Indirect Tax Lead

Astron Energy South Africa (Pty) Ltd; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Astron Energy South Africa (Pty) Ltd is seeking an Indirect Tax Lead to manage all aspects of indirect tax compliance, strategy, and risk for our South African and Botswana operations, focusing on customs and excise duties.

You will partner with legal, finance, and commercial teams to ensure tax efficiency, oversee audits, and lead a small team while driving ERP enhancements for accurate tax treatment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, taxation, finance, or related field.
• Postgraduate tax qualification preferred.
• Professional accreditation (e.g., SAICA, SAIT, CIMA) advantageous.
• In-depth knowledge of VAT, excise duties, fuel levies, customs duties and tax laws.

Responsibilities

• Lead indirect tax compliance, strategy, and risk management for SA and Botswana operations.
• Oversee VAT, excise duties, fuel levies, and customs duties filings and audits.
• Liaise with SARS and tax authorities, provide documentation and responses.
• Mentor a team of three direct reports and drive ERP tax configurations.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Tax technology proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree in accounting/taxation/finance

Postgraduate tax qualification

SAICA/SAIT/CIMA accreditation (advantageous)

Tools

SAP

Oracle

Job description

The Indirect Tax Lead will be responsible for managing all aspects of indirect tax compliance, strategy, and risk management for the company’s South African and Botswana operations, with a strong focus on Customs and Excise duties. This role ensures adherence to local and international tax regulations while optimizing tax efficiency. The successful candidate will act as a key business partner, advising on indirect tax implications across commercial transactions, supply chain activities, and operational projects.

Financial Perspective

Ensure timely and accurate preparation, filing, and payment of VAT, excise duties, fuel levies, customs duties, and environmental taxes. Oversee reconciliation processes for all indirect tax accounts, ensuring alignment with financial reporting. Manage tax audits and liaise with tax authorities, providing appropriate documentation and responses to queries. Maintain and enhance internal controls to ensure full compliance with indirect tax obligations.

Customer Perspective

Provide expert advice on indirect tax implications, particularly customs and excise duties, for new business initiatives, contracts, and supply chain structures. Monitor and interpret legislative changes, advising senior leadership on potential business impacts. Identify and implement strategies to mitigate tax risks and optimize tax positions. Collaborate with legal, finance, and commercial teams to ensure tax-efficient business operations. Act as the key liaison with SARS and other regulatory bodies regarding indirect tax matters, including customs and excise regulations. Collaborate with industry groups and professional networks to advocate for favourable tax policy changes. Represent the company in external tax forums and contribute to thought leadership on indirect taxation in the oil sector.

Internal Processes

Lead automation initiatives to improve efficiency in tax compliance and reporting processes. Work closely with IT and finance teams to enhance ERP systems for accurate indirect tax treatment. Develop and maintain tax training programs for internal stakeholders to ensure compliance awareness. Lead and mentor a team of three direct reports, providing guidance, training, and performance management. Foster a collaborative and high-performance organization team culture to drive tax excellence.

Professional Qualification, Certifications:

Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Taxation, Finance, or related field; postgraduate tax qualification preferred. Professional accreditation (e.g., SAICA, SAIT, CIMA) is advantageous. In-depth knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles and tax laws.

Work Experience:

Minimum 6 years of experience in indirect tax, with at least 2 years in a senior or leadership role within the Oil & Gas sector or a similar regulated industry. In-depth knowledge of South African VAT legislation, excise duties, fuel levies, customs duties, and other relevant tax laws. Experience working with multinational tax structures and cross-border transactions is a plus. Strong experience in managing tax audits, liaising with SARS, and handling tax disputes.

Key Skills & Competencies:

Experience in Oil and Gas Industry. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with a keen attention to detail. Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills. Proficiency in tax technology and ERP systems (SAP, Oracle, etc.). Ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with tight deadlines. Excellent oral and written communication skills with report writing.

Application deadline: 25 September 2026

Astron Energy is a leading supplier of petroleum products in South Africa, with a vast network of Caltex-branded service stations that make us one of the country’s top two petroleum brands. We are strongly committed to being a responsible corporate citizen, promoting education, health and economic development in an effort to build stronger communities and drive sustainable economic growth. We own and operate the country’s third-largest crude oil refinery in Cape Town, which has a capacity of 100,000 barrels a day, and a lubricants manufacturing plant in Durban.