Independence Specialist

PwC South Africa; Johannesburg; On-site; Confidential; Full time

Job summary

PwC South Africa's Independence Team is seeking a Manager to support the Partner Responsible for Independence in promoting and monitoring compliance with external laws and internal policies. You will help manage PwC’s regulatory, litigation, and reputational risk across the firm.

You will lead coaching, training, and collaboration with Service Delivery Center teams, developing staff and ensuring high standards of integrity and professional conduct in a dynamic regulatory environment.

Qualifications

• CA (SA) qualification is required.
• Experience in financial services or audit is an asset.
• Strong analytical skills with attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Participation in Independence support systems, processes and activities.
• Collaborating with Service Delivery Center (SDC) teams responsible for Independence processes.
• Responding to Independence queries from partners, staff and engagement teams.
• Delivering training to business units where required.
• Monitoring compliance with Independence policies, processes and controls.
• Performing compliance testing over client engagement teams activities.
• Involvement with innovation and development of Independence processes and PwC Global initiatives.
• Participation in ad hoc Independence projects.

Skills

System analysis

Project ownership

Team leadership

Mentoring

Communication skills

Digital tools learning

Education

CA (SA)

Job description

Management Level Manager Job Description & Summary At PwC, our people in risk and compliance focus on maintaining regulatory compliance and managing risks for clients, providing advice, and solutions. They help organisations navigate complex regulatory landscapes and enhance their internal controls to mitigate risks effectively. Those in independence, ethics and business conduct at PwC facilitates adherence to ethical standards and promote a culture of integrity within the organisation. Working in this area, you will be responsible for developing and implementing policies and procedures to facilitate compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. Enhancing your leadership style, you motivate, develop and inspire others to deliver quality. You are responsible for coaching, leveraging team member’s unique strengths, and managing performance to deliver on client expectations. With your growing knowledge of how business works, you play an important role in identifying opportunities that contribute to the success of our Firm. You are expected to lead with integrity and authenticity, articulating our purpose and values in a meaningful way. You embrace technology and innovation to enhance your delivery and encourage others to do the same.

Examples of the skills, knowledge, and experiences you need to lead and deliver value at this level include but are not limited to:

• Analyse and identify the linkages and interactions between the component parts of an entire system.
• Take ownership of projects, ensuring their successful planning, budgeting, execution, and completion.
• Partner with team leadership to ensure collective ownership of quality, timelines, and deliverables.
• Develop skills outside your comfort zone, and encourage others to do the same.
• Effectively mentor others.
• Use the review of work as an opportunity to deepen the expertise of team members.
• Address conflicts or issues, engaging in difficult conversations with clients, team members and other stakeholders, escalating where appropriate.
• Uphold and reinforce professional and technical standards (e.g. refer to specific PwC tax and audit guidance), the Firm's code of conduct, and independence requirements.

Job Description & Summary – Independence Specialist (Manager)

A career in the PwC Southern Africa Independence Team, will provide you with the opportunity to advance and foster integrity-based decision making and conduct by PwC professionals throughout our organisation. You will focus on supporting the Partner Responsible for Independence (PRI) Team in promoting and monitoring compliance with applicable external independence laws and regulations as well as internal independence policies and procedures to help manage PwC’s regulatory, litigation, and reputational risk. The PwC South Africa Independence Team is part of the firm’s Risk & Quality group within Internal Firm Services. It is responsible for working with the practice across all Line of Services to ensure that the firm meets its regulatory responsibilities as required under PwC Global Independence policy, US SEC and PCAOB rules, EU rules and other territories’ rules. Whilst prior Independence knowledge is preferable, what is more important is that you have a willingness to learn a new technical area, a client service mentality, excellent coaching and communication skills and want to join a dynamic team that provides critical business support to the firm in a complex and changing regulatory environment. On the job training on the Independence rules and processes will be provided.

What you’ll create and do

As an Independence Specialist, you’ll work as part of a team of problem solvers, helping to solve complex business issues from strategy to execution.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Participation in the various Independence support systems, processes and activities
• Collaborating with the Service Delivery Center (SDC) teams responsible for certain Independence processes and activities
• Responding to Independence queries from partners, staff and engagement teams across the firm, promoting Independence knowledge sharing
• Delivering training to business units where required
• Monitoring compliance with Independence policies, processes and controls
• Performing compliance testing over client engagement teams activities
• Involvement with the innovation and development of Independence processes and PwC Global initiatives
• Participation in ad hoc Independence projects

What you’ll bring to this role

• An interest in upskilling for a digital world and technology trends, and an openness to learning new tools and adapting how you work
• Previous experience in financial services or audit is an asset
• High level of accuracy, attention to detail and experience in analysing data
• Strong client service focus in dealing with partners and staff at all levels and areas of the firm
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multitasked, fast-paced and changing environment
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
• Good time and project management skills
• Good judgment and problem-solving skills

What you’ll get in return

• Opportunity to interact with partners and practice teams across the firm, and Independence Specialists from across the PwC Global network
• Wide exposure to the breadth of the firm’s services and how we deliver these services
• Development of technical knowledge of a key area of Firm regulatory risk

Qualifications / Certifications required:

• CA (SA)
• Travel Requirements Up to 20%
• Available for Work Visa Sponsorship? No
• Job Posting End Date September 30, 2026