Director - Corporate Tax

• Takes independent responsibility for a part of the practice, at the same time consulting with the Partner on key issues, clients and decisions
• Understands the market, regionally as well as locally with a view to identifying business opportunities for the practice as well as other functions of the Firm
• Actively undertakes business development with existing as well as new / potential clients with a view to generate projects and revenue for the tax practice and other functions of the Firm
• Prepares as well as participates in proposals for tax projects and multifunctional projects including proposal strategy and development, pricing of the engagement, co-ordination with other parties for inputs into the proposal, interaction with clients during the entire proposal process
• Delivers high quality tax engagements that satisfy the client's requirements and match the KPMG quality standards
• Maintains ongoing relationships with a portfolio of clients at various levels including the CFO and Head of Tax
• Maintains ongoing relationships with other functions and network offices, as well as other relevant external contact network
• Co-ordinates with other offices in a multi-office engagement, critical reviews inputs received from such offices, challenges the conclusions reached based on prior experience such that the overall deliverable to client is of high quality
• Is aware of and ensures that risk processes are adhered to at all times; consults internally and with the risk team for engagement and or client processes that deviate from the standard
• Ensures that practice management is up-to-date at all times including prompt submission of timesheets, client files, billing, collection, WIP review, payouts to other offices, multi-firm engagement documentation and closure of engagements on the system
• Participates actively in the annual QPR process
• Participates actively in the budgeting process and business plan development for the practice and assists in regular monitoring
• Assists in the people plan including recruitment, on-boarding, mentoring
• Actively manages teams, including effective delegation, review of work, spread of work to different managers, training on the job and constructive regular feedback
• Undertakes performance manager role for team members reporting, ensures that the performance management cycle is completed effectively and in a timely manner
• Participates in developing formal training plans and implementation of the training plan for team members
• Acts as a mentor for team members, offers guidance and counseling as required
• Communicates regularly with the partner on client, people, risk and practice management aspects and seeks inputs on all key decisions and issues

Relevant skills and behaviors :

Core and technical skills

• Extensive knowledge and experience in corporate tax - tax treaty network, tax policy, tax risk management
• Extensive experience in tax due diligence, tax structuring for acquisitions and divestments, acquisition support work
• Practical knowledge of tax accounting, transfer pricing and International Executive Services related tax principles
• Basic awareness of VAT and other tax matters
• Strong business development, client relationship and client management skills, including ability to generate opportunities, follow up on leads and convert into proposals, convert proposals into work for the Firm
• Maintain relationships with key clients, potential clients, international network contacts, legal contacts etc.
• Identify targets, prepare action plan for developing the client and implementation of the plan for successfully raising revenues for the firm, able to cross sell work of other functions
• Strong risk management knowledge and application including documentation, ability to escalate issues quickly to risk management specialists for resolution, incorporating risk management into work environment such that it is a part of the inherent process of engagement delivery
• Strong practice management skills including having in depth knowledge and experience of financials, debtors, key performance indicators including utilization, recovery, efficiency etc
• Strong platform skills and report writing skills including presentation skills, facilitation and training skills, review as well as write tax structure papers, tax opinions, M&A reports and tax analyses
• Strong project management skills including co-coordinating with multiple teams across various jurisdictions

Person Specifications

Good academic record

Excellent oral and written communication skills (report writing, presentations)

Good interpersonal and teamwork skills and the ability to exert leadership qualities

Linguistic Skills

Fluent English - Verbal & written, Arabic skills are an added advantage