Future of the Tax Associate Role
By leveraging on analytics and expanding their capabilities, tax associates will be able to develop new digital literacy skills to maximise efficiencies.
Job Scope Evolution
Skills Implementation
New Knowledge and Abilities
| Work Functions | Skills Impacted | New Knowledge | New Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support statutory tax filings | Digital Literacy (RPA) |
| 1. Explain flow of RPA scripts 2. Explain logic behind machine learning categorisation 3. Pick up RPA error messages 4. Execute RPA scripts for all accounting solutions |
| Identify tax risk area | Digital Literacy (Data extraction tools) |
| 1. Explain the logic behind data extraction tools 2. Set up data extraction requirements 3. Run data extraction tools as per instruction |
| Technology management | Digital Technology Adoption and Innovation |
| 1. Troubleshoot and/or debug simple errors to produce desired output |
Interaction Mapping
Current
Future (Tech-enabled Tax Associate)
*Digital Champion is a role that can operate independently or merged into the Senior Tax Associate job, depending on the organisation.
As data management takes on a new form with RPA and data analytics integration, the tax associate would no longer manage data entry. The financial data management executive works closely together with the tech-enabled tax associate and RPA champion to ensure that the data is well managed and that the RPA scripts adjust according to tax reforms. This role allows the tech-enabled tax associate to analyse and validate outputs.
Future (Financial Data Management Executive)
*Digital Champion is a role that can operate independently or merged into the Senior Tax Associate job, depending on the organisation.
*Financial Data Management Executive will serve multiple accountants and will focus on managing the RPA scripts and checking of data entry errors
Interaction mapping would only be possible in organisations that integrate their client’s accounting data and implement the Financial Data Management Executive role (view the role here)
