Manager: Audit (Excise)

Sars; Alberton; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

SARS in Gauteng Alberton seeks a dynamic Manager for the Excise Audit team within Customs & Excise Compliance. You will lead an audit unit, drive tactical strategy, manage significant cases and ensure compliance with tax and customs legislation while developing people and governance practices.

The role requires 8–10 years of Customs & Excise experience (or 15 years with Senior Certificate), plus leadership at junior management level.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree / Advanced Diploma (NQF 7) in Accounting/Audit/Tax AND 8-10 years' experience in a Customs & Excise environment, of which 3-4 years at junior management level.
• ALTERNATIVELY: Senior Certificate (NQF 4) AND 15 years' experience in a Customs & Excise operational environment, of which 3-4 years at junior management level.

Responsibilities

• Lead audit team and manage engagement with stakeholders.
• Drive tactical strategy and delivery plans for audit objectives.
• Chair internal committee meetings and ensure effective case management.
• Oversee governance, policy implementation and compliance with SARS requirements.
• Plan capacity, manage budgets, and report performance against targets.

Skills

Audit leadership

Strategic planning

Stakeholder engagement

People management

Budgeting

Governance

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Accounting/Audit/Tax

Job description

Position Reports to: Sen. Manager: Audit

Division : Customs Border Ports of Entry

Location : Gauteng South-Alberton

Advert Closing Date : 14 October 2026

About the Position

An exciting opportunity is available for a energetic, self-motivated, and dynamic Manager in the Alberton Excise Audit team within Customs & Excise Compliance Cluster. The incumbent will be responsible for providing steward leadership and ensuring that Excise Compliance processes are executed in line with Customs & Excise legislation. Furthermore, the applicant must be able to work under pressure, have zero tolerance for corruption, be available to work flexible operational hours and remain professional in dealing with both internal and external stakeholders.

Job Purpose

To formulate tactical strategy and associated delivery plans related to a single practice area, by leading and managing an audit team to ensure effectiveness of audit operations across multi tax types, ensuring practice integration and operational implementation through the achievement of Audit objectives.

Minimum Qualification & Experience Required

Bachelor's Degree / Advanced Diploma (NQF 7) in Accounting/Audit/Tax AND 8-10 years' experience in a Customs & Excise environment, of which 3-4 years at junior management level.

ALTERNATIVELY

Senior Certificate (NQF 4) AND 15 years ' experience in a Customs & Excise operational environment, of which 3-4 years at junior management level.

Job Outputs

Process

• Accompany auditors in interaction and engagement with Taxpayers, where appropriate and required.
• Act as the bottom-line drivers of tactical implementation within the context of business unit excellence and performance improvement.
• Apply tight management of significant cases and escalated matters.
• Chair internal committee meetings and ensure proper inventory management. This includes consequence management for gross negligence of cases that should be finalised.
• Critically review Audit files to ensure adherence to all quality and technical standards, as well as the requirements as per legislation.
• Ensure the accuracy and technical correctness of all schedules whose threshold directs to the Business Area Lead, through effective review and management of the audit team.
• Be the conduit between different units such as Product and Process, Litigation and Legislative Policy to name a few.
• Direct, control, coordinate and optimise budgeted resources to meet specific objectives and deliver agreed results and productivity requirements.
• Enforce compliance management through adherence to technical standards and all relevant legal and SARS requirements.
• Ensure the development and implementation of a practice in alignment with operational policy and procedural frameworks.
• Implement tactical strategy and delivery plans through the development of operational activities, ensuring the achievement of operational targets.
• Manage significant cases, ensure TAT on audits and prevent unreasonable aging of audit cases through appropriate case management.
• Minimise the risks identified and assist in the development of customs and excise legislation where required.
• Own end-to-end audits conducted, including finalisation of objections and appeals.
• Plan for handling work outputs, pull together interdependent activities and specify priorities, standards and procedures to ensure tactical implementation.
• Proactively identify interconnected problems, determine its impact and use to develop best fit alternatives, implementing best practice solutions.
• Provide technical and strategic guidance and assistance to the team on audit cases.
• Provide periodic reports on performance against plan & progress on short-term initiatives & use to realign tactical plan and objectives appropriately.
• Recommend changes to optimise processes, systems, policies and procedures, and execute the implementation of change and innovation initiated by the organisation.
• Timeously communicate top-down policy modification, objective achievement progress and critical success factors to impacted stakeholders.
• Use the insights gained through integrated business reports to measure success and realign tactical strategy implementation objectives appropriately.
• Ensure training is planned through PDPs and is attended by members of the team
• Ensure escalation process for and effectively manage escalation from the OTO, OOC and OOD.

Governance

• Implement governance, risk and compliance policy in own practice area to identify and manage governance and risk exposure liability.
• Manage and or advise on the translation and application of policy in a specific functional area.
• Manage end-to-end audit governance processes. This is aimed at eradicating and minimising Interna Audit and AGSA findings of the region.

People

• Develop and implement appropriate people capacity plans in line with delivery and efficiency targets, on budget and in partnership with specialised area.
• Develop and maintain a team that is capable for operating to their full capability and provide appropriate skills, knowledge and experience.
• Plan and implement enhanced organisational efficiency by identifying and addressing development requirements and providing tools for people resources.
• Translate performance expectations into specific metrics and goals to identify and provide effective services, solve problems and achieve objectives.

Finance

• Contribute to the development of divisional budgets to minimise expenditure aligned with divisional plans.
• Draw up a budget aligned to tactical delivery plans, monitor planned vs. actual, minimise expenditure and report on cost efficiency.
• Implement and monitor financial control, management of costs and corporate governance in area of accountability.
• Manage effective cost control of the core processes in line with targeted savings such as travel.

Client

• Build strong relationships and implement service level agreements that promote SARS with internal and external stakeholders.
• Develop and ensure implementation of practices which builds service delivery excellence and encourages others to provide exceptional client service.
• Drive service delivery goals and standards in support of business unit objectives.
• Manage an integrated service excellence culture, which builds rewarding relationships and provides opportunity for feedback and exceptional service.
• Accountability
• Fairness and Transparency
• Honesty and Integrity
• Respect
• Trust
• Problem Solving and Analysis
• Business Acumen
• Business Knowledge
• Change Management
• Effective Business Communication
• Functional Policies and Procedures
• Managerial Budgeting
• Operational Audit
• Planning and Organising
• Planning, Management and Measurement Level
• Problem Analysis and Judgement Level
• Tax Compliance Auditing Level
• Ability to translate strategy into execution
• Concern for Impact of own behaviour on others
• Develops teams and nurtures interdependency
• Inspires others to Positive Action
• Nurtures Future Talent
• Stewardship and Service Orientation
• Strong Results Orientation
• Values and Manages Diversity

Compliance Competency

• Security Clearance: GOC Confidential

Employment Equity

The Employment Equity policy of SARS will be considered as part of the recruitment and selection process and Persons with Disabilities are encouraged to apply. Successful candidates will be required to undertake an oath of secrecy, pre-employment screening, case study, pre-assessment, psychometric assessment and or vetting, and a declaration of private interest. The appointment is also subject to appropriate reference(s) and security clearance where applicable.