Tax and Compliance Officer

Summary

• Role: Tax and Compliance Officer  
• Type: Permanent, full-time
• Reporting to: Head of Finance/Treasurer
• Business Unit: Group Finance
• Remuneration: Market-related
• Location: Cape Town (office-based)
• Start date: 01 October 2026

Role Purpose and Impact

The Tax and Compliance Officer is responsible for the accurate and timely preparation and submission of the Group’s statutory tax filings and corporate compliance obligations, including VAT, corporate income tax, provisional tax, CIPC annual returns, and the administration of dividend declarations. The role safeguards the Group’s compliance standing with SARS, CIPC, and the JSE Listings Requirements, and works closely with the Head of Finance, external auditors, and company secretarial function.  

Experience & Qualifications

• A relevant tertiary qualification in Taxation, Accounting, or Commerce (B.Com or equivalent)
• A minimum of 3 years’ experience in a tax or compliance role, ideally within a listed company, REIT, or professional services environment
• Sound working knowledge of the Income Tax Act, VAT Act, and Companies Act; exposure to REIT tax provisions (section 25BB) is advantageous
• Practical experience with SARS eFiling and CIPC’s online systems
• Experience preparing dividend resolutions and a sound working knowledge of the JSE Listings Requirements, including share issuance and cancellation processes, is preferred
• Exposure to debt covenant monitoring and compliance certification, including familiarity with facility agreements and DMTN programme documentation, is advantageous       

Skills & Competencies

• High level of accuracy and attention to detail, with strong personal organisation to manage multiple statutory deadlines 
• Sound understanding of tax and compliance risk, with the judgement to escalate issues timeously 
• Strong written communication skills, particularly for correspondence with SARS and the preparation of board-facing documents 
• Ability to work independently within a small, lean finance team 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and Word; familiarity with SARS eFiling and CIPC’s e-services portal

Additional Requirements

This role involves handling confidential financial, tax, and corporate information and requires the observance of the Group’s confidentiality and POPIA obligations at all times.  

What we offer

• A professional, performance-oriented working environment 
• A collaborative, high-performance culture that encourages innovation and continuous learning 
• Competitive, market-related remuneration and opportunities for long-term career growth  

Key Responsibilities

Tax Filings: 

• Prepare and submit monthly/bi-monthly VAT201 returns for all Group entities, ensuring accurate output and input VAT reconciliations 
• Prepare and file annual corporate income tax returns (ITR14) and manage related SARS correspondence and verifications 
• Calculate and submit provisional tax returns (IRP6) for all relevant entities within statutory deadlines, including liaison with external tax advisers on estimates 
• Maintain the Group’s tax compliance calendar 
• Perform monthly tax reconciliations (VAT, income tax, and dividends tax control accounts) between the general ledger and SARS records, resolving reconciling items timeously 

REIT and JSE Compliance: 

• Monitor the Group’s ongoing compliance with the REIT status requirements under section 25BB of the Income Tax Act, including the asset and income-based tests, and flag any risk to REIT status 
• Monitor and support compliance with JSE Listings Requirements applicable to Group Finance, including continuing obligations, cautionary and other SENS-related disclosures, and REIT-specific reporting requirements 
• Prepare and coordinate documentation for JSE share issuances (including odd-lot offers, scrip dividend elections, and general issues of shares) and share cancellations/buy-backs, including the related JSE and CIPC filings 
• Prepare and submit annual declarations required by the JSE and other regulators (e.g. annual declarations and B-BBEE-related submissions) 

Debt Compliance: 

• Monitor ongoing compliance with the JSE Debt Sponsor and Debt Listings Requirements (DSSR)applicable to the Group’s listed notes
• Prepare and submit periodic JSE DSSR covenant compliance certificates
• Monitor compliance with financial covenants and other terms under the Group’s bank lender facility agreements
• Prepare and submit periodic covenant compliance certificates to bank lenders
• Coordinate mortgage bond registration, cancellation, and release processes with conveyancing attorneys
• Manage the process for obtaining bondholder consent
• Administer municipal guarantees, including issuance, renewal, and release
• Maintain and submit insurance certificates required by bank lenders
• Prepare and submit Stats SA statistical returns
• Prepare monthly SENS announcements relating to interest payments on listed notes
• Prepare and submit quarterly South African Reserve Bank B30 reporting
• Prepare and submit quarterly Commercial Paper Regulations reporting
• Maintain a register of debt covenant compliance testing dates and liaise with Treasury to ensure timely certification and reporting to funders

CIPC and Company Secretarial:

• Prepare and file CIPC annual returns for all Group entities and subsidiaries, ensuring good standing is maintained
• Maintain statutory records and support the CIPC-SARS integration process for newly incorporated entities, including public officer appointments and representative authorisations
• Assist with the preparation of company registration, amendment, and deregistration filings as required

Dividends:

• Prepare draft dividend resolutions for Board and director approval, in line with the Companies Act, solvency and liquidity requirements
• Coordinate the administrative process for dividend declaration, including dividends tax calculations, SARS submissions, and shareholder notifications

General Compliance Support:

• Support the CFO and Head of Finance in responding to SARS queries, audits, and dispute resolution processes
• Maintain an accurate register of all statutory filings, submission dates, and supporting documentation for audit purposes
• Monitor changes in tax legislation (including REIT-specific tax provisions) and Companies Act requirements, and flag implications to the Head of Finance
• Liaise with external tax consultants, auditors, and company secretarial service providers as required

Employment Equity

Selections will be made in line with the Equites employment equity plan.  

Application Process

• Interested applicants should submit their CV, to careers@equites.co.za.
• Selected candidates will be invited for an interview. 
• Should you not receive a response within 10 business days of applying, please consider your application unsuccessful.