Senior Tax Specialist

Overview

Job Responsibilities:

Stay up to date with the latest relevant tax legislative changes primarily in relation to the UAE CIT and related matters and support the Group in 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.

Execute tax optimization and tax planning opportunities.

Ensure optimization and simplification of legal entity structure of the group from a tax and regulatory perspective.

Identify tax risks by working together with Group, Regional and Local finance and business personnel and optimize those tax risks.

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. Control of the entities’ margins to ensure they are arm’s length.

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, etc.

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 mitigation measures.

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. Participate in CIT monthly and yearly closing activities, provide calculations of CIT provisions to be booked in the financial statements.

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, including AI-based tools.

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, etc.) are done in a timely and accurate manner.

Definition of Success

• Independent and able to work proactively managing efficient ETR of the Company.
• Self-motivated with the ability to complete tasks efficiently, timely and accurately.
• Ability to multi-task in a time sensitive environment.
• Ability to interpret and report on highly complex tax environment, be practical oriented and able to handle often-voluminous data and multi systems environment.
• Drive tax initiatives in support of the business in achieving its strategic objectives.

Functional/Technical Competencies

• Strong tax technical and knowledge of tax accounting skills across all areas of taxes with a specific focus to the UAE CIT and TP legislation.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to interact effectively with internal management as well as external parties.
• Strong analytical skills in researching complex tax matters in order to reach sound conclusions.
• Strategic mindset with experience in managing many initiatives concurrently with a result-orientated focus and strong execution and implementation skills.
• A proactive (both in identifying issues and developing solutions), enthusiastic and team-oriented individual.
• Enthusiastic and self-motivated, combined with commercial and practical acumen.

Qualification, Experience & Skills:

Minimum Qualifications/education

• Bachelor 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.

Minimum experience

5+ years in similar function.

Skills

• Excellent presentation skills and the ability to train on system usage.
• Awareness of countries’ laws, rules and regulations and quickly be able to analyse and adapt laws changes.
• Practical experience of the UAE CIT and TP.
• MS Office Package (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and Operating Systems such as JDE, SAP and Oracle will be value addition.
• A good mix of Industry and Advisory firm experience would be an advantage.