Tax Practitioner

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in South Africa.

📋 Description

• Oversee the complete tax compliance cycle for a simulated portfolio of small owner-managed businesses, directors and shareholders, sole proprietors, and family trusts.

• Prepare individual ITR12 tax returns, which include capital gains, supporting certificates, travel logbooks, rental schedules, and auto-assessment checks.

• Complete company ITR14 returns based on signed AFS and tax computations.

• Estimate provisional tax for both companies and individuals, and plan for top-up payments.

• Prepare dividends tax returns and manage payments.

• Identify taxable donations and prepare IT144 returns and payments accordingly.

• Prepare IT3(t) submissions and ITR12T trust returns while tracking distributions and vesting.

• Reconcile EMP201 payments with payroll and issue IRP5 and IT3(a) certificates via EMP501.

• Manage requests for tax numbers, registration, assessment, statements, and confirmation letters.

• Maintain eFiling profiles, mandates, banking details, registered particulars, account reconciliations, refunds, and Tax Compliance Status PINs.

• Draft objections, appeals, suspension-of-payment requests, and penalty-remission requests, and monitor their outcomes.

• Respond to SARS verifications and audits, submit supporting documentation, and request necessary corrections.

• Register and deregister clients for income tax, provisional tax, PAYE, SDL, UIF, VAT, and SARS Customs.

• Update information for SARS registered representatives and public officers.

• Request instalment payment arrangements and track adherence to these agreements.

• Maintain client deadline calendars and effectively manage filing-season workloads.

• Review third-party data, prior assessments, and payments prior to submission.

• Collect missing documents from simulated clients and bookkeepers.

• Identify VAT registration risks and highlight tax planning opportunities.

• Prepare professional-standard returns to serve as AI training data.

• Document tax processes, decisions, and judgments for AI learning purposes.

• Design, refine, and test AI tax workflows.

• Utilize AI models to prepare returns, draft correspondence with SARS, and verify work output.

⛳️ Requirements

• BCom in Accounting or Taxation, National Diploma in Accounting, or a related qualification.

• 1 to 3 years of experience in a tax practice or accounting practice involving tax work, including at least two full filing seasons and provisional tax cycles.

• Hands-on experience with SARS eFiling, including registrations, ITR12, IRP6, ITR14, and EMP501 submissions, as well as responding to verification letters.

• Experience in drafting objections or responses to SARS audits for review by a senior.

• Solid understanding of the Income Tax Act and the Tax Administration Act, including capital gains, provisional tax, and dispute regulations.

• Capable of managing your own portfolio of returns during the filing season with minimal supervision.

• Proficient in Excel, including lookups, reconciliations, and tax calculations.

• Detail-oriented and deadline-driven, with an understanding that SARS deadlines and penalties are strict.

• Clear and polite written communication in English for client requests, SARS letters, and objections.

• Genuine interest in AI and the ability to break down tax work into clear, teachable steps.

• Comfortable working with AI models and able to critically evaluate their outputs.

• Only candidates who submit a Loom video will be considered for the next stage.

• Preferred qualifications and experience include independent objections and appeals, SARS audits, trusts and IT3(t), donations and dividends tax, SARS Customs, SAIT designation, payroll systems, practice tax software, and proficiency in Xero, Sage, or Pastel systems.

🏝️ Benefits

• Compensation in USD, paid bi-monthly (on the 15th and 30th).

• Paid Time Off in line with company policy.

• Observance of holidays according to company guidelines.

• Fully remote work setup.

• Long-term, permanent position.

• Manage a simulated client portfolio and collaborate with an AI partner.

• Direct contribution to AI development in the tax field.