Head of Legal, Compliance, Privacy and Risk

F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG; Midrand; On-site; ZAR 1,800,000 - 3,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Roche in South Africa is seeking Head of Legal, Compliance, Privacy and Risk to partner with executive leadership, shaping legal and governance strategy and safeguarding the license to operate.

You will lead risk, compliance, privacy and legal frameworks for the pharmaceutical business, empower cross-functional teams, and drive transformation and B-BEE initiatives. Travel nationally and internationally as needed; relocation benefits are not available.

Qualifications

• LLB degree or equivalent.
• Admitted Attorney or Advocate.
• 10+ years corporate legal experience in life sciences.
• 3–5 years advising boards/executive leadership.
• Strong knowledge of SA Companies Act, labour law, POPIA/PAIA.
• Experience with competition and healthcare regulations.

Responsibilities

• Partner with leadership to shape legal and governance strategy.
• Lead risk, compliance, privacy and legal frameworks.
• Guide corporate governance and board/committee processes.
• Oversee audits, training, and transformation initiatives.
• Develop talent and foster high-performance teams.

Skills

Corporate legal

Governance

Regulatory compliance

Board advisory

Data privacy

Education

LLB degree

Job description

At Roche you can show up as yourself, embraced for the unique qualities you bring. Our culture encourages personal expression, open dialogue, and genuine connections, where you are valued, accepted and respected for who you are, allowing you to thrive both personally and professionally. This is how we aim to prevent, stop and cure diseases and ensure everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Join Roche, where every voice matters.

The Position

As the Head of Legal, Compliance, Privacy and Risk, you will serve as a strategic partner to our leadership team, shaping our legal and governance strategy while safeguarding our license to operate. In this executive role reporting directly to the General Manager, you will lead the risk, compliance, privacy, and legal frameworks for our pharmaceutical business in South Africa, empowering cross-functional teams to make courageous, compliant, and impactful decisions.

The Opportunity

• Drive Strategic Legal Counsel: Partner closely with executive leadership, the Board of Directors, and global functional networks to steer corporate strategy, manage complex commercial contracts, and oversee all litigation and regulatory matters.
• Lead Enterprise Risk & Opportunity: Design, embed, and oversee the affiliate-wide risk and opportunity framework, acting as company Risk Manager to proactively identify solutions that enable sustainable growth.
• Champion Data Privacy & Governance: Serve as the Data Privacy Officer (Information Officer), leading compliance initiatives under POPIA and PAIA, and fostering best-in-class data stewardship across all business activities.
• Serve as Company Secretary: Facilitate effective corporate governance by guiding Board and sub-committee agendas, managing statutory documentation, and maintaining robust company records.
• Shape Compliance & Transformation: Direct compliance monitoring, internal audit reviews, and training programs, while actively contributing to broader transformation and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B‑BEE) initiatives.
• Empower & Develop Talent: Foster an environment of collaboration and high performance, coaching team members and providing meaningful opportunities to grow and excel.

Who You Are

You hold an LLB degree (or equivalent) and are an admitted Attorney or Advocate, bringing 10+ years of corporate legal commercial experience within the pharmaceutical, healthcare, or related life‑sciences sectors. You bring 3 to 5 years of proven experience advising boards of directors and executive leadership teams, preferably within a multinational environment. You have thorough expertise in the South African Companies Act, labour legislation, POPIA, PAIA, as well as general commercial contracting, with strong familiarity in competition and healthcare regulations. You are an authentic, values‑led leader who excels at translating complex statutory frameworks into pragmatic, business‑enabling advice. You demonstrate outstanding relationship management, analytical problem‑solving skills, high integrity, and a willingness to travel nationally and internationally as needed. Note that relocation benefits are not available for this position. Note that a full JD is available at request. Let’s thrive together in a culture built on trust, collaboration, respect, and high performance.

Who we are

A healthier future drives us to innovate. Together, more than 100’000 employees across the globe are dedicated to advance science, ensuring everyone has access to healthcare today and for generations to come. Our efforts result in more than 26 million people treated with our medicines and over 30 billion tests conducted using our Diagnostics products. We empower each other to explore new possibilities, foster creativity, and keep our ambitions high, so we can deliver life‑changing healthcare solutions that make a global impact. Let’s build a healthier future, together.

Roche is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We believe it’s urgent to deliver medical solutions right now – even as we develop innovations for the future. We are passionate about transforming patients’ lives. We are courageous in both decision and action. And we believe that good business means a better world. That is why we come to work each day. We commit ourselves to scientific rigor, unassailable ethics, and access to medical innovations for all. We do this today to build a better tomorrow. We are proud of who we are, what we do, and how we do it. We are many, working as one across functions, across companies, and across the world. We are Roche.