Tax Manager job at Singita Grumeti

Singita is a luxury hospitality and conservation company known for its high-end safari lodges and camps in some of Africa’s most important wilderness areas. The company combines luxury tourism with wildlife conservation and sustainable community development.

Singita Grumeti is seeking a qualified and experienced Tax Manager to oversee tax compliance, tax planning, tax risk management, reporting, and engagement with the Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA).

Key Responsibilities

1. Tax Compliance and Reporting

• Ensure timely preparation, review, submission, and filing of all statutory tax returns, as well as timely payment of all tax obligations.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the operational status and tax requirements of each business entity within the Group.
• Maintain a complete list of tax triggers and tax compliance documentation.
• Ensure compliance with the Tanzania Income Tax Act, VAT Act, Tax Administration Act, Transfer Pricing Regulations, and all other relevant tax legislation.
• Ensure the correct accounting treatment of tax transactions, review tax balances in the general ledger, prepare monthly tax reconciliations, and maintain appropriate documentation supporting the Group’s tax positions.
• Calculate current and deferred tax provisions, tax exposures, and contingent liabilities, ensuring compliance with IFRS requirements relating to taxation.
• Coordinate tax computations with tax advisers, reconcile tax expenses with accounting profits, and prepare tax disclosures for statutory financial statements.

2. Tax Planning and Advisory

• Structure the Group’s affairs efficiently and lawfully, ensuring that it claims all applicable tax reliefs, allowances, incentives, and exemptions.
• Advise management on the tax implications of investments, capital projects, business restructuring, contracts, procurement arrangements, financing structures, and mergers and acquisitions.
• Review commercial arrangements, business relationships, and legal agreements to identify tax implications and advise on appropriate tax treatment before agreements are concluded.
• Provide Group Finance and Reservations with a written quarterly assessment of proposed tax measures, including the annual Budget and Finance Bill, outlining their likely impact and the lead time required for tax rate and system changes.
• Maintain a forward register of all taxes, levies, duties, and fees borne by or recharged to guests. These include VAT on tourism services, hotel and tourism levies, concession and conservation fees, park and entry fees, district service levies, airport and departure taxes, and visa-related charges.

3. Tax Risk Management and Internal Controls

• Identify tax risks across all business units and develop and maintain the Group Tax Risk Management Framework and Group Tax Risk Register.
• Recommend tax risk mitigation strategies and ensure tax controls are incorporated into business processes.
• Conduct periodic tax health checks at least twice annually, ensuring each review has an agreed scope and mandate.
• Maintain a complete and up-to-date Group tax file containing assessments, objections, appeals, rulings, agreements, exemption certificates, and material correspondence with the Tanzania Revenue Authority and other relevant authorities.
• Ensure the Group retains a comprehensive record of its tax history independently of individual employees.

4. Tax Audits and Regulatory Engagement

• Serve as the primary liaison between the Group and the Tanzania Revenue Authority, coordinating all correspondence with TRA under the direction of the Finance Director.
• Ensure that all material technical positions submitted to TRA are documented and internally approved before being communicated.
• Lead tax audits, investigations, and inspections; prepare technical responses to tax queries; negotiate tax assessments; coordinate objections and appeals within delegated authority; and monitor the timely resolution of outstanding tax matters.
• Notify the Finance Director within 48 hours of receiving any tax assessment, demand, audit notice, inspection notice, or search notification from TRA or another authority.
• Record and monitor the statutory 30-day objection deadline for every relevant matter.
• Comply with the Group’s delegation of authority. No tax assessment may be conceded, settled, or negotiated, and no objection or appeal may be lodged or withdrawn without the prior written approval of the Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

Skills and Experience

Academic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Taxation, Economics, Commerce, or a related field.
• Professional accounting qualification such as CPA (T), ACCA, or an equivalent qualification.
• A Master’s degree in Taxation or a Certified Tax Advisor qualification will be an added advantage.

Professional Experience

• A minimum of 7–10 years of progressive experience in taxation, including at least 3–5 years in a managerial tax position.
• Proven experience dealing directly with the Tanzania Revenue Authority and managing tax audits and disputes.
• Experience working in large, multi-entity organisations is required as an advantage.
• Experience in hospitality, tourism, conservation, agriculture, construction, aviation, or diversified business groups will be an added advantage.

Technical Knowledge and Skills

• Strong knowledge of Tanzanian tax laws and regulations.
• Practical expertise in Corporate Income Tax, VAT, PAYE, SDL, Withholding Taxes, the Tax Administration Act, and Transfer Pricing.
• Knowledge of IFRS tax accounting, deferred tax accounting, tax audit management, tax litigation support, and financial reporting.
• Experience using ERP systems such as Syspro, Microsoft Dynamics, Sage, or similar platforms.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.

