Senior Tax Attorney (Tax Disputes & Tax Debt)

SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:

We are looking for a senior tax attorney who:
Thinks clearly under pressure and does not escalate unnecessarily
Is technically strong and comfortable standing behind their work
Can manage complex, high-value and high-risk SARS matters end to end
Understands that tax disputes are both legal and strategic is comfortable mentoring juniors while still carrying their own load
Wants to build something long-term, not simply “hold a senior title”

If you expect heavy structure, rigid hierarchies, or minimal responsibility, you will not enjoy this environment.

• We operate in a high-performance, delivery-driven environment.
• Structures are actively being built and refined.
• Senior team members are expected to contribute to both technical outcomes and process maturity.
• We are actively building a diverse tax legal team and welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds who meet the requirements.

The Role

• You will join the firm as a Senior Tax Attorney within the tax legal team, taking responsibility for the management, strategy and execution of tax dispute and tax debt matters.

You will:

• Run complex SARS disputes and tax debt matters independently
• Act as a technical and strategic resource within the team
• Supervise and guide junior attorneys on active matters
• Engage directly with SARS, clients, counsel and executives
• Contribute to the development of internal systems, standards and templates
• This role has clear progression into leadership, depending on performance and appetite.

Key Responsibilities

SARS Disputes & Litigation (Core Function)

• Lead disputes across tax types (Income Tax, VAT, PAYE, penalties, understatement penalties)
• Draft and review:
• Requests for reasons
• Objections and appeals
• ADR requests and settlement proposals
• Legal submissions and representations
• Strategise dispute positioning, evidence and escalation risk
• Prepare and manage dispute chronologies, bundles and legal arguments
• Brief and liaise with counsel where matters escalate to formal litigation

Tax Debt Management & SARS Engagement

Lead:

• Suspension of payment applications
• Deferred payment arrangements
• Compromise / write-off applications
• Draft high-quality representations for remission of penalties and interest
• Engage with SARS collections and legal divisions strategically, not reactively
• Manage prescription risk, payment exposure and enforcement timelines

Technical Oversight & Research

• Interpret and apply the Tax Administration Act, Income Tax Act and VAT Act in live matters
• Review and refine junior attorneys’ research and drafting
• Draft internal opinions and technical guidance notes
• Stay current on case law, SARS interpretation notes and administrative developments

Team Leadership & Quality Control

• Supervise junior attorneys on disputes and tax debt files
• Review key documents before submission to SARS or clients
• Ensure consistency of approach, tone and technical accuracy
• Contribute to the development of templates, checklists and internal processes

Client and Internal Stakeholder Management

• Act as the primary legal contact on allocated matters
• Participate in and lead client calls and meetings
• Communicate risks, strategy and progress clearly and commercially
• Escalate issues appropriately, with solutions proposed