren’t generalists; they’re specialists with technical depth who can step in immediately. Hybrid schedules and project work are now baseline, not perks.

So if you’re reading headlines and debating whether to make a move, don’t panic. The best time to test the market is when you’re employed and it’s shifting, not when you’re forced to. Layoffs create noise and openings. Talent doesn’t disappear; it redistributes.

We track these shifts daily through active searches and client conversations. If you’re wondering where you fit in this cycle, explore our current open positions at Oxford Tax Recruiting  or reach out for more information. You can also reply and say “review my search,” and we’ll take it from there. The market isn’t weak; it’s selective.

News Pulse

The IRS issued layoff notices to 1,399 employees across its exam, collections, information services, and shared support divisions, adding to a 25% workforce reduction reported as of May.

Three in ten companies plan to replace employees with AI next year, with a new survey identifying accounting and financial services as two of the industries most likely to be affected.

Direct File, the IRS’s free online tax filing pilot, has been shut down due to low usage, with the agency now shifting focus to improving existing Free File programs and private-sector options.

PwC reduced its global headcount by 5,600 during its 2025 fiscal year as its worldwide revenue growth slowed for a second consecutive year.

Jackson Hewitt is hiring 15,000 seasonal employees for the upcoming tax season, filling roles in tax preparation and client support.

Job Board

• Indirect Tax Manager, Denver manufacturer: Lead U.S. and Canadian indirect tax compliance, manage audits, and oversee a team in a high-impact role, $110K–$140K, hybrid.
• Tax Adisor: Niche Firm, DTC: Join a boutique team focused on complex, high-net-worth planning, $80K–$110K base plus bonus, hybrid schedule.
• Senior Tax Accountant: Family Office, Cherry Creek: Join a close-knit team specializing in partnerships and S corps, $90K–$110K base plus bonus, mostly 40-hour workweeks, daily lunch, hybrid.

Click here for a complete listing of our jobs.

Every issue of this newsletter shows the same pattern: tax hiring hasn’t stopped, it’s just shifted. The firms that adapt are still landing strong people, while others sit in “wait and see” mode, wondering where all the candidates went.

If you’ve got a tax role that’s been open longer than expected, I can help you figure out why. We’ll review your search strategy, how your compensation stacks up, and where the right candidates are actually landing. Just reply and say “review my search.” I’ll take it from there.

Jay McCauley,

Executive Recruiter

jay.mccauley@oxfordtaxrecruiting.com

303-730-0100