Personal Competencies

• High ethical standards and professional integrity.
• Strategic thinking and strong analytical skills.
• Excellent negotiation skills and attention to detail.
• Sound professional judgment and leadership abilities.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Effective relationship management and stakeholder engagement.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and work effectively under pressure.

• Ensure timely preparation, review, submission, and filing of all statutory tax returns, as well as timely payment of all tax obligations.
• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the operational status and tax requirements of each business entity within the Group.
• Maintain a complete list of tax triggers and tax compliance documentation.
• Ensure compliance with the Tanzania Income Tax Act, VAT Act, Tax Administration Act, Transfer Pricing Regulations, and all other relevant tax legislation.
• Ensure the correct accounting treatment of tax transactions, review tax balances in the general ledger, prepare monthly tax reconciliations, and maintain appropriate documentation supporting the Group’s tax positions.
• Calculate current and deferred tax provisions, tax exposures, and contingent liabilities, ensuring compliance with IFRS requirements relating to taxation.
• Coordinate tax computations with tax advisers, reconcile tax expenses with accounting profits, and prepare tax disclosures for statutory financial statements.
• Structure the Group’s affairs efficiently and lawfully, ensuring that it claims all applicable tax reliefs, allowances, incentives, and exemptions.
• Advise management on the tax implications of investments, capital projects, business restructuring, contracts, procurement arrangements, financing structures, and mergers and acquisitions.
• Review commercial arrangements, business relationships, and legal agreements to identify tax implications and advise on appropriate tax treatment before agreements are concluded.
• Provide Group Finance and Reservations with a written quarterly assessment of proposed tax measures, including the annual Budget and Finance Bill, outlining their likely impact and the lead time required for tax rate and system changes.
• Maintain a forward register of all taxes, levies, duties, and fees borne by or recharged to guests. These include VAT on tourism services, hotel and tourism levies, concession and conservation fees, park and entry fees, district service levies, airport and departure taxes, and visa-related charges.
• Identify tax risks across all business units and develop and maintain the Group Tax Risk Management Framework and Group Tax Risk Register.
• Recommend tax risk mitigation strategies and ensure tax controls are incorporated into business processes.
• Conduct periodic tax health checks at least twice annually, ensuring each review has an agreed scope and mandate.
• Maintain a complete and up-to-date Group tax file containing assessments, objections, appeals, rulings, agreements, exemption certificates, and material correspondence with the Tanzania Revenue Authority and other relevant authorities.
• Ensure the Group retains a comprehensive record of its tax history independently of individual employees.
• Serve as the primary liaison between the Group and the Tanzania Revenue Authority, coordinating all correspondence with TRA under the direction of the Finance Director.
• Ensure that all material technical positions submitted to TRA are documented and internally approved before being communicated.
• Lead tax audits, investigations, and inspections; prepare technical responses to tax queries; negotiate tax assessments; coordinate objections and appeals within delegated authority; and monitor the timely resolution of outstanding tax matters.
• Notify the Finance Director within 48 hours of receiving any tax assessment, demand, audit notice, inspection notice, or search notification from TRA or another authority.
• Record and monitor the statutory 30-day objection deadline for every relevant matter.
• Comply with the Group’s delegation of authority. No tax assessment may be conceded, settled, or negotiated, and no objection or appeal may be lodged or withdrawn without the prior written approval of the Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

• Strong knowledge of Tanzanian tax laws and regulations.
• Practical expertise in Corporate Income Tax, VAT, PAYE, SDL, Withholding Taxes, the Tax Administration Act, and Transfer Pricing.
• Knowledge of IFRS tax accounting, deferred tax accounting, tax audit management, tax litigation support, and financial reporting.
• Experience using ERP systems such as Syspro, Microsoft Dynamics, Sage, or similar platforms.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• High ethical standards and professional integrity.
• Strategic thinking and strong analytical skills.
• Excellent negotiation skills and attention to detail.
• Sound professional judgment and leadership abilities.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• Effective relationship management and stakeholder engagement.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and work effectively under pressure.

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Taxation, Economics, Commerce, or a related field.
• Professional accounting qualification such as CPA (T), ACCA, or an equivalent qualification.
• A Master’s degree in Taxation or a Certified Tax Advisor qualification will be an added advantage.
• A minimum of 7–10 years of progressive experience in taxation, including at least 3–5 years in a managerial tax position.
• Proven experience dealing directly with the Tanzania Revenue Authority and managing tax audits and disputes.
• Experience working in large, multi-entity organisations is required as an advantage.
• Experience in hospitality, tourism, conservation, agriculture, construction, aviation, or diversified business groups will be an added advantage.