Job Description

Position Reports to: Executive: Customs Legislative Policy
Division: Strategy Enab & Modernisation
Location: Head Office (Pretoria)
Advert Closing Date: 11 July 2025.
Job Purpose
Overseeing the functions of Customs and Excise Legislative Policy subdivision responsible for tariff amendments, maintaining the SARS Tarriff system and performing research in order to provide high level guidance to senior management and departments, facilitating legislative and operational alignment across functions.
Education and Experience
Minimum Qualification & Experience Required
Relevant Honours Degree / Postgraduate Diploma (NQF 8) in Law, Taxation, Economics, Public Policy, or a related field with 10 - 12 years' experience in legislation and policy development, legal drafting or interpretation of laws, a regulatory, legal, or policy environment, preferably within government or a revenue authority), of which 3 - 4 years at Middle Management level.
ALTERNATE:
Relevant bachelor's degree / Advanced Diploma (NQF 7) in Law, Taxation, Economics, Public Policy, or a related field with 12 - 15 years' experience in legislation and policy development, legal drafting or interpretation of laws, a regulatory, legal, or policy environment, preferably within government or a revenue authority), of which 3 - 4 years at Middle Management level.
# The alternative qualifications and experience refer to internal minimum requirements
Job Outputs:
Process

• Conduct research to develop and implement new ideas and solutions that add value in area of specialisation.
• Develop tactical strategy and delivery plans in support of functional objectives in partnership with leadership.
• Direct, control, coordinate and optimise budgeted resources to meet specific objectives and deliver agreed results and productivity requirements.
• Ensure the development and implementation of multiple practices in alignment with operational policy and procedural frameworks.
• Identify and recommend opportunities to continuously improve all functions and systems in line with national, regional and organisational changes.
• Implement government decisions in relation to Border Control and Security in area of accountability.
• Plan for handling work outputs, pull together interdependent activities and specify priorities, standards and procedures to ensure tactical excellence.
• Proactively identify interconnected problems, determine its impact and use to develop best fit alternatives, driving best practice solutions.
• Provide written legal opinions and or advice to Senior and Executive Management on all legal issues relating to tariff, including untested and very complex issues.
• Provide periodic reports on performance against plan and progress or short-term initiatives and use to realign tactical plan and objectives appropriately.
• Provision of high-level support and guidance to all SARS officials attending or participating in foreign and international customs or excise meetings.
• Recommend changes to optimise processes, systems, policies and procedures, and direct the implementation of change and innovation initiated by the organization.
• Use the insights gained through integrated business reports to measure success and realign tactical strategy development objectives appropriately.

Governance

• Implement governance, risk and compliance policy in own practice areas to identify and manage governance and risk exposure liability.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory changes and drive the alignment of corporate governance, policies and risk strategies.

People

• Align, adopt and implement different priorities in people management strategies as articulated through the strategic people levers.
• Plan and develop enhanced organisational efficiency by identifying and addressing development requirements and providing tools for people resources.
• Translate performance expectations into specific metrics and goals to identify and provide effective services, solve problems and achieve objectives.

Finance

• Draw up a budget aligned to business unit delivery plans, monitor planned vs. actual, minimize expenditure and report on cost efficiency.
• Implement and monitor financial control, management of costs and corporate governance in area of accountability.

Client

• Build strong relationships and develop service level agreements that promote SARS with internal and external stakeholders.
• Develop & ensure implementation of a practice that builds service delivery excellence & encourage others to provide exceptional client service.
• Manage in integrated service excellence culture, which builds rewarding relationships and provides opportunity for feedback and exceptional service.

Behavioural competencies

• Accountability
• Fairness and Transparency
• Honesty and Integrity
• Problem Solving and Analysis
• Respect
• Trust
• Ability to translate strategy into execution
• Concern for impact of own behaviour on others
• Develops teams and nurtures interdependency
• Inspires others to Positive Action
• Nurture Future Talent
• Stewardship and Service Orientation
• Strong Results Orientation
• Values and Manages Diversity

Technical competencies

• Business Acumen
• Customs and Excise Knowledge
• Decisiveness
• Effective Business Communication
• Functional Policies and Procedures
• Legal Advisory and Interpretation
• Legal Compliance
• Legal knowledge and knowledge of ethics
• Managerial Budgeting
• Planning, Management and Measurement
• Policy development
• Problem Analysis and Judgement
• Strategic Planning
• Tax Knowledge

Compliance Competency
GOC Confidential - Grade of Clearance: a) sensitive info (b) commercial info, the disclosure of which may cause financial loss to an entity or may prejudice an entity in its relations with its clients, competitors, contractors and suppliers.
Employment Equity
The Employment Equity policy of SARS will be considered as part of the recruitment and selection process and Persons with Disabilities are encouraged to apply. Successful candidates will be required to undertake an oath of secrecy, pre-employment screening, case study, pre-assessment, psychometric assessment and or vetting, and a declaration of private interest. The appointment is also subject to appropriate reference(s) and security clearance where applicable.