Financial Accountant – Tax and Compliance

Financial Accountant – ME&A Tax and Compliance

AtkinsRealis offers exciting opportunities for growth and development in the thriving markets of the Middle East. With offices in major cities such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, and Riyadh, we are well-positioned to provide our employees with a diverse range of projects and experiences.

We are looking for a Financial Accountant to join the Middle East Finance Operations Team to look after tax related matters for the Middle East region. The Financial Accountant will report to the Tax Compliance Manager.

Middle East Finance Operations team is responsible for managing the technical accounting, transactional processing and statutory and tax compliance for all AtkinsRéalis’ companies operating in the Middle East & Africa region, ensuring all internal and external reporting deadlines are met. The team also ensures compliance with the Standard Operating Procedures and maintains and evaluates internal control which govern the core financial processes. This role will join an existing team of tax experts within the Finance Operations team who ensure a delivery of a high quality tax compliance function for all ME&A entities, including tax budgeting and reporting.

Responsibilities

The Financial Accountant will assist in organising and performing the tax compliance activities for multiple countries in the ME region, including preparation of periodic tax returns, estimation and posting of monthly tax provisions & accruals (including deferred tax), reporting of tax numbers internally and externally, assistance with tax inspections and audits and implementation of new/improved processes that comply with applicable tax regulations and best practices.

• Prepare Corporate Income tax returns for the Middle East entities, mainly operating in KSA, UAE, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and Egypt;
• Assist with tax inspections and audits, and respond to questions and queries from the business and tax authorities (under guidance from the Tax Compliance Manager);
• Ensure that monthly, quarterly and year-end current income tax and deferred tax calculations are correctly prepared within required timeframes;
• Prepare and submit period tax forecasts required by corporate finance and tax teams internally;
• Assist in filing and complying with Contract Reporting requirements in the ME&A countries;
• Assist in preparation of ESR notifications and reports for the ME&A countries;
• Create and maintain E-invoices as per KSA E-invoicing regulations for all inter-company transactions;
• Assist in preparation of other Middle East tax compliance requirements such as but not limited to transfer pricing, local files, VAT and WHT monthly and annual returns, and others;
• Assist in collating data and responding to tax authorities’ queries and audits;
• Create and maintain required tax documentation and related paperwork for each country in the required formats to meet both internal and statutory requirements;
• Ensure compliance with Group’s Standard Operating Procedures and best practices;
• Preparation of periodic reports and reconciliations to be submitted to the business and Group;
• Coordinating with, and providing samples to, internal and external auditors;
• Develop strong working relationships with team members and other key stakeholders;
• Ad-hoc support to relevant business improvement projects.

Technical Competencies

Essential

• Fully Qualified ACCA/CIMA/ACA/CPA or other recognised Accounting qualification;
• Minimum 3 years post-qualification experience, preferably in the Middle East, with some experience of working in a tax role for a construction/engineering consultancy organisation;
• Sound knowledge of Middle East tax regulations and requirements;
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel. Working knowledge of other Microsoft Office tools;
• High standard of (numerical) presentation skills;
• Excellent communication in English (both written and oral).
• Experience of interacting with multiple businesses and finance functions.

Desirable

• Working knowledge of JD Edwards, Hyperion Finance Management (HFM) and Oracle.
• Knowledge of Data Modelling, PowerPivot and PowerBI tools is an advantage.
• Big 4 experience as a senior associate.
• Grasp over Arabic language will be an added advantage.

Behavioural Competencies

Essential

• Initiative - Able to work independently with minimum supervision, make suggestions on best practice and improving current processes and procedures.
• Problem Solving - Can think of creative solutions to problems.
• Analytical - Able to analyse large volumes of data and clearly communicate findings.
• Strong interpersonal skills - Able to develop productive internal working relationships with colleagues at all levels.
• Teamwork - Willingly cooperate with others towards the same goals and objectives.
• Communication skills - Clear, concise and relevant in both the verbal and written form.
• Time Management - Able to prioritise and achieve objectives within strict deadlines.
• Influencing - Confident liaising with and influencing at all levels within the organisation.
• Cultural Awareness - Able to work within a diverse team and to engage all colleagues.
• Capable of intelligent debate - challenge colleagues in a constructive manner.

Salary & Benefits

• A competitive salary;
• Accommodation allowance;
• Transportation allowance;
• 22 calendar days annual leave (based on 5 day working week);
• Medical and life insurance cover;
• Discretionary bonus scheme;
• Annual flight allowance to point of origin;
• Employee Well-Being Programme – 24 hour free advice on financial, legal and family care specialists and also access to personal health, fitness and nutrition consultants.