Navigating the Future of Tax: An Interview with a Director of Tax

In this blog, you will learn:

• About the career experiences of a Director of Tax.
• Ways for practices to prepare themselves for the 2026 government initiaitive Making Tax Digital.
• How to find and apply for the best accountancy jobs.

In April 2026, the next phase of Making Tax Digital for Income Tax is set to begin, with significant changes expected across the accountancy industry. Making Tax Digital is a government initiative that requires individuals and businesses to keep digital records and submit tax information to HMRC using an approved software.

In what is anticipated to be one of the most significant shifts in tax administration in recent years, practices must be ready to adapt quickly to new digital reporting requirements and processes. However, understanding and preparing for these changes and new regulations could be challenging.

We recently spoke to Robyn, a Director of Tax and administrator of a Making Tax Digital networking service, to gain insight into what she believes practices can do to prepare. With over 15 years experience in the private client tax sector and multiple accountancy and tax awards to her name, Robyn is an advocate for helping others understand UK tax.

In this interview, discover how Robyn provides networking opportunities to support tax professionals in the evolving tax landscape.

Tell me about yourself and your career journey so far

As a teenager I was very fortunate to be offered a Saturday job as a Bookkeeper doing VAT returns for a friend’s business. My now fellow Director also worked there and we spent many Saturday afternoons trying to help each other reconcile bank accounts!

From there I decided I wanted to become an Accountant but I didn’t want to go to university. I was advised that a particular company was good to train with and applied for the only suitable role they had at the time for a school leaver - a Tax Trainee.

I really loved both the job and the team and I now realise I was very lucky to fall into a role so well suited to my personality.

I passed my ATT and my CTA exams and worked as a Tax Manager for over 10 years. I am now one of three Directors of LKA Chartered Accountants.

Describe your typical day and responsibilities as a Director of Tax

As the Director of Tax I’m responsible for all our personal tax clients who require both self-assessment tax returns completed and advice work. Part of that responsibility includes supporting the staff in our tax department, growing as a business and bringing in new work.

My days are very fast paced and continually changing. On a typical day I can get through a plethora of different tasks from requesting and processing client information and answering client queries to looking into tax technical matters.

I typically receive around 100 emails a day and I usually have a new client virtual meeting or call every day as well as management meetings. I assist my colleagues and review their work, invoicing, planning and more.

My role also requires me to deal with a very large amount of information quickly, to get to know people and their businesses and of course to have up to date technical knowledge of the tax system.

One of my favourite parts of the job is keeping track of where each and every client tax return is such as when we requested the information, what information we are still awaiting, who’s waiting for us to get back to them, how many have been sent and submitted etc.

It feels a little bit like air traffic control, trying to organise many moving parts into a streamlined system, but it’s very satisfying when we can change from ‘processing’ to ‘sent to client.’

What inspired you to pursue a career in tax?

I was lucky to ‘fall’ into tax but I stayed in the sector because it suits me and I’ve been lucky enough to work for some really inspirational female leaders. Working with women at the top of their game is inspiring even if I didn’t realise or perhaps appreciate it enough at the time.

My first manager taught me a high standard of professionalism and I continue to benefit from her superb training. Now I work with some of the most motivating and supportive women. I still feel supported and encouraged to pursue a meaningful career while working part time. 

How do you manage and lead your tax team effectively?

I’m still very new to management and leadership so I’m not sure if I’m in a position to say I do it effectively! What I try to do is treat everyone like a grown up. I don’t need to micromanage people.

Results are the true measure of our team's effectiveness. As long as we're achieving strong outcomes, both financially and through positive customer feedback, I'm less concerned about the specific methods used to get there. Our current tax team is a group of people I highly value. They have my back and I’m beyond grateful for their hard work.

How do you stay up to date with changing tax laws and regulations as well as technological advancements?

This can be a really challenging part of being a Tax Adviser as the law and future of accounting changes rapidly. For example, we will soon face new regulations known as Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTDIT).

As these rules are set to be some of the biggest changes I will have seen in my career I have been taking time to digest as much information on this topic as possible. As part of this I founded a WhatsApp group called MTD Therapy for professionals to discuss these changes.

What excites you the most about your work?

Our team is worth getting out of bed for and working with my friends is so rewarding and fun. I also like the times where I can help someone turn a stressful situation into something they feel is under control and in the tax sector I get to do that a lot.

