Tax Query Management Specialist at Sanlam Group

Purpose of the role?

• The role is to assist in the day-to-day tax reporting and analysis related to tax matters and help with improving the processes and user experience
• Assist with SARS audit requirements: as well as SARS audit queries.  These include client audit queries as well as audit queries with regards to Dividends Tax (“DWT”) declarations and client withholding tax exemptions. 
• Manage the Annual and Bi-Annual TAX submission projects for SCI and TPAs against the set deliverables of the team to drive the project to successful conclusion timeously
• Be subject matter expert (“SME”) on matters relating to TAX.  This includes, but is not limited to, capital gains tax (“CGT”), DWT, withholding taxes such as withholding tax on interest (“WHT”) as well as Third Party Data Reporting. 
• Deal with intricate tax/income queries/CGT and WHT queries and complaints from Clients
• Recommends solutions to business stakeholders to resolve tax issues
• Consult and engage with relevant individuals during the analysis and clean-up process to gain sufficient information to perform the clean-up pertaining tax data.

Key responsibilities

• Meet all tax regulatory reporting deadlines which will be included in the annual SCI TAX Project Plan
• Assist in the Redesign & implementation of an improved operation processes pertaining tax and SARS reporting 
• Be SME on matters pertaining the impact of Distributions, e.g., when errors do occur and what to be aware of when fixing these i.e., CGT, re-reporting to SARS etc. Provide guidance /feedback on Distribution queries to different pricing houses on behalf of SCI Fund Operations. 
• Deal with intricate tax/income queries/CGT and WHT queries and complaints from clients
• Be the SME for the IT3, DWT and WHT tax reporting to SARS, special rules for non- vanilla Tax reporting, performing the review and sign-off on the annual and bi-annual IT3 submission files as well as interacting and handling any queries with the various service providers
• SME for SARS’ Automatic Exchange of Information (this includes FATCA and CRS reporting) as well as C23 reporting
• Be SME on the Namibian as well as the Botswana withholding taxes (insofar it is applicable to Namibian and Botswana funds administered by SCI) 
• Assist with C23 mapping, business requirements and clean up as required
• Recommends solutions to business stakeholders to resolve tax issues
• Identify & make suggestions to address root cause of poor data quality and log system requirement suggestions 
• Resolve root cause of incidents and audit finding pertaining tax actions as per process timelines  
• Assist to drive implementation of enhanced controls for internal control failures (as identified through incident reports, backdate reports and client complaints) within 30 days after control failure was initially identified
• Ensure that all actions for tax matters are documented and loaded on Blueprint, and reviewed annually
• Assist to Improve data integrity impacting tax matters- both from the back end and front-end by providing mitigation actions/ suggestions to Business 
• Consult and engage with relevant individuals during the analysis and clean-up process to gain sufficient information pertaining tax issues
• Maintain the TAX Project Plan accordingly  
• Give regular feedback to Risk and Regulatory Manager regarding targets, statistics, and all tasks 
• Ensure Compliance to all regulatory requirements 
• Manage tax matters pertaining all changes to existing / new legislative requirements 
• Assist with to Identify, unpack, and engage with various stakeholders in SCI of TAX data integrity to ensure the business readiness of regulatory changes
• Assist team members with training and guidance re tax matters to perform their daily tasks
• Provide input into and participate in Group forums and SCI forums and feedback to team accordingly

Key responsibilities cont.

• Perform Onboarding data clean ups re tax or as requested 
• Identify tax training gaps in BAU and engage with team leaders in this regard 
• Assist with providing source information for training material, review training programme and training material timeously  
• Provide monthly and quarterly regulatory reports as required by the Regulatory and Risk manager, COO and SCI EXCO
• Assist Regulatory and Risk manager/ COO with Ad hoc analysis and investigations needed pertaining data and tax
• Participate in business/ system requirements for Quality requirements changes and propose required changes to systems, reports, and processes 
• Ensure all tasks are completed timeously, and escalate to Regulatory and Risk manager as required
• Become efficient user of relevant system applications to enabling meeting job requirements
• Develop an understanding of the instruction management process to identify potential incorrect or suspicious transactions
• Adherence to all governance, legislative and regulatory requirements 
• Reporting direct to the Regulatory and Risk Manager, and provide input on areas of responsibility 
• Minimum requirements
• B Comm degree or an equivalent qualification 
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in Financial Services Industry (with 3 years CIS environment, with experience in the Tax, and or CIS Regulatory reporting arena 
• Technical Competencies 
• Ability to understand business and technical processes across front and back-office capabilities

 
Behavioral competencies

• Strong  relationship capabilities 
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Ability to collaborate and work collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives 
• Ability to deal with complexity
• A Self starter
• Ability to function as part of a team
• Ability to handle a diverse range of tasks simultaneously
• Ability to perform well under pressure, prioritise and meet deadlines
• Ability to prioritise and function positively under pressure
• Accept accountability and take responsibility for tasks done
• Action oriented
• Adherence to all governance, legislative and regulatory requirements
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Good planning, problem solving and analytical abilities
• Self-Control
• Stress tolerance
• Team player and client centric