TAX SPECIALIST – PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT- LOCAL TAX EXPERT INTERNATIONAL TAX EXPERIENCE A SIGNIFICANT ADVANTAGE – REF9756

Our client requires a headcount to assist the Product Team, globally, to make better informed decisions wrt tax and how this impacts their product design and structuring, there will also be broader business and ongoing tax management aspects of our product ranges.

Our client began as a small start-up based in South Africa offering domestic investment strategies. They offer distinctive investment strategies spanning equities, fixed income, multi-asset, alternatives and sustainability to help institutional investors, those advising others and individuals navigate an ever-changing world.. The distinctive owner culture allows them to commit to building a long-term, inter-generational business. It supports a business fully aligned with their clients’ long-term investment objectives. The company is a global investment manager driven by people who value the power of performance and relationships. They have grown the firm since its founding, in on the bedrock combination of these two qualities. They are looking for like-minded people to join them – strong performers who create strong relationships. They are active investors. Their experience lets them adapt and grow, in markets of all kinds. They are now present on five continents.. Their culture provides all of the people, no matter what their background, with the opportunity to build a rewarding career.

You will report to the global head of product development.

This role is based in Cape Town but carries a remit across the company’s worldwide product suite. It sits at the intersection of tax, structuring and product strategy — a specialist function within the product development team that translates complex domestic and cross-border tax considerations into practical, commercially viable product outcomes.

 If you are energised by intellectual challenge, thrive in a high-autonomy environment and want your tax expertise to directly shape how an active global asset manager designs and positions its products, you will find this an exceptional opportunity.

JOB DESCRIPTION WILL INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:

• You will be required to be part of the product development team that operates as a global business unit with members based in London and Cape Town. The team is small but highly effective, interacting closely with the company’s other functions globally. The role exists because tax is no longer a downstream compliance check: it is a primary design input in fund structuring, vehicle selection, investor eligibility and distribution strategy. You will be required to bring deep technical grounding and the commercial instinct to apply it across multiple fund ranges, jurisdictions and investor types;
• Tax-informed product design:
  • You will be required to serve as the primary tax and structuring resource within product development, ensuring that tax considerations are embedded at the point of product conception, not retrofitted at approval stage. This includes:
    • Analysing the tax implications of new fund structures, investment vehicles, and distribution arrangements across relevant jurisdictions (South Africa, Luxembourg, UK, Cayman Islands, and US);
    • Advising on optimal vehicle selection (Unit Trusts, SICAVs, AIFs, Hedge Funds, AMETFs, Linked Policies, DLT-based structures) from a tax efficiency standpoint for different investor segments;
    • Identifying tax risks in product proposals and designing mitigants as part of the product approval process;
    • Leading engagement with external tax counsel and coordinating with the company’s internal finance and tax team on product-specific matters;
    • Maintaining a current view of relevant tax legislation, case law and SARS/HMRC/EU regulatory guidance that affects the product suite;
• New product development:
  • You will be required, alongside your tax specialism, to participate in end-to-end product development, including:
    • Identifying client needs and evaluating competitor offerings through a tax-efficiency lens;
    • Designing product operating models that account for withholding tax, VAT, transfer pricing and substance requirements;
    • Structuring cross-border products where tax treaty networks, CFC rules, and BEPS considerations are material inputs;
    • Drafting and presenting product proposals to senior management, investment committees and boards, with clear articulation of tax positions and residual risks;
    • Supporting digital asset and tokenised fund initiatives where novel tax treatment is unsettled and requires early regulatory engagement;
• Product management and governance:
  • You will be responsible for ongoing tax surveillance across the existing fund suite (twenty-plus fund ranges), flagging legislative changes that require structural or operational response:
    • Participating in product governance forums as the specialist tax voice;
    • Executing approved product changes on time, within budget and in accordance with internal product process and relevant tax and regulatory requirements;
    • Maintaining tax-related product documentation (e.g. investor disclosure, prospectus tax sections, reporting fund status, section 65 annual reports);
• Regulatory and market intelligence:
  • You will be responsible for tracking SA regulatory developments (FSCA, National Treasury, SARS) and international equivalents with product tax relevance:
    • Contributing to regulatory submissions and consultation responses on tax matters affecting the fund industry;
    • Monitoring exchange control and capital flow management developments as they pertain to cross-border fund structures and investor access.

