Service Consultant: Level 1

The South African Revenue Service (SARS) is the nations tax collecting authority. Established in terms of the South African Revenue Service Act 34 of 1997 as an autonomous agency, we are responsible for administering the South African tax system and customs service. Its main functions are to: collect and administer all national taxes, duties and levies; collect revenue that may be imposed under any other legislation, as agreed on between SARS and an organ of state or institution entitled to the revenue; provide protection against the illegal importation and exportation of goods; facilitate trade; and advise the Minister of Finance on all revenue matters Job Purpose To handle inbound and outbound scripted and partially scripted service requests for one tax product from 1 - 2 channels in compliance with SARS policies and procedures by consulting with clients, facilitating query resolution, maintaining taxpayer and trader profiles, registering and de-registering taxpayers, providing taxpayer education, debt collection up to a final demand, thereby ensuring enhanced service delivery and compliance Education and Experience Minimum Qualification & Experience Required NQF Level 4 and 2 years Customer Service experience in a similar environment - preferably in a Financial Services Environment Minimum Functional Requirements Must have a basic overview of all taxes (incl. C and E) plus proficiency in PIT with basic knowledge of non-core taxes associated with PIT only - Prov. tax, CGT, Dividends, Donations, Fund Benefits, Estate Duty, Transfer Duty, Withholding tax on interest and royalties. Job Outputs: Process Handle inbound and outbound (scripted service interactions) through 1-2 channel interactions for one tax product, in compliance with SARS policies and procedures. (i.e., blended voice, virtual & face-to-face; incl. technical and customer support on Digital Channels, i.e., eFiling, HyEF, etc.). Maintain the profiles of existing taxpayers, register new taxpayers, code and subsequently deregister taxpayers on SARS core system in order to enhance taxpayer services. Follow-up on non-compliance at an entry level to enhance taxpayer service and improve taxpayer compliance. Receive, sort, register, process, and distribute all documentation to relevant business unit, to enhance taxpayer services. Communication of transactional outputs and queries in the area of work according to policies and quality requirements. Contribute to the development & improvement of area specific standards, procedures and processes to ensure continued quality and service improvement. Contribute to the successful implementation of change initiatives by providing support in area of work. Deliver on contracted performance objectives and escalate unresolved delivery and quality issues to management and process owners. Draw on own knowledge and experience to identify and develop solutions that lead to improved service delivery and quality. Effectively plan and schedule own activities to continuously improve quality and service delivery in area of work. Embrace change initiatives and positively contribute to the success thereof within area of accountability. Ensure quality of work content, quick turnaround, prioritise, minimise mistakes, and continuously improve quality, service, and standards. Plan and organise own work in an effective and efficient manner to reach agreed performance objectives. Report on transactional and process activities within set guidelines to provide timely information for decision making. Governance Comply to set governance and compliance procedures and processes related to an area of work and continuously identify and escalate risks. People Search for, integrate, and share new knowledge attained through formal and informal learning opportunities in the execution of your job. Drive own performance and development, in order to achieve and improve work outputs in line with required response time, quality, and service delivery standards. Finance Adhere to specified policies, standards, legislation and procedures to prevent wastage of resources, unauthorised expenditure, wasteful expenditure, and report violations. Client Contribute to a culture of service excellence, which builds positive relationships and provides for feedback and exceptional service. Ensure client satisfaction by engaging and delivering a service that is consistent, seamless, quick, and error free. Behavioural competencies Stakeholder Engagement and Management Fairness and Transparency Accountability Customer Service Honesty and Integrity Trust Respect Attention to Detail Technical competencies Active Listening Communication Skills Computer Literacy Customer Understanding Efficiency Improvement Financial Acumen Handling Difficult Engagements Query Resolution Standard operating procedure compliance Tax Knowledge