About the team and role
Our purpose is to deliver energy to the world, today and tomorrow. For over 100 years, bp has focused on discovering, developing, and producing oil and gas in the nations where we operate. We are one of the few companies globally that can provide governments and customers with an integrated energy offering. Delivering our strategy sustainably is fundamental to achieving our ambition to be a net zero company by 2050 or sooner.
Join us as Tax Manager Customs & Excise Southern Africa!
The UK, Europe and South Africa tax team is responsible for providing expert tax advice and support across all businesses, taxes and countries within this geographical region. This team will act as the primary holder of relationships with fiscal authorities and business leaders, driving effective tax risk management. They will have accountability for managing non-routine or contentious tax audits and disputes within the region.
Within tax, the team will work closely with cross-functional teams to provide local tax knowledge and insight. Reporting to the local Head of Tax, you will be a key contributor within a regional team of tax professionals providing mainly customs and excise expertise and leadership to bp's Southern African businesses.
The Johannesburg-based role includes working with a broad network of multidisciplinary experts across bp to understand the business transactions with a view to providing commercially insightful tax advice.
In this role, you will:
•Serve as the senior tax advisor to bp's businesses in Southern Africa, providing tax leadership and advice on business tax compliance, growth, restructurings, acquisitions, divestments, financing arrangements, and other complex commercial initiatives.
•Shape business decisions by delivering commercially focused tax advice that balances value creation, tax risk, regulatory compliance, and bp's ethical framework.
•Identify, assess and mitigate significant tax risks, drive a robust tax governance and control environment that protects enterprise value and supports audit and assurance requirements.
•Manage complex audits, disputes and negotiations with tax authorities, including SARS and other tax authorities across the region.
•Partner with Tax Operations, Transfer Pricing, Reporting and Finance teams to ensure effective compliance, reporting, and implementation of global tax strategies.
•Influence regional and international tax policy matters, providing strategic insight on emerging legislative developments and their impact on bp's businesses.
•Drive continuous improvement across tax processes through the use of technology, advanced analytics, automation and bp-approved AI-enabled solutions, improving decision-making, efficiency and risk management.
•Build trusted relationships with senior business leaders, regulators, external advisors and industry stakeholders, positioning Tax as a strategic business partner.
As a Functional Level Leader within bp, you will:
•Provide visible leadership in navigating an increasingly complex and highly scrutinized tax environment.
•Influence executive decision-making through sound judgment, strategic thinking, and deep commercial acumen.
•Build strong internal relationships and understand the needs and goals of the team.
•Balance business growth objectives with governance, compliance and reputational considerations.
•Drive a culture of accountability, innovation, continuous improvement and ethical decision-making in service of bp's strategic direction.
•Champion digital transformation and the adoption of emerging technologies, including AI, to enhance tax capability and business value.
Essential experience and qualifications
•Educated to degree level with a relevant professional qualification (e.g., ACA, ACCA, CTA, or equivalent).
•Proven experience in multinational tax (C&E) advisory, tax governance, controversy management/dispute resolution roles.
•Deep expertise across all customs and excise related matters specific to our industry.
•Fluency in English.
•Strong business sense and sound judgement in taking risk-based decisions.
•Proven experience in managing complex audits, disputes, assessments and engagements with tax authorities.
•Strong analytical, communication, and partner management skills.
•Adaptability and resilience, with a willingness to embrace and lead change.
•Ability to harness technology and digital solutions including AI.
Why join us?
At bp, we support our people to grow in a diverse and exciting environment. There are many aspects of our employees' lives that are meaningful, so we offer benefits to enable your work to fit with your life. These benefits can include flexible working options, a generous paid parental leave policy, excellent retirement benefits, among others!
Travel Requirement
Up to 10% travel should be expected with this role.
Relocation Assistance
This role is not eligible for relocation.
Remote Type
This position is a hybrid of office/remote working.
Skills
Acquisitions and disposals activity, Analytical Thinking, Commercial Acumen, Creativity and Innovation, Data Management, Digital Fluency, Direct and indirect tax compliance and accounting, Economic modelling, Financial Reporting, Influencing tax law and policy, Interpreting and applying tax law, Management of Change, Managing tax dispute resolution and controversies, Project Management, Risk Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Tax advice for mergers, Tax advisory, Tax compliance process management, Tax reporting and control, Transfer Pricing.
