Head of Compliance, Risk and Regulatory Affairs

Black Pen Recruitment; Johannesburg; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services firm is seeking a Head of Compliance, Risk, and Regulatory Affairs to oversee compliance across jurisdictions and lead a team in high-stakes regulatory projects. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in compliance, risk management, and a strong ability to adapt to evolving regulations while providing strategic leadership to support business objectives. This hybrid position promises an opportunity for growth within a fast-paced environment, contributing to the company's expansion in both national and international markets.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of compliance experience in financial services.
• Proven experience leading regulatory submissions.
• Strong background in financial compliance and AML/KYC.

Responsibilities

• Lead compliance and risk team to ensure regulatory alignment.
• Oversee compliance operations and manage risks across jurisdictions.
• Engage with regulators and ensure timely reporting.

Skills

Regulatory Compliance

Risk Management

Communication

Problem Solving

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Law, Finance, Compliance

Master's degree (LLM, MBA)

Professional certifications (CAMS, ICA)

Job description

The Head of Compliance, Risk and Regulatory Affairs with our client is responsible for leading and overseeing all compliance, risk and regulatory aspects across the group. The role ensures that our client operates within the applicable legal and regulatory frameworks in all jurisdictions, proactively managing risks within our clients appetite and maintaining the highest standards of compliance governance. This role will lead our clients compliance and risk team and be the primary compliance and regulatory lead on several confidential projects, including playing a leading role in both national and international licensing applications/acquisitions. Ensuring full regulatory alignment across all business units and new product launches.

The successful candidate will be expected to work flexibly and responsively to meet the fast-evolving needs of the business, providing clear, commercially aligned compliance and risk advice at pace.

Job Type: Full time/Permanent

Location: South Africa

Workplace: Hybrid

Reporting To: Chief Operating Officer (COO)

Requirements

• A Bachelors degree in Law, Finance, Compliance, or a related field is required.
• A Masters degree (LLM, MBA) or certification in financial regulatory compliance is highly advantageous.
• Professional certifications such as CAMS (Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialist) or ICA Compliance Certification are preferred.
• 10+ years of compliance experience, ideally within financial services, payments, fintech, or banking.
• Strong background in financial compliance, regulatory risk management, and AML/KYC regulations.
• Proven experience in leading regulatory submissions, such as license applications, preferably at national and international levels
• Experience in managing confidential and high-stakes compliance projects.
• Demonstrated ability to engage with regulators, auditors, and legal teams.
• Strong communication skills to translate complex compliance issues into clear, actionable guidance.
• Must be highly adaptive to fast-changing compliance and regulatory landscapes.
• Ability to work flexibly (including outside standard hours where needed) while maintaining a strong work-life balance.
• Proactively identifies compliance risks and provides rapid regulatory guidance to enable quick decision-making.
• A driven and entrepreneurial mindset, capable of working at the cutting edge of fintech compliance.
• Passionate about helping scale a fast-growing business, providing strategic compliance leadership.
• Resilient under pressure, with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities without compromising quality.
• Strong commercial awareness, ensuring compliance strategy aligns with business objectives.
• Able to balance risk management with business appetite and enablement, ensuring clarity and compliance without unnecessary delays.
• An innovative problem-solver who thinks beyond traditional compliance constraints to drive business success.
• A clear and confident communicator, capable of distilling complex regulatory issues into practical, actionable advice.
• Strong ability to build relationships across departments, working closely with leadership, legal, and operations teams.
• Experience leading and mentoring compliance teams in a high-growth, fast-moving environment.
• A pragmatic, solutions-focused compliance mindset, balancing risk with business objectives.
• Committed to maintaining the highest ethical standards in all compliance and business dealings.
• A collaborative team player who leads by example to ensure compliance should enable, not obstruct, business growth.

Responsibilities

Regulatory & Compliance Leadership

• Lead the development, implementation, and management of our clients compliance and risk frameworks.
• Oversee all compliance operations across our clients global footprint, ensuring adherence to financial and regulatory obligations.
• Serve as the primary liaison with regulatory authorities and financial compliance bodies.
• Ensure compliance with AML, KYC, data privacy, consumer protection, and payments regulations.

Confidential Projects & Strategic Compliance Initiatives

• Oversee our clients compliance positioning as it expands into new markets and regulatory jurisdictions, playing a leading role in both national and international licensing applications/acquisitions.
• Ensuring full regulatory alignment across all business units and new product launches.

Risk Management & Monitoring

• Design and oversee our clients risk management processes, ensuring risks are identified, assessed, and mitigated effectively.
• Develop and maintain internal compliance reporting structures, ensuring early detection of potential risks.
• Ensure regulatory compliance frameworks remain up to date with changes in fintech, payments, and banking regulations.

Internal Compliance, Governance and Risk Frameworks

• Develop and enforce compliance, governance and risk frameworks and policies across the organization.
• Implement internal controls, audit procedures, and compliance training programs for employees.
• Work closely with Legal, Commercial and Product teams to align compliance processes with business strategy.

Regulatory Affairs, Reporting & Stakeholder Engagement

• Ensure timely and accurate regulatory reporting, maintaining compliance with local and international requirements.
• Represent our client in regulatory discussions, audits, and industry forums.
• Have a good relationship with regulatory bodies, auditors, and industry groups and take a leading role in market developments to ensure that our client stays ahead of evolving compliance requirements.

Team Leadership & Compliance Culture

• Lead, mentor, and develop the compliance team, ensuring they are well-equipped to handle regulatory challenges.
• Foster a strong culture of compliance across the organization, ensuring employees understand their regulatory responsibilities.