Tax Manager

Job Title: Tax Manager – East Africa

About the Role

We are seeking a highly experienced and commercially minded Tax Manager to oversee all direct and indirect tax compliance, reporting, and strategy for our Kenyan operations while coordinating tax activities across the East African region (including Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar). The ideal candidate will be an expert in Kenyan tax law (KRA) and possess strong working knowledge of the diverse tax regimes and emerging legislative changes within the East African Community (EAC).

Key Responsibilities

Kenya Tax Compliance & Reporting (Primary Focus)

• Compliance: Manage and ensure timely and accurate preparation and filing of all Kenyan statutory tax returns, including Corporate Income Tax (CIT), Value Added Tax (VAT), Withholding Tax (WHT), and Pay As You Earn (PAYE), in compliance with Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) requirements, including eTIMS/TIMS.
• Advisory: Provide in-depth tax guidance on local business operations, new product launches, intercompany transactions, and the related tax implications.
• Audits & Disputes: Act as the primary liaison with the KRA, managing tax audits, investigations, objections, and appeals while working with external counsel where required.
• Tax Accounting: Oversee the computation of current and deferred tax provisions for financial reporting (IFRS/GAAP).

East Africa Regional Tax Management

• Regional Compliance Coordination: Coordinate with local finance teams and external advisors in Uganda, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar to ensure timely and accurate local tax filings and compliance.
• Tax Strategy & Planning: Develop and implement effective East and Southern Africa tax strategies that optimize tax efficiency while maintaining compliance with domestic and regional tax regulations, including the goals of EAC harmonization.
• Transfer Pricing: Manage and review regional Transfer Pricing (TP) documentation to ensure compliance with local regulations and regional consistency while minimizing the risk of inter-jurisdictional disputes.
• Cross-Border Advisory: Provide guidance on the tax implications of cross-border transactions, services, and the movement of goods and personnel across East and Southern Africa.
• Risk Management: Monitor regional tax legislation and proactively assess its impact on business operations, ensuring appropriate actions are implemented where required.

General & Strategic Management

• Process Improvement: Identify and implement improvements to tax processes, controls, and technology to increase efficiency and accuracy.
• Stakeholder Management: Work closely with Finance HQ, local Finance teams, Legal, and business unit managers across the region.
• Policy Development: Prepare and present detailed tax memoranda, policy documents, and training materials for finance and operational teams.
• Team Development: Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior finance team members on tax matters.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Accounting or Finance.
• Professional Qualification: Certified Public Accountant (CPA-K) or an equivalent professional accounting qualification (ACCA, ACA) is mandatory.
• A Postgraduate Diploma or Master’s degree in Taxation is an added advantage.
• Minimum of 5 years’ progressive experience in corporate tax, with significant exposure to Kenyan and East African tax matters, ideally gained within a Big Four accounting firm or a multinational organization.
• Technical Knowledge: Deep, current knowledge of Kenyan and East African Income Tax Acts, VAT legislation, tax frameworks, treaties, and key compliance requirements across the EAC.
• Excellent data interpretation, problem-solving, and judgment skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage KRA audits and negotiations.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English, with the ability to explain complex tax matters clearly to non-tax professionals and senior management.
• Proficiency in tax compliance software and financial accounting systems.