Our Head of Tax, Susie Walker CA, reflects on her own career path and why Johnston Carmichael should be at the top of the list when people are looking for a rewarding career in professional services.

When and why did you join Johnston Carmichael?

After working as Head of Tax for large retail banking groups for over 20 years, based in London from Monday to Friday, I was looking for an opportunity to return to Scotland to spend more time with my sons, then aged 11 and 13, before they finished school and left home.

My career was still incredibly important to me and I still had a lot to offer but I wasn’t getting the balance right. In 2012, the opportunity became available at Johnston Carmichael and I’ve never looked back.

What was it about Johnston Carmichael that stood out to you?

It’s always been about the people for me and at Johnston Carmichael, we’re big enough to help you progress and gain a hugely diverse experience, but there is still that energy and entrepreneurialism that makes Johnston Carmichael a great place to work.

The firm is an owner managed business and we let each person find their niche in a role that plays to their strengths. With 13 offices across Scotland, eight business lines and 14 sectors – there’s never a dull moment and lots of opportunities for different career paths.

What do you like best about your role as Head of Tax?

I genuinely feel like there has never been a better time to work in tax. The legacy view of a tax team is a team that sit and crunch numbers all day but actually we are rarely sat behind a desk. Whether at the forefront of client introductions or advising on transactions as part of the deal making process, we get close to the businesses we work with and learn so much every day.

My role over the last few years has been all about building a team fit for the future and it’s been great to see the influx of specialist talent coming to Johnston Carmichael looking to play a part in our growth and in the growth of our clients’ businesses.

Learning and Development at Johnston Carmichael comes in all shapes and sizes, especially in tax, as specialist careers become more appealing; and last year we introduced a new personal development programme to support everyone’s journeys to success, whatever they may look like.

Join our growing team

If you're looking to find your fit with a role as unique as our 850 staff, visit our careers page to find out more and prepare to grow.