Senior Manager: Tax Compliance and Reporting at MTN

Mission/ Core purpose of the Job

The Senior Manager: Tax Compliance and Reporting is responsible to ensure optimal tax benefits for the Finco Group by applying sound tax management planning and principles within global and national legislative guidelines. This role inputs to the Tax Strategy, Implementation, Compliance, and Optimisation with Finco and its Subsidiaries.

Key responsibilities include:

• Ensure tax compliance framework is localized to the Opcos and ensure reporting alignment across the Group and Opcos
• Responsible for Group Tax internal controls and Audits, which include internal and external tax review, statutory audits
• Responsible for Group Tax Governance, Risk Management, ETR Monitoring and Reporting for internal, external and transparency requirements
• Tax Operations and Compliance activities including Filing, Payment, Return and Query Handling
• Manage all tax compliance for Group Finco in addition to providing key inputs to the GM: Tax

Key Performance Areas: Core, essential responsibilities / outputs of the position (KPA's) 

Strategy Development and Implementation

• Contribute and provide inputs to the functional strategy in line with the overarching business goals
• Ensure effective implementation of the strategy by means of providing direction, structure, frameworks, models, plans and roadmaps
• Oversee regular review of the functional strategy and roadmap to ensure its alignment with the changing dynamics of the internal and external ecosystem

Operational Delivery

Tax Reporting

• Liaise with other Group Finco Finance teams CoEs (FP&A, Finance Operations and Technical Accounting etc. ) to ensure group Finco tax dependent processes are appropriately executed and reported.
• Prepare the Group effective tax rate reconciliation report, as per prescribed periodicity, and provide justification for variances, to the GM:Tax and Group Finco CFO for monthly Exco meetings (And to the Group Audit Committee on a quarterly basis)
• Report on a monthly / periodic basis to the relevant stakeholders relating to progress, in accordance with the measurement metrics set by the organisation
• Provide adhoc reports, dashboards and give presentations to EXCO, as and when required
• Respond to GM: Tax / Group Finco CFO / stakeholders queries regarding Group income tax expense, Group effective tax rate movements and any other tax related queries.
• Prepare the Group tax reporting note as part of report for Group Investor Relations
• Prepare respective tax reports, positions, notes and disclosures as they pertain to Group Financial Statements, Group Integrated Reports, ESG Transparency Reports and External Reporting mandates

Tax Risk, Compliance and Audit Management

• Manage the tax risk & compliance framework, effective management and reporting
• Monitor processes to identify risk areas that may lead to penalties
• Maintain, update, cascade and monitor the Group Tax Framework in accordance to the market and regulatory conditions, business and operating landscape
• Closely collaborate with Group Internal Audit during the Group and Opco Tax Risk Management audits to monitor compliance with the tax risk management strategies, policies and frameworks
• Responsible for collating and preparation of a consolidated register of group-wide tax risk register on a quarterly basis for presentation at Group Audit Committee meetings and responding to any queries on the tax exposures and mitigation strategies
• Prepare, analyze and present group tax risk position and exposures to respective Group Functions and Committees on quarterly basis
• Single point of contact to coordinate, prepare and manage External Group Tax audits matters (which includes statutory audits, tax audits, regulatory audits)
• Responsible for query resolutions as they pertain to Group tax audits, including representation on tax risk and audit matters to the Audit Committee, including attendance at statutory audit meetings
• Engage and collaborate with Group Internal Audit on Tax Risk Management audit planning and execution. Review and report on Group IA progress/findings at the Group Audit Committee meetings

Tax Operations

• Oversee tax operations and administration activities, including but not limited to, tax filing, remittances, refunds and submissions as per government regulations/authority guidance
• Oversee and ensure (through Manager: Tax Payments & Returns – Operations) timely execution of critical tax operations, including:
• Tax filings and related reconciliations
• Compliance to periodic submissions and filings as predicated by the respective Government authorities and regulators.
• Tax payments and refund submissions and receipts
• Oversee activities of the HQ Accounting Administrator to ensure downstream processing/accounting for taxes are appropriately executed
• Provide inputs on revision to tax rules/guidance to the respective business owners to ensure transactional tax treatments are applied uniformly and in compliance to regulations

Governance

• Operational, Tactical and Strategic Meetings
• Participate in strategic meetings, ensure relevant participation, and provide guidance and input in the various discussions. Solicit feedback and input from opco Finco.
• Drive adequate risk mitigation and controls and elicit inputs from relevant parties
• Request relevant budget for internal projects
• Prepare proposal on change initiatives, policies, and procedures

• Escalations

• Escalate issues that will result in severe time, scope, productivity, and cost or resource impact
• Manage and provide solutions to escalations that have multiple processes / functions impact on critical path of service delivery

Tactical

• Craft all projects initiated (internal or global)
• Review key risks, issues and dependencies and set mitigation actions
• Develop and manage budgets
• Facilitate sign-off / make decisions regarding tactical changes

Performance

• Monitor performance and alignment with Tax strategy
• Ensure alignment between other functions within Group Finco teams

• Reporting

• Report monthly to the Finance Executive and/or Finance Exco relating to progress made in accordance with the delivery of Tax product roadmap from both project, implementation, and performances perspectives
• Report on an ad-hoc basis on specific management requirements as and when necessary
• Managerial/Supervisory Responsibility
• Continually develop a culture of strong collaboration and effective team working
• Provide guidance and leadership ensuring future focus and current efficiency
• Coach and mentor direct reports to ensure staff motivation is high
• Ensure adequate succession planning & that succession plans are achieved
• Set KPIs and provide regular performance feedback through a well-defined and implemented performance review program
• Ensure the effective management of diversity among personnel in the division
• Identify staff training and development needs and implement necessary actions
• Manage team (including recruitment, on boarding, attrition)
• Recruit and build a world class Tax Compliance and Reporting team
• Set goals and objectives for direct reports, monitor progress, and maintain motivation
• Set up appropriate structure to meet departmental management objectives

Job Requirements (Education, Experience and Competencies) 

Education:

• Chartered Accountant (SA), Chartered Institute of Management Accountants or equivalent
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance and / or equivalent Post graduate degree in Finance, Tax and/or equivalent professional qualification (preferred)

Experience:

• 8 – 10 years of relevant post qualification experience in Fintech / Financial Services sectors
• 3 – 5 years of relevant working managerial experience in tax domain
• Technical Experience in Tac compliance, Reporting Corporate Taxation, Litigations, Disputes and Negotiations
• Tax operations experience especially in a multi-country operations environment
• Entrepreneurial spirit, self-driven and ability to motivate others
• Worked across diverse cultures and geographies
• Pan Africa multi-cultural experience is advantageous

Competencies:

Functional Knowledge:

• Tax Operations
• Tax Reporting
• Tax risk management
• Tax Audit and Compliance
• Withholding Tax
• Corporate Tax
• Tax Disputes, Litigations, Controversy and Negotiations
• Tax leading practices and trends
• GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles)
• IFRS (International Financial Reporting Standards)
• Stakeholder management
• Project management

Skills

• Business Acumen
• Analytics and Interpretation
• Strategic Thinking
• Organizational Agility
• Digital mind-set
• Dealing with ambiguity and complexity
• Decision Making
• Conflict Management
• Negotiation
• Financial and Numerical
• Project Management
• People Management
• Executive Presentation

Behavioural Qualities

• Adaptable
• Complete candour
• Culturally aware
• Emotional Maturity
• Innovation
• Integrity
• Leadership
• Team Player