Lateral Moves in Accounting: Building Leadership Skills

When people think about progressing an accounting career, they usually picture moving up — the next promotion, the bigger title. But some of the smartest career moves are sideways. A lateral move — shifting from audit to tax, or practice to industry, at roughly the same level — can broaden your skills, open new doors and set you up for a bigger step later. This guide explains what lateral moves are, why they're worth considering, the common ones in accounting, and how to make one well. For the bigger picture of where accounting careers lead, see our guide to career choices after ACCA or CIMA.

What is a lateral career move?

A lateral move means shifting to a role at roughly the same level of responsibility, pay and seniority — rather than a promotion. On paper it can look like "standing still", but in practice it's often anything but: you're swapping one set of skills and experiences for another, which can make you far more rounded and valuable over time. In a field as broad as accounting, that breadth is a genuine asset.

Why consider a sideways move?

• Broaden your skill set. Each area of accounting builds different muscles. Moving across them makes you more versatile and harder to replace.
• Become more adaptable and marketable. Professionals who've worked across functions tend to be more flexible and more attractive to future employers, because they understand the business from multiple angles.
• Escape a plateau. If you're stuck waiting for a promotion that isn't coming, a lateral move can reignite your development without staying put.
• Position yourself for a bigger step. Breadth at one level is often exactly what qualifies you for a senior role later — many leadership positions require experience across more than one area.

Common lateral moves in accounting

Accounting offers an unusually rich set of sideways options:

• Audit to tax (or vice versa) — staying in practice but switching specialism, which reshapes how you see clients and compliance.
• Practice to industry — moving from a firm into a company's finance team, trading client variety for depth in one business.
• Financial to management accounting — shifting from reporting the past to informing future decisions.
• Into FP&A, internal audit or advisory — moving towards analysis, risk or consulting work that draws on your core skills in a new context.

The trade-offs to weigh

A lateral move isn't risk-free. You may start a new role on a learning curve, temporarily less expert than you were in your old one, and a sideways step won't immediately raise your pay or title. There's also a perception question — you should be able to explain the move as deliberate skill-building rather than restlessness. The key is to be clear about why you're moving: a lateral move made with a purpose (to fill a specific gap or open a specific door) reads very differently from one made simply to escape a role you dislike.

How to make a lateral move well

If you decide a sideways step is right, a few things make it land: be clear about the skills or experience you're trying to gain; choose a move that connects logically to where you eventually want to go; lean on the transferable skills you already have to make the case to a new manager; and treat the early months as a genuine learning phase rather than expecting instant mastery. Keeping your technical knowledge current through ongoing CPD also makes you a more credible candidate for a different kind of role.

When a lateral move isn't the answer

A sideways step isn't always right. If you're close to a promotion you genuinely want, moving now could reset your progress. If the move is purely to avoid a difficult manager or a temporary rough patch, the same frustrations may simply follow you. And if it pulls you away from the direction you actually want to head in, the added breadth isn't worth it. A good lateral move adds a clear chapter to your story; a reactive one can muddle it — so be honest with yourself about your motivation before you make the leap.

Frequently asked questions

What is a lateral move in an accounting career?

A shift to a role at roughly the same level of responsibility and pay — for example, moving from audit to tax or practice to industry — rather than a promotion.

Are lateral moves good for your career?

They can be. They broaden your skills, make you more adaptable and marketable, and often position you for a bigger step later, even though they don't raise your level immediately.

What are common lateral moves in accounting?

Audit to tax, practice to industry, financial to management accounting, and moves into FP&A, internal audit or advisory are among the most common.

How do I explain a lateral move to an employer?

Frame it as deliberate skill-building — be clear about the gap you're filling or the direction you're working towards — rather than simply moving away from a role.

Grow your career with Learnsignal

Whichever direction you move, staying sharp keeps your options open. Learnsignal's CPD courses help you build skills across the breadth of finance — from reporting and tax to ESG and AI — so you're ready to make your next move, sideways or up, with confidence.