Senior Tax Accountant

About the Role

Reporting to the Financial Reporting Manager, you will be the key technical specialist responsible for delivering the Group's corporate tax obligations and supporting external financial reporting requirements.

You will provide expert advice on tax matters, prepare technical accounting and tax position papers, work closely with external advisers and Inland Revenue, and contribute to maintaining a robust financial and tax control framework.

You will also play an important role in supporting process improvement initiatives, strengthening controls, and developing capability within the wider finance team.

Key Responsibilities

Tax Compliance & Advisory

• Lead the preparation and delivery of the Group's annual income tax return, including tax calculations, review of supporting workpapers, and ensuring compliance with New Zealand tax legislation.
• Prepare provisional tax calculations and ensure accurate and timely tax payments.
• Support reviews of GST, FBT, withholding tax, and other indirect tax calculations.
• Prepare high-quality technical tax papers and documentation supporting tax treatments and positions.
• Provide practical and commercially focused tax advice on business transactions, projects, and operational matters.
• Manage relationships with external tax advisers and coordinate specialist advice when required.
• Act as the primary liaison with Inland Revenue, including managing tax reviews, information requests, audits, and correspondence.
• Monitor taxation legislation and regulatory developments and communicate business impacts to key stakeholders.

Financial Reporting & Controls

• Assist in maintaining and enhancing the Group's financial and tax control framework.
• Ensure process documentation and internal controls remain current and effective.
• Identify opportunities to improve reporting processes, controls, and automation.
• Support maintenance of the general ledger and financial management systems.
• Contribute to statutory reporting and audit coordination activities as required.

Leadership & Team Contribution

• Mentor and support junior team members.
• Provide support and acting cover for the Financial Reporting Manager when required.
• Champion continuous improvement and knowledge sharing across the finance function.
• Foster a collaborative, high-performing team culture aligned with the organisation's values.

What You'll Bring

To be successful in this role, you'll bring:

Essential Skills & Experience

• Chartered Accountant (or equivalent)
• Significant experience in corporate tax compliance and advisory, ideally within a large corporate environment or professional services firm.
• Strong technical expertise across:
  • Corporate income tax
  • Provisional tax
  • GST
  • Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT)
  • Withholding tax
• Excellent knowledge and practical application of New Zealand and International Financial Reporting Standards (NZ IFRS and IFRS).
• Experience preparing technical tax and accounting position papers.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to interpret complex legislation and accounting requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to provide high-quality advice to internal stakeholders and explain complex technical matters in a practical and understandable way.
• Strong experience working with financial systems, controls, reconciliations, and reporting processes.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• A collaborative approach with the ability to build strong relationships across the business and with external stakeholders.