Tax Specialist South Africa

**Job no**: 511209

**Brand**: Flight Centre Travel Group

**Work type**: Full time

**Location**: Johannesburg West

**Categories**: Finance & Strategy

**FLIGHT CENTRE TRAVEL GROUP**:
**POSITION TITLE**:Tax Specialist | South Africa**

**REPORTS TO**: South Africa CFO and functionally to EMEA Tax Manager and Global Tax

**LOCATION**: Blackheath, Johannesburg (South Africa Head Office

**Scope**:
This role is part of the South Africa Finance Team within Flight Centre Travel Group (Pty) Ltd (FC RSA), Flight Centre Travel Group Limited’s (ASX: FLT) South African subsidiary. The scope of this role is very broad, with the focus being hands-on management of the tax compliance functions for all businesses and entities in the Flight Centre South Africa Group.

Importantly, this role will also have a strong strategic focus of proactive risk management, advising on tax issues, providing training, improving systems and processes, and implementing policy/legislative changes.

Travel may be required as part of this role.

**Duties and Responsibilities**

**Duty/Responsibility**

**Task Indicators**

Tax policies and process improvement
- Involvement in ongoing documentation, reviews and improvement of existing tax policies and procedures.

Tax Reporting
- Preparation of tax effect accounting work papers for external audit and statutory reporting on a half yearly basis including liaising with the Global Tax team and external auditors for queries.
- Preparing tax reporting for Annual Financial Statements.
- Working with the Global Tax team on tax effect matters.
- Ensuring that all true up entries are completed once tax returns are finalised.
- Assistance to the internal audit team on tax related issues.

Corporate income tax
- Management of tax payment obligations for the FC RSA group.
- Preparation and filing of corporate income tax returns for the FC RSA group companies.
- Documentation to support all strategies and tax positions adopted.
- Assistance with reporting requirements.
- Monitoring of tax changes impacting on transactions and overall tax strategy.
- Handling all SARS related communication, queries and audits.

**Duty/Responsibility**

**Task Indicators**

Employment taxes
- Identification of tax issues or changes to legislation affecting the FC RSA group.
- Provide assistance to Payroll team in relation to taxation of employment taxes.
- Assisting with all SARS related queries and audits.

Consumption taxes (VAT)
- Identification of tax issues or changes to legislation affecting the FC RSA group.
- Identification and involvement in process and systems improvement initiatives.
- Providing advice on the consumption tax implication on transactions.
- Ensuring all VAT returns are prepared filed in a timely manner.
- Dealing with all SARS related queries and audits.

Other taxes
- Ensuring that Dividends, Royalty and Interest Withholding tax returns are prepared and filed in a timely manner.

Tax risk management
- Identification of tax risks due to changes to legislation affecting FC RSA group.
- Develop solutions and implement changes as a result of new legislation.
- Support to the operational and finance leaders to drive commercial outcomes and initiatives while managing tax risks.

Tax consulting advice/project involvement
- Varies, dependent on the nature of the project. Likely to include research, consulting with the businesses and implementation work.

Team Focus
- Team support, morning meetings, one on ones, etc.
- Awareness of team focus, company goals, tax goals, financial achievements, business model, etc.

Training
- Providing tax related induction training to all new finance staff including general FCTG induction.
- Providing regular tax related training to all finance members in the RSA as required.

**Key Relationships**
- South Africa CFO
- EMEA Tax Manager
- Global Tax Team
- Operational leaders
- RSA Financial Controllers
- RSA Management Accountants

**Prerequisite Experience**

**Knowledge and Skills**

***This role requires:

- Proven tax technical competency
- Strong initiative to resolve issues or pursue new business opportunities
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with ability to develop relationships at all levels
- Ability to present information and share knowledge
- Demonstrated analytical and problem solving skills
- Flexibility and an ability to deal with change and pressured work environment
- Strong organisational, administrative and time management abilities
- A high level of professionalism
- A strong customer focus
- Proven teamwork skills
- Attention to detail
- Ability to travel/attend conferences
- Experience and/or knowledge within the greater finance function will be an added advantage