CORE COMPETENCIES REQUIRED, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:

• You are able to take initiative; identify tax issues and opportunities before they are flagged by others;
• You have a keen eye for detail — tax analysis is unforgiving of imprecision;
• You have gravitas and credibility in senior-level engagements, including with regulators, boards, and external counsel;
• You are a strategic thinker who connects tax mechanics to commercial and client outcomes;
• You have excellent communication (verbal and written) skills in English, with the ability to translate technical tax positions into accessible language for non-specialist audiences;
• You have strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple fund-level workstreams concurrently;
• You are collaborative by disposition, but capable of holding and defending a technical position under pressure;
• You have a genuine interest in financial markets, asset management and the evolving landscape of investment product structuring.

CORE QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:

• You are a CA (SA) – strong grounding in financial reporting, tax, and commercial law.- this is highly preferred;
• You have a HDip Tax / MCom Tax – specialist postgraduate tax qualification — this is directly relevant;
• You have a LLB / LLM (Tax) – legal foundation for treaty analysis, statutory interpretation, and regulatory engagement.
• You are a CFA  – this would be a distrinct advantage — demonstrates investment knowledge and strengthens product credibility;
• You have FASSA / FRM / CAIA  – this would be a distinct advantage for actuarial, risk, or alternative asset contexts;
• You have ADIT / CTA – this would be a distinct advantage — internationally recognised tax designations;
• You have a minimum of 10 years current, relevant experience across tax advisory, asset management, financial services law, or fund administration with a strong tax component – this is essential;
• You have deep knowledge of South African tax law as it applies to collective investment schemes, hedge funds and linked investment products — including the Income Tax Act (Section 29A, Section 25BA), VAT Act (Schedule 1 exemptions) and STT provisions – this is essential;
• You have practical experience with at least one international fund domicile: Luxembourg (SICAV / RAIF tax treatment, ATAD, DAC6), UK (OEIC / authorised fund regime, UK reporting fund status), or Cayman Islands (FATCA / CRS compliance, Cayman exemptions – this is essential;
• You have demonstrated ability to assess treaty network implications for cross-border fund distribution and investor eligibility – this is essential;
• You have experience navigating the four-fund tax framework applicable to South African linked insurance policies (Section 29A: UPF, IPF, CPF and untaxed policyholder fund) – this is essential;
• You have familiarity with BEPS, Pillar Two, and their practical implications for fund structuring – this is essential;
• You have experience with tokenised asset structures, digital assets, or on-chain fund vehicles where tax treatment remains developing – this would be a distinct advantage;
• You have knowledge of the South African exchange control framework (historically via Exchange Control Regulations, transitioning to the Capital Flow Management Act and associated regulations) – this would be a distinct advantage;
• You have exposure to ESG / sustainable finance products and any associated tax incentive frameworks – this would be a distinct advantage;
• You have experience contributing to SARS or National Treasury consultation processes. – this would be a distinct advantage;
• You have an understanding of US fund structures (mutual funds, ETF’s) and associated PFIC / QEF considerations for SA investors – this would be a distinct advantage;
• You have top-tier proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Teams);
• You have proficiency in leveraging AI tools for research, document drafting and regulatory analysis;
• You have the ability to navigate fund data platforms (e.g. Morningstar, Bloomberg) – this would be a distinct advantage;
• You have coding skills (Python, VBA, R, or similar) are an advantage, particularly for tax modelling and scenario analysis.

Outstanding team – new role – wonderful exposure, exceptional rewards on performance