Statutory & Tax Compliance Manager at British Council

Remuneration:

• KES 512,008 Monthly Gross - Kenya 

Requirements:

• You must have the legal right to work in Kenya at the time of application.  We are unable to support with visa sponsorship and relocation.

Role Purpose - The Job:

• This role will be a part of the Statutory and Tax Centre of Excellence (CoE) and will contribute to the overall strategy of the function. The primary remit will be Sub Sahara Africa region, but may be required to support other regions on a need basis. He/she will be required to drive/implement the CoE’s strategic goals, plans and initiatives within SSA.
• This role will be responsible for local statutory reporting, tax strategy, tax review & filing in countries assigned. He/she will be responsible for ensuring accurate and timely completion of all local financial and tax reporting in line with accounting standards and applicable tax legislations in the various jurisdictions.
• The role will be responsible for providing guidance, in the form of expert knowledge or information required, to support financial & tax audits and assessments across multiple countries in SSA, while ensuring that teams stay informed about prevailing rulings, developments or any relevant information that can impact business operations. The role will also oversee the execution of corrective actions stemming from audits, assessments and rulings to maintain compliance. Additionally, it will involve monitoring renewal dates for rulings to prevent coverage gaps and collaborating with advisors to ensure timely submission of renewals.
• Across SSA, the role will be responsible for assessing and managing tax risks within SSA countries’ operations while actively monitoring changes in the regulatory and reporting landscape. The post holder will provide strategic recommendations and advice to business leaders, evaluate the statutory reporting and tax implications of business activities and contracts to mitigate risk exposure, and proactively identify potential risks and opportunities to implement timely solutions.
• The role will support liaison with external auditors, tax advisors, regulatory authorities, and government officials as deemed necessary, as well as collaborate with British Council Group experts, including but not limited to the group tax and status team, group accounting, treasury teams, and other relevant specialists.
• This role supports the financial accounting activities for the British Council in SSA and collaborates closely with the Managed Service Provider (MSP) to ensure the financial accounts are completed correctly, in a timely manner, and numbers are reported accurately. The post holder must be comfortable challenging senior stakeholders to ensure Statutory and Tax compliance whilst complying with financial reporting standards, respective country regulations/Tax laws and corporate policies.

Main Accountabilities:

• Lead statutory financial reporting and tax compliance across Sub-Saharan Africa, ensuring all financial statements, statutory accounts, tax filings and regulatory submissions are accurate, timely and compliant with local legislation and accounting standards.
• Provide expert advice on statutory reporting, tax matters and regulatory developments, assessing their impact on business operations and recommending solutions to manage risk and maintain compliance.
• Develop and implement tax strategies, policies and processes that support organisational objectives while ensuring adherence to local and international regulatory requirements.
• Oversee direct and indirect tax compliance, including corporate income tax, VAT, withholding tax and transfer pricing obligations, ensuring timely filing, payment and reporting.
• Manage relationships with external auditors, tax authorities, advisors and regulatory bodies, supporting audits, assessments and investigations and driving the resolution of findings and compliance actions.
• Partner with regional finance teams, business leaders and external service providers to deliver high-quality financial and tax reporting, strengthen controls and promote financial discipline.
• Monitor changes in accounting standards, tax legislation and regulatory requirements across multiple jurisdictions, ensuring timely implementation and ongoing compliance.
• Review business activities, contracts and cross-border arrangements to identify statutory and tax implications, minimise risk exposure and support value-for-money decision making.
• Drive continuous improvement of statutory reporting and tax accounting processes, systems and controls, enhancing efficiency, consistency and reporting quality across the region.
• Build organisational capability by providing training, guidance and coaching on financial reporting, tax compliance and regulatory requirements, fostering a strong culture of compliance and accountability.

Role-specific skills

• Strong financial accounting & reporting, tax accounting & reporting skills.
• Excellent IT skills and proficient in Excel.
• Effective communication and influencing skills, able to relay complex financial information in an easy-to-understand way.
• Highly organised and deadline-oriented.
• Building relationships at all levels of the organisation.
• Flexibility, independence, and initiative to perform successfully in a rapidly changing environment.

Requirements Of The Role:

Minimum/essential

• Minimum of 4 years relevant experience in finance controllership, tax accounting and statutory reporting.
• Experience in preparing & managing corporate taxation, tax compliances, VAT, WHT returns and statutory reporting across several countries in a global or regional organisation.
• Proven competence in the management and resolution of complex tax and technical accounting issues.
• Good understanding of financial control processes and professional accounting standards for commercial and/or charitable organisations.
• Good influencing and negotiating skills and experience.
• Business partnering experience.
• ERP experience.

Desirable:

• Shared Services Operations.
• Experience of working in international and multi-cultural organisations.
• Participation in change projects/initiatives.
• SAP experience.

Professional Qualification and Certification

• Qualified accountant with at least 5 years of post-qualification experience.