What is the most challenging part of your job?

A personal challenge for me has been that for various reasons I don’t want to be tied to full-time office hours but I still want to be taken seriously! When I first went part time it was difficult to convince employers to look at the work that I’m able to do rather than the time I spend at a desk.

I’m happy to say this hasn’t been a problem in my current workplace and I think that since Covid some of these attitudes are starting to shift in the industry as a whole.

The hardest bit in terms of work is communicating in a way that clients, particularly those with no tax knowledge, can understand. Speaking ‘plain English’ is harder than it sounds- remember UK tax law is some of the longest in the whole world.

What have you learned so far in your career?

That people like people and it’s OK to be honest if you don’t know the answer to something. 

What would you say has been your biggest career achievement?

A personal highlight was winning the Tolley’s Taxation award for best single office tax practice in 2022. It was immense for a firm of our size at the time to be recognised on a national scale. The surprise and joy at hearing our name announced as the winner was just incredible.

How have things changed or progressed in the industry since the start of your career?

I think attitudes towards part time working are thankfully starting to shift. I think our industry can sometimes lack adequate friendly support networks which is why, as part of MTD Therapy I set up a General Tax group for wider discussion on anything perplexing fellow Tax Advisers and Accountants. 

It’s been quite eye opening and lovely to receive messages thanking me for setting up these groups because many small practices have very little option to reach out otherwise. I’d like to see these groups grow and become a source of encouragement within the industry.

Sometimes you just want to know if the issue you’re facing is because you’re approaching it wrong or because the HMRC system is wrong. The more we build friendly, non-competitive networks, the stronger we all are as a community.

How do you prioritise and manage your workload as a Tax Director?

If you’ve ever read the book Eat that Frog (broadly the idea that doing the job you probably least want to do first will make you more productive) then you may find it amusing to hear that my strategy is wholly based on avoiding my ‘frog’. 

I am extremely productive when there is something I don’t want to do. Of course I always do eventually tackle that unwanted task but I now embrace my style and find it works for me.

I do also like to make a list and if necessary I break that list down into time frames for the day. I tend to focus on the ‘easy wins’ and get small queries or easy things done first so that I feel I have made progress. Then I can move onto things that are more time consuming or require more brain power.

Do you have any tips or advice for someone new or up and coming in the industry?

One thing that has consistently enhanced my career is being willing and prepared to speak in front of others, whether it’s presenting to clients at tax clinics or speaking at industry events. It has never been a disadvantage, in fact, it’s helped. So go out and seek those opportunities and don’t hesitate to ask questions.

Asking questions gives others the chance to share their knowledge and it’s a great way to build a network.

What are your plans for the future? Where do you hope to progress to?

My plans are firmly fixed and my focus is on sustainably growing while maintaining a very high standard of client care. I’m looking forward to seeing our team develop.

Accountancy jobs

If you’re searching for your next accountancy job, why not take a look at the latest vacancies, or simply upload your CV to be notified when a relevant position becomes available. 

Accountancy recruitment services

As specialist accountancy recruiters, we support practices nationwide with their permanent recruitment needs. 

Whether you’re searching for a tax, audit or payroll specialist, we will help you to find whoever you need to make your practice thrive.

If you’re struggling to fill a vacancy, why not get in touch with Senior Consultant Lauren Fisher on 01772 954200 to see how we can help?

Share your experience

Every individual brings a unique set of experiences, thoughts, and insights to the table. We believe in giving a voice to a community of professionals to inspire positive change and champion reform in the Accountancy & Finance sector.

If you work in the Accountancy & Finance sector and would like to share your own personal and professional experiences, we’d love to hear from you. Perhaps you have a different perspective, could offer a fresh angle, or want to challenge assumptions. 

Simply reach out to our Head of Content, Nicole Sherwood, to discuss a collaboration which makes your voice count.

Meet Lauren Fisher

Who is Spencer Clarke Group?

Established in 2017, we’re an award winning and progressive recruitment agency based in the heart of the North West. Our reputation is built on trust, expertise and an unwavering commitment to exceed expectations. 

In 2024, we were named Recruitment Agency of the Year at the prestigious Recruiter Awards, an accolade we are extremely proud of.