Role Overview:
The Quality Assurance Leader will be responsible for safeguarding and enhancing the quality of services delivered in both Direct Tax and Indirect Tax engagements. The role ensures compliance with professional standards, regulatory requirements, and internal policies, while managing firm-wide risk management, legal risks, and engagement quality.
This leader will also oversee client feedback processes, drive continuous improvement initiatives, and act as a key advisor to the leadership team on risk, compliance, and quality matters.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Quality Assurance & Engagement Reviews
- Design and implement a Tax Quality Framework aligned with regulatory and professional standards.
- Conduct pre-engagement and post-engagement reviews for high-risk and complex tax assignments.
- Ensure technical accuracy and completeness of deliverables in Direct Tax (corporate, transfer pricing, individual) and Indirect Tax (VAT, GST, customs, excise).
- Maintain an engagement quality review (EQR) program modeled on best practices from advisory firms.
2. Risk Management & Compliance
- Lead firm-wide risk management covering operational, legal, reputational, and compliance risks.
- Monitor adherence to independence requirements, client acceptance and continuance procedures.
- Ensure compliance with tax authority guidelines, professional bodies’ codes of conduct, and internal ethics policies.
- Maintain a risk register and advise leadership on emerging risks.
3. Legal Risk Oversight
- Collaborate with external and internal legal counsel to identify and mitigate legal risks.
- Review client contracts, engagement letters, and disclaimers for legal robustness.
- Manage disputes, claims, and regulatory inspections in coordination with legal teams.
4. Client Feedback & Engagement Quality
- Develop and execute a client feedback program to gather insights on service quality and responsiveness.
- Address client concerns promptly, escalating systemic issues to leadership.
- Monitor Net Promoter Scores (NPS) and other engagement quality KPIs.
5. Continuous Improvement & Training
- Identify recurring quality gaps and implement targeted training for tax teams.
- Partner with Learning & Development to deliver quality-focused training in technical tax areas and risk awareness.
- Benchmark quality metrics against peer firms and Big4 practices.
Qualifications & Experience:
- Professional qualification: Chartered Accountant (CA), CPA, ACCA, or equivalent.
- Experience: Minimum 10–12 years in tax advisory with at least 5 years in a quality/risk management leadership role (large consulting firm experience preferred).
- Strong knowledge of direct and indirect tax laws, compliance frameworks, and professional ethics standards.
- Experience in engagement quality review processes and risk management frameworks.
Skills & Attributes:
- Strong technical tax knowledge with ability to spot errors and mitigate risks.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Analytical and detail-oriented with strong problem-solving abilities.
- Integrity, independence, and professional skepticism.
- Ability to manage sensitive matters confidentially.
Performance Indicators:
- Reduction in engagement quality findings over time.
- Client satisfaction scores (NPS and feedback metrics).
- Compliance with internal and external quality benchmarks.
- Timely resolution of risk and legal matters.
- Successful implementation of quality improvement initiatives.
