Company and Job Description
A well-established multinational organisation operating within the transport and logistics sector is seeking an experienced Manager: Tax & Compliance to join its regional finance team. The successful incumbent will take responsibility for leading the Tax and Compliance department, overseeing day-to-day operations, team performance and the delivery of accurate and timely financial and tax-related activities across assigned entities within Sub-Saharan Africa. The role requires a technically strong finance professional with sound knowledge of IFRS, direct and indirect taxation, statutory reporting and internal controls. The incumbent will also provide technical guidance to regional stakeholders, manage compliance risks and ensure alignment with applicable legislation, corporate governance requirements and Group policies. This opportunity is ideally suited to an established Tax or Finance professional who enjoys combining technical involvement with team leadership and regional stakeholder engagement.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage the day-to-day operations of the Tax and Compliance department across assigned Sub-Saharan African entities.
- Oversee departmental planning, workload allocation, performance management and the timely delivery of departmental responsibilities.
- Develop and strengthen team capabilities through coaching, technical training, cross-training and individual development plans.
- Ensure accuracy and completeness of financial reporting, including compliance with IFRS, Group accounting policies and statutory reporting requirements.
- Prepare and review annual financial statements and coordinate statutory financial reporting for assigned entities.
- Manage direct and indirect tax compliance, including corporate income tax, provisional tax, VAT, withholding tax, dividends tax and other applicable tax obligations.
- Oversee tax computations, current and deferred tax provisions, reconciliations and supporting financial statement disclosures.
- Coordinate engagements with SARS and other relevant revenue authorities, including audits, verifications, reviews and disputes.
- Monitor legislative developments and assess their impact on the organisation's tax and financial compliance obligations.
- Implement and monitor financial controls, governance frameworks and risk management procedures.
- Identify control weaknesses, audit findings and compliance gaps, ensuring appropriate corrective actions are implemented and monitored.
- Coordinate and manage internal and external audit activities, including audit schedules, supporting documentation and technical position papers.
- Oversee statutory and regulatory compliance, maintaining compliance calendars and ensuring adherence to applicable filing and reporting deadlines.
- Assess tax and accounting implications of complex transactions, cross-border activities and strategic business initiatives.
- Provide technical finance, tax and compliance guidance to business units, management and regional stakeholders.
- Support acquisitions, restructures, integrations and other strategic business projects from a financial and tax perspective.
- Drive continuous improvement, process standardisation and automation across finance, tax and compliance processes.
- Maintain appropriate financial documentation, compliance records and supporting evidence to ensure audit readiness.
Job Experience and Skills Required
Qualifications: - A postgraduate qualification in Accounting, Taxation or a related field, such as an HDip Tax or MCom Taxation, is preferred.
- CA(SA), SAIPA membership or registration as a Tax Practitioner would be advantageous but is not mandatory.
Experience: - 5–10 years' relevant experience within finance, taxation, financial control or compliance.
- At least 5 years' experience in a senior financial control, tax, compliance or finance management role.
- Demonstrated experience leading and developing a finance, tax or compliance team.
- Strong practical experience in IFRS and financial reporting.
- Experience managing corporate income tax, VAT, withholding tax and other relevant taxation requirements.
- Proven experience in statutory reporting, tax compliance and engagements with revenue authorities.
- Experience coordinating internal and external audits.
- Sound understanding of financial controls, risk management and corporate governance.
- Experience managing multiple priorities, departmental deliverables and competing deadlines.
Skills and Competencies: - Advanced knowledge of IFRS and financial reporting requirements.
- Strong technical knowledge of direct and indirect taxation and tax governance.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, particularly financial analysis, reconciliations and supporting schedules.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Outlook.
- SARS eFiling and experience with equivalent revenue authority platforms.
- SAP ERP experience would be advantageous.
- Strong financial analysis, problem-solving and technical report-writing skills.
- Excellent leadership, people management and team development capabilities.
- Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
- Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver within strict reporting and compliance deadlines.
- High levels of integrity, professionalism, accuracy and attention to detail.
Added Advantages: - Multi-country Sub-Saharan African tax and statutory compliance experience.
- Experience within a medium to large multinational, shared-services, regional finance or multi-entity environment.
- Exposure to the transport, logistics, freight forwarding or supply chain sectors.
- Experience supporting acquisitions, legal entity restructures, integrations or finance transformation projects.
- Experience preparing or reviewing technical accounting papers and tax position papers.
- Exposure to financial control testing, audit remediation and compliance improvement initiatives.
- Experience developing technical training programmes and succession plans.
- Experience driving process standardisation, automation and data analytics.