Susan Pattison: From Graduate to Senior Tax Manager

Pictured, from left to right: Susan with her wife, Claire, and their five-year-old daughter.

Susan Pattison knew two things when she graduated from the University of Dundee in 2014: she enjoyed accountancy, and she wanted a career that made a difference. Twelve years later, she is a Senior Manager in Henderson Loggie’s Corporate Tax team, working with clients across Scotland and proving that a career in tax is about far more than numbers on a page. She is also a trustee for the Henderson Loggie Charitable Foundation, supporting local charities and community causes.

From the start, Susan’s career journey has involved challenges, variety, and meaningful impact. Fresh out of university with a First-Class Honours degree in Accountancy with Finance and a collection of awards, including one sponsored by Henderson Loggie, she joined the firm on a three-year training contract. This involved working full-time in the Audit team while studying towards the CA Qualification with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS).

“Studying every evening after work was not easy, but the client work I was doing at Henderson Loggie directly reflected what I was learning in my studies. Seeing both sides, the theory and the practical application, made everything click into place.”

Susan also credits the firm’s supportive environment for helping her navigate the early stages of her career:

“The firm takes on a group of trainees at the same time, so you’re not alone and working away in isolation. The peer support and more formal mentoring from other colleagues is invaluable and made the whole process more manageable and enjoyable too.”

Towards the end of her CA training contract in 2017, Susan had a six-week secondment in the Tax Department. Following this, she was offered a permanent role and the opportunity to pursue the Chartered Institute of Taxation’s Chartered Tax Adviser (CTA) qualification.

“The CTA is regarded as the top tax qualification in the UK. It was a lot of work, but working in the tax team with the support of senior colleagues and other CTAs, combined with applying my studies in practice, made achieving it possible.”

Susan’s career progressed rapidly. She was promoted to Assistant Manager in 2019, Manager in 2020 and then Senior Manager in 2023. But did her career in accountancy match her expectations?

“I never really planned to work in tax and didn’t initially appreciate the variety of work and experience it offers. Over the years, I’ve worked with businesses across industries, from publishing, oil and gas, manufacturing, and housebuilding, to museums, theatres, community interest companies, and charities.

I particularly enjoy making a difference, whether saving charities money for their objectives, helping museums and theatres reclaim tax credits, or reducing owner-managed businesses’ tax bills so they can reinvest locally. Knowing my work positively impacts clients’ operations is incredibly rewarding and wasn’t something I envisioned as a student.”

Susan also values having input into her client portfolio:

“Initially, I gained a broad grounding across all areas, working with small charities and auditing large companies. That exposure was incredibly valuable and gave me a strong grounding. Over time, I could focus on areas which particularly matter to me. Growing up on a farm gave me knowledge of the industry, and I have had the opportunity to work on farming clients and attend events in the sector. Outside of work, I enjoy visiting theatres, museums and art galleries, and now specialise in Theatre Tax Relief and Museums and Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief. It’s rewarding to help make a difference to these cultural organisations and their communities.”

Adaptability remains crucial, particularly with recent political and economic changes:

“Budgets always affect our clients, but recently the climate has been especially changeable. Sometimes we need to respond overnight. We provide clients with a summary the day after the budget, and for those significantly impacted, we reach out directly. Staying ahead of legislative changes ensures there are no surprises down the line.”

Now in her twelfth year with the firm and now a mother to a five-year-old daughter, Susan reflects on her future:

“Our focus as a team is to stay adaptable and keep developing, especially when the world feels increasingly turbulent. In times like these, helping our communities and making a positive impact becomes even more important – it’s a big part of why I enjoy the work we do.

I also enjoy supporting the new trainees who join the firm in achieving their career goals – watching their confidence and knowledge grow is very rewarding.

I’m lucky to have access to a wide range of technical resources and internal development opportunities, whether that’s around management skills or client relationship‑building. At Henderson Loggie, learning never stops, no matter how long you’ve been here – and that sense of continual improvement is something I really value.”

Susan Pattison

I specialise in Charities Taxation and Cultural Tax Reliefs including Theatre Tax Relief, Orchestra Tax Relief and Museums & Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief.  I advise charities on restructuring, charitable trading and their corporate tax obligations,…

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