Senior Tax Specialist

Job purpose

Group Senior Tax Specialist is responsible for all tax aspects and operations including tax strategy, tax management monitoring and controls, tax planning and tax optimization, tax advisory to operations & various functions. Also responsible for actively collaborating with Group and Country/ Business Units teams on tax inputs on merger & acquisition’s, business plans, tax assessments management, digital expansions, new markets growth and various Group initiatives.

Shall also be able to manage BEPS, transfer pricing, country-by-country reporting and other global tax compliances, efficiently managing effective tax rate (ETR), review and finalization of tax disclosures and deferred taxes, implementation of new taxes and managing uncertain tax risks positions across countries.

Shall demonstrate sound judgment and instincts in evaluating complex tax scenarios, conversant with tax best practices and shall have strong communication and influencing skills.

Job responsibilities

• Stay up to date with the latest relevant tax legislative changes and support prepare the Group for implementation of changes in tax regimes (such as; VAT, UAE corporate tax, transfer pricing, etc.); specifically: tax impact assessment, transaction flows analysis, trainings & advisory and systems updates and implementation support.
• Provide guidance/training to local country and business units tax teams and review tax provision packages, tax returns and tax disclosures in consolidated statutory financial statements.
• Initiate and execute tax optimization and tax planning opportunities.
• Ensure optimization and simplification of legal entity structure of the group from a tax and regulatory perspective.
• Keep account of tax contingencies (or potential contingencies) associated to key tax positions taken in operating countries. Identify tax risks by working together with Group, Regional and Local finance and business personnel and optimize those tax risks.
• Strategically participate in tax due diligence and structuring related to new openings, mergers & acquisition and divestures. Perform tax due diligence for targets, develop tax efficient acquisition structuring and post-acquisition integration plans.
• Design and implementation of transfer pricing policies & procedures at the Group head office level and support subsidiaries to ensure compliance on these aspects. Preparation and management of transfer pricing documentation and allocation workings to support internal TP framework.
• Support Parent Group and Management in terms of compliance with tax requirements such as country-by-country reporting’s (CBCR), BEPS Pillar 1 and 2, Global Minimum Tax, Economic Substance Regulations (ESR), etc.
• Serve as a focal point of contact within the company for tax related advice and guidance.
• Facilitate resolution of tax audit exercises within the operating jurisdiction.
• Coordinate with treasury to ensure tax-efficient cash management, including investment, redeployment and repatriation of cash between the company and its foreign affiliates.
• Conduct a tax health check of relevant business and legal entities from tax control perspective and put in place the required mitigates.
• Reconcile tax data on financial statements. Assist tax leadership with oversight of global effective tax rate (ETR) and tax provision and reconciliation of deferred taxes, tax payable and reserves accounts.
• Cultivate long-term partnerships with other functional teams (finance, legal, strategy, business developments, etc.) within the Company, global and regional sector teams, business units, external legal and financial service providers and countries tax and regulatory authorities.
• Perform direct tax technical research including analysis and interpretation of relevant tax laws, regulations, cases and agency guidance, and timely update relevant stakeholders as appropriate on developments.
• Review major contracts from tax perspective and participate with legal and functional teams on finalization of negotiations and dealings.
• Work with tax automation mindset. Continuously explore opportunities to improve tax controls, framework and tax reporting.
• Shall be well versed with all aspects of tax compliances and tax filings in various jurisdictions and ensure tax compliances (i.e. Corporate, VAT, Employees, Withholding, Global Reporting’s, etc.) are done in a timely and accurate manner.

Educational Qualification

• Bachelor’s degree or above in Commerce / Economics / Finance/ Taxation with professional qualifications such as a CA, CPA, CTA, or other relevant to tax specialization is necessary.

Work Experience

• 10+ years in similar function.

Competencies

• Excellent presentation skills and the ability to train in system usage.
• Awareness of counties laws, rules and regulations and quickly able to analyze and adapt laws changes.
• MS Office Package (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and Operating Systems such as JDE, SAP and Oracle will be added value
• A good mix of Industry and Advisory firm experience is expected.

Languages

• English