Sen. Manager: Customs Legislative Interpretation at The South African Revenue Service (SARS)

Job Purpose

• To provide guidance through interpretation of legislation for resolution of complex tariff, valuation and rules of Origin matters to ensure uniformity in terms of legislative interpretation across all areas of the business.

Education and Experience

• Postgraduate qualification - Taxation, Law, Economics, or International Trade. (NQF 8) and 10 – 12 years' experience in a similar environment, of which 3 - 4 years at middle management level

OR 

• Bachelor’s Degree (NQF 7) qualification in Taxation, Law, Economics or International Trade and 13 -15 years’ experience in a similar environment, of which 3 – 4 years at middle management.

Minimum Qualification & Experience Required

• The candidate is expected to oversee the functions of Tariff, Valuations and Rules of Origin and performing research in order to provide high level guidance to senior management and departments, facilitating legislative and operational alignment across functions and influencing legislative strategy and implementation across the organisation and generating solutions where required
• Strong background on legislative interpretation and trade policy.

Job Outputs:

Process

• Identify and recommend opportunities to continuously improve all functions and systems in line with national, regional and organisational changes.
• Proactively identify interconnected problems, determine its impact and use to develop best fit alternatives, driving best practice solutions.
• Develop tactical strategy and delivery plans in support of functional objectives in partnership with leadership.
• Direct, control, coordinate and optimise budgeted resources to meet specific objectives and deliver agreed results and productivity requirements. 
• Ensure the development and implementation of multiple practices in alignment with operational policy and procedural frameworks.
• Identify and recommend opportunities to continuously improve all functions and systems in line with national, regional, and organisational changes.
• Plan for handling work outputs, pull together interdependent activities and specify priorities, standards and procedures to ensure tactical excellence.
• Proactively identify interconnected problems, determine its impact and use to develop best fit alternatives, driving best practice solutions.
• Provide periodic reports on performance against plan and progress on medium-term initiatives and use to realign operating plan and objectives appropriately.
• Recommend changes to optimise processes, systems, policies and procedures, and direct the implementation of change and innovation initiated by the organisation. (I)
• Timeously communicate top-down policy modification, objective achievement progress and critical success factors to impacted stakeholders. (I)
• Use the insights gained through integrated business reports to measure success and realign tactical strategy development objectives appropriately. (I)
• Monitor legislative and regulatory changes and drive the alignment of corporate governance, policies and risk strategies.
• Implement government decisions in relation to Border Control and Security in area of accountability.
• Provision of high-level support and guidance to all SARS officials attending or participating in foreign and international Customs or tax meetings.

Governance

• Implement and provide input into the development of governance, compliance, integrity and ethics processes within area of specialisation

People

• Create a positive work climate and culture to energise employees and give meaning to work, minimise work disruption and maximise employee productivity.
• Develop and implement appropriate people capacity plans in line with delivery and efficiency targets, on budget and in partnership with specialised areas.
• Plan and develop 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

• Draw up a budget aligned to business unit 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.

Client

• Build strong relationships and develop 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.
• Manage an integrated service excellence culture, which builds rewarding relationships and provides opportunity for feedback and exceptional service.

Behavioural competencies

• Accountability
• Fairness and Transparency
• Honesty and Integrity
• Trust
• Respect 
• Problem Solving and Analysis
• Ability to translate strategy into execution
• Concern for impact of own behaviour on other
• Develops teams and nurtures independency
• Inspires others to Positive Action
• Nurtures Futures Talent
• Stewardship and Service Orientation
• Strong Results Orientation
• Value and Managers Diversity

Technical competencies

• Business Acumen
• Change Management
• Decisiveness
• Dispute Resolution
• Effective Business Communication
• Functional Policies and Procedures
• Legal Advisory and Interpretation
• Legal Compliance
• Legal Knowledge and knowledge of ethics
• Managerial Budgeting
• Planning and Organising
• Planning Management and Measurement
• Problem Analysis and Judgement
• Strategic Planning

Deadline:29th April,2026