Senior Associate - Tax

Expo City Dubai; Dubai; On-site; AED 300,000 - 460,000; Full time

Job summary

Expo City Dubai seeks a Tax Specialist to join our UAE tax team, supporting the Head of Corporate Finance in VAT and Corporate Tax compliance, including filings, refunds, and transfer pricing documentation.

You will liaise on e-invoicing, FTA communications, and related tax reporting, ensuring accuracy and timeliness across entities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field; professional tax qualifications help.
• 3+ years' UAE VAT and Corporate Tax experience, in-house or in advisory.
• Familiarity with UAE FTA portal (EmaraTax) and e-filing procedures.
• Knowledge of Transfer Pricing concepts and documentation.
• Strong Excel and Dynamics skills; attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and review UAE VAT returns and file with the FTA.
• Compute taxable income and maintain tax working papers.
• Reconcile VAT data with general ledger and prepare tax MIS.
• Support audits, data requests and external tax advisors.
• Monitor UAE Corporate Tax updates and transfer pricing documentation.

Skills

VAT knowledge

Corporate Tax

Tax accounting

Excel

Dynamics

Transfer Pricing

Education

Bachelor in Accounting/Finance

Professional tax qualification (ACCA/CA/CPA)

Tools

MS Excel

Microsoft Dynamics

Job description

Welcome to Expo City Dubai, where innovation and sustainability meet to create a city of endless possibilities. We are a dynamic business hub, host a vibrant cultural scene, and deliver through innovative educational initiatives—we are the city of the future.

We are more than just a destination - we are an ecosystem of opportunity, offering a unique chance to be part of something extraordinary. Together, we are building a sustainable, tech-enabled and human-centric city that will inspire future generations. Here, you will support us in creating the future and experience a world of innovation, growth and prosperity for people and planet.

The Tax Specialist will support the Head of Corporate Finance in managing the Expo City’s UAE tax compliance obligations, including VAT, Corporate Tax and transfer pricing. The role is responsible for accurate and timely preparation and filing of tax returns, management of VAT refund claims/ paying of VAT liabilities, reconciliation of tax accounts with the books of accounts, and ensuring the organization remains compliant with UAE Federal Tax Authority (FTA) regulations and evolving tax legislation including e-invoicing.

The main responsibilities for this role include:

VAT Compliance

• Prepare and review periodic VAT returns in accordance with UAE VAT Law and Executive Regulations, ensuring accuracy and timely submission to the FTA.
• Compute output VAT on sales/revenue and input VAT recoverable on purchases and expenses, applying correct treatment for standard-rated, zero-rated, exempt, and out-of-scope supplies.
• Prepare and file VAT refund claims where applicable, including compiling supporting documentation and responding to FTA queries during the refund review process.
• Review tax invoices, credit notes, and debit notes issued and received for compliance with FTA invoicing requirements.
• Monitor VAT payable/receivable positions and ensure timely payment of VAT liabilities to avoid penalties and claim of VAT refund.
• Support VAT registration, amendment, and de-registration processes for group entities as required.
• Support in the implementation of the e-invoicing mandate across Expo City Entities

Corporate Tax Compliance

• Assist in the preparation and filing of UAE Corporate Tax returns in line with Federal Decree-Law No. 47 of 2022 and related Cabinet/Ministerial Decisions.
• Compute taxable income by applying appropriate adjustments (disallowable expenses, exempt income, reliefs, transitional rules) as relevant to the entity.
• Maintain corporate tax working papers, tax computations, and supporting schedules for each financial year/tax period.
• Track corporate tax registration, deregistration, and filing deadlines across group entities and ensure timely compliance.
• Monitor updates to UAE Corporate Tax law, FTA guides, and Cabinet/Ministerial Decisions, and assess their impact on the business.
• Identify and maintain a record of related party and connected person transactions across group entities in line with UAE Corporate Tax and OECD Transfer Pricing principles.
• Assist in preparing and maintaining Transfer Pricing documentation, including the Local File and Master File, in coordination with external advisors, where thresholds are met.
• Prepare and file the Disclosure Form / Related Party Transactions schedule as part of the Corporate Tax return, ensuring accurate reporting of intercompany transactions and balances.
• Support benchmarking analysis and functional/economic analysis (functions, assets, risks) for intercompany transactions, liaising with external TP consultants as needed.
• Assist in reviewing intercompany agreements, pricing policies, and transaction flows to ensure consistency with the Arm's Length Principle.
• Track Transfer Pricing filing deadlines and thresholds and flag compliance risks to the Head of Corporate Finance.
• Maintain supporting documentation and reconciliations for related party balances against the books of accounts.

Reconciliations & Reporting

• Perform monthly reconciliation of VAT data and quarterly Corporate Tax accounts (input VAT, output VAT, VAT payable/receivable, current tax payable/deferred tax) with the general ledger and books of accounts.
• Investigate and resolve reconciliation differences in coordination with the Accounts/Finance team.
• Maintain a tax compliance calendar and tracker covering all filing, payment, and refund deadlines across applicable entities.
• Prepare periodic tax MIS reports, dashboards, and summaries for review by the Head of Corporate Finance and senior management.
• Assist with tax provisioning and disclosures required for statutory financial statements and audits.

Audit, Advisory & Documentation

• Maintain organized, audit-ready documentation for all VAT and Corporate Tax filings, refund claims, and correspondence with the FTA.
• Support internal and external auditors, and tax consultants, during statutory audits, tax audits, and FTA inspections by providing required data and reconciliations.
• Liaise with external tax advisors/consultants on complex technical positions, clarifications, and rulings as needed.
• Assist in identifying and implementing process improvements and system enhancements (e.g., ERP tax configuration) to strengthen tax compliance and reduce manual effort.
• Support ad-hoc tax analysis, scenario modelling, and special projects as assigned by the Head of Corporate Finance.
  

Knowledge, Qualifications and Skills required

3+ years of relevant experience working specifically with UAE VAT Law and UAE Corporate Tax, gained in-house or within an audit/tax advisory firm as well as:

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Commerce, or a related field; a professional qualification (ACCA, CA, CPA, CMA) or specialized tax certification (e.g., Diploma in UAE VAT/Corporate Tax) is an advantage.
• Demonstrated experience preparing and filing FTA returns, handling VAT refund claims, and performing tax account reconciliations.
• Working knowledge of UAE Federal Tax Authority (FTA) portal (EmaraTax), e-filing procedures, and FTA correspondence handling.
• Exposure to Transfer Pricing concepts and documentation (Local File, Master File, Disclosure Form/Related Party schedule) is preferred; prior involvement in related party transaction reviews or benchmarking support is an advantage.
• Strong working knowledge of UAE VAT Law, Executive Regulations, and UAE Corporate Tax Law, including FTA public clarifications and guides.
• Basic to working knowledge of Transfer Pricing principles (Arm's Length Principle, related party/connected person rules, Local File/Master File requirements) as applicable under UAE Corporate Tax.
• Solid understanding of accounting principles and the ability to reconcile tax data with financial statements/general ledger.
• Proficiency in MS Excel (pivot tables, lookups, reconciliation templates) and working knowledge of Microsoft Dynamics
• High attention to detail and accuracy, with strong analytical and numerical skills.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare clear tax working papers and summaries for management.
• Well-organized, deadline-driven, and able to manage multiple filing timelines across entities.
• Ability to work independently while keeping the Head of Corporate Finance informed of key risks, deadlines, and issues.
• Integrity and discretion in handling confidential financial information.