Manager Taxation

Job Purpose: The successful candidate will assist the Vice President of Taxation in managing the Group’s tax risks, ensuring tax compliance and lawfully minimizing tax liabilities. You will be responsible for managing and monitoring global tax compliance and advisory matters relating to Emirates, dnata, and dnata World Travel, together with its subsidiaries (“the Group”). You will handle day-to-day corporate and indirect tax matters including but not limited to CbCR, ESR, Transfer Pricing, Tax Structuring, VAT, and proactively managing and monitoring audits by working with both internal and external stakeholders. You will need to be a clear communicator, work independently and proactively by partnering with the business, and be able to formulate practical solutions that are in line with the Group’s tax policy, procedures, and tax strategy. You will also manage a team of tax professionals.

In this role, you will:

• Be the Group’s go-to adviser on all direct and indirect tax matters related to structuring, acquisitions, new routes, tax audits, contracts and agreements, and implementation of new taxes. Advise on new business setup opportunities, acquisitions, and joint ventures. Additionally, in conjunction with external advisers as necessary, propose appropriate/alternative tax-efficient structures to senior management to minimize tax costs across the Group.
• Assist and lead/project manage key strategic projects related to tax, including but not limited to the implementation of new direct and indirect tax processes related to tax compliance and improving tax efficiencies.
• Overall responsibility for the corporate tax life cycle across the Group, including preparing and reviewing tax returns, with the assistance of external advisors and internal finance teams, lawfully minimizing tax costs where possible and ensuring tax returns are filed in advance of local deadlines. Ensuring tax budgets, accruals, and provisions are discussed with relevant stakeholders and accurately recorded for financial reporting purposes and tax KPIs are met.
• Overall responsibility for the implementation of UAE corporate tax, various BEPS initiatives including BEPS 2.0, CbCR, and group company tax reporting.
• Source, manage, and consult tax experts and other professionals worldwide to handle tax issues across the network, tax structuring of new business ventures, key contracts, and agreements entered into by the Group, in compliance with laws and regulations at each country. Formulate, implement, and manage appropriate strategies to address tax notices, summons, appeals, and court cases related to the Group’s global operations.
• Support the VP-Taxation in the negotiation and implementation of Double Taxation Agreements (DTAs) and/or other bilateral agreements between the UAE and other countries with a view to securing tax exemptions for the Group’s operations in that country. Ensure that any obstacles preventing the finalization of DTAs and/or other bilateral agreements are managed/communicated which may include correspondence with the Ministries of Finance, Finance Managers, etc. Where DTAs or bilateral agreements are not available in a particular country, consult tax experts to determine the most tax-efficient/compliant methodology of taxation in that country.
• Advise on transfer pricing matters across the Group related to inter-company transactions, recommending optimization opportunities where available and ensure compliance.
• Review tax clauses in agreements and arrangements entered into by the Group to minimize tax risks, costs, and protect the interests of the Group. Advise and highlight implications of tax clauses to the business to help negotiate alternative tax clauses where appropriate.
• Preparation and review of tax reports to senior management highlighting key tax risks and updates, as and when they arise, in line with the Group’s Tax policy and procedures. Manage and respond to interim and year-end external tax audit queries related to Group tax matters.
• Provide guidance, leadership, and direction to all direct reports, by holding regular meetings, providing information, informal feedback, and constant communication. Follow up on development plans, ensuring that direct reports are provided with opportunities to develop their cross-functional skills and progress, utilizing job rotation, mentoring, assignment of projects, and other development tools to enhance and broaden their knowledge.

Qualifications & Experience: To be considered for this role, you must have:

• Bachelor Degree or Honours (12+3 or equivalent) (preferred) plus a formal accounting qualification (e.g., CPA, ACCA, etc.).
• 10+ years specializing in International Taxation matters in a large multinational/corporate environment.

You'll have an edge if you have:

• Up-to-date knowledge of direct and indirect tax matters as they relate to the aviation industry (preferred).

Salary & Benefits: Join us in a management role and enjoy an attractive tax-free salary. On top of our generous travel benefits, including discounted flights and hotel stays around the world, this managerial role also has an excellent leave and healthcare package. That’s on top of transport benefits, life insurance, and more.