Senior Manager, Tax & Legal (Business Tax, Iraq Tax) – Erbil

About the role

Deloitte & Touche Middle East is hiring a Senior Manager, Tax for its Kurdistan practice in Iraq. The role leads client delivery, manages tax compliance and advisory engagements, develops client relationships and drives business growth across the Tax practice. It calls for strong technical tax capability, commercial judgment, team leadership and the ability to work in a fast-evolving regulatory environment. The manager acts as a trusted advisor on corporate tax, compliance, tax risk, tax structuring and related regulatory matters.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and oversee tax compliance and advisory engagements for local and multinational clients, covering corporate income tax, withholding tax, payroll tax, indirect taxes and other Iraqi and Kurdistan Region matters.
• Interpret complex tax laws, discuss them with the tax authority, review tax returns and computations, and advise on the tax implications of transactions, restructurings, investments and cross-border arrangements.
• Support clients during tax audits, assessments, disputes and correspondence with tax authorities, and identify tax risks and planning opportunities.
• Build relationships with CFOs, finance leaders, tax managers, legal teams and business owners, and act as a primary contact for key tax clients.
• Work with Audit, Consulting, Risk Advisory, Legal and Deals teams, and build a professional relationship with tax authority stakeholders within permissible limits.
• Contribute to practice growth by identifying leads, preparing proposals, supporting pitch meetings, developing thought leadership, expanding the client portfolio and supporting pricing and commercial negotiations.
• Ensure engagements meet quality standards, independence requirements and risk management procedures, and escalate risks appropriately.
• Stay up to date with tax laws and regulations in Iraq and the Kurdistan Region, and support quality reviews and file completeness.
• Develop high-performing teams, lead by example, and work with management to implement the practice strategy.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance or a related field; CPA, ACCA or equivalent professional certification is a plus.
• 8-12 years of relevant tax experience, with a significant portion in a Big4 or leading professional services firm.
• Strong experience in tax compliance and advisory, and proven ability to lead client relationships and manage teams.
• Experience leading discussions with tax authority inspectors and handling tax audits and disputes.
• Proven ability to manage multiple engagements and deadlines in a client-service environment.
• Excellent client relationship management and communication skills, and analytical, problem-solving skills.
• Professional proficiency in English is required; Arabic is strongly preferred and Kurdish is highly desirable.