Manager: Fiduciary Compliance

Sanlam; Durban; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading investment firm in Durban is seeking a Chartered Accountant to manage fiduciary compliance and accounting functions. The ideal candidate will have at least 10 years of experience in a private wealth or trust environment, with strong leadership and interpersonal skills. This role involves liaising with high-net-worth clients and overseeing compliance teams, demanding high standards and attention to detail.

Benefits

Opportunities for growth and development

Qualifications

• Ability to implement controls to maintain high standards and mitigate risks.
• Strong understanding of risk and compliance.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage the accounting and tax compliance functions.
• Oversee the Fiduciary Compliance team.
• Liaise with high net-worth clients.

Skills

Strong numeracy

Budget management

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Computer literacy

Organisational skills

Education

Chartered Accountant (CA) SA qualification

At least 10 years’ experience in private wealth or trust

Tools

Accounting software

Job description

Overview

Sanlam Private Wealth crafts customised investment portfolios for high net worth private clients, charitable institutions, trusts and corporate entities.

With assets under management and administration of more than R240 billion, we offer a comprehensive and integrated suite of wealth management solutions. These include equity, retirement and offshore investment portfolios, fiduciary and tax services, an equity-backed finance offering, a global stockbroking service and derivatives trading.

At Sanlam Private Wealth, our clients are at the core of everything we do. For this reason we employ people with passion – individuals who thrive in an entrepreneurial, high-energy environment.

Sanlam Private Wealth is part of the Sanlam Investment Group – the largest, most diversified investment firm in South Africa, with a growing footprint on the African continent and in India.

Purpose of this role

• To manage and oversee the accounting and tax compliance functions housed within Fiduciary and Tax.
• To attend to complex accounting issues.
• To hold office as trustee on complex trusts.
• To hold office as executor and oversee the completion of estates.
• To liaise with high net-worth clients.
• To manage and oversee management accounts and budgets relating to the compliance function.
• To provide support to the Head of Fiduciary and Tax.
• To contribute to publications and marketing.
• To promote the Fiduciary and Tax business offering.
• To manage a team and operation functionality of the Fiduciary and Tax Department
• To have a thorough understanding of risk and risk framework within the environment from a business and client perspective.
• This role will oversee the Fiduciary Compliance team and Fiduciary Assistants within the Fiduciary and Tax Department

What will you do?

• Take full responsibility for the day-to-day management of the compliance function, ensuring timeous and accurate completion of duties of the team.
• Set and maintain high standards of behavior and industry compliance.
• Implement checks and controls to ensure a high standard of work.
• Ensure that staff perform optimally while adhering to the values and policies of the business.
• Travel from time to time.

What will make you successful in this role?

• Ability to implement controls to maintain high standards and mitigate risks.
• Strong numeracy and budget management skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills to motivate and develop a diverse team.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Computer literacy.
• Strong organisational skills to meet deadlines.
• Provide support to the Head of Fiduciary and Tax.

Qualification and Experience

• Chartered Accountant (CA) SA qualification is essential.
• At least 10 years’ proven previous experience in a private wealth or trust company environment, working with high net worth matters.
• Extensive and current knowledge of investments, accounting and tax relating to trusts, companies, CC’s and estates.
• Robust knowledge of trusteeships and executorships.
• Strong numeracy is essential.
• Previous experience managing budgets.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills with the ability to motivate and develop a diverse team.
• Organisational skills to meet deadlines.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Computer literacy.

Knowledge and Skills

• Advanced understanding of fiduciary duties, estate planning, and tax legislation within wealth management.
• Strong grasp of financial reporting standards and compliance frameworks.
• Proficiency in accounting software and financial modeling.
• Risk management and internal control systems.
• Strategic planning and operational oversight.
• Client relationship management, especially with high-net-worth individuals.
• Budgeting and financial forecasting.
• Legal and regulatory knowledge relevant to trusts and estates.

Personal Qualities

• Strong integrity
• Ability to lead
• Excellent analytical thinking
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to manage pressure
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written
• Strong sense of accountability
• Ability to collaborate

Our aim is to help you build a successful career with us

We’re all about building strong, lasting relationships with our employees. We know that you have hopes for your future – your career, your personal development and of achieving great things. We pride ourselves in helping our employees to realize their worth. Through its business clusters – Sanlam Personal Finance, Sanlam Emerging Markets, Sanlam Investments, Sanlam Corporate Santam, Mi-way, as well as the Group Office – the group provides many opportunities for growth and development.

Turnaround time

The shortlisting process will only start once the application due date has been reached. The time taken to complete this process will depend on how far you progress and the availability of managers.

• To be considered for the above opportunity please upload your detailed CV on or before 05 September 2025.
• Please note that if you are not contacted within 2 weeks after the closing date your application has been unsuccessful.

Our commitment to transformation

The Sanlam Group is committed to transformation and embracing diversity and our employment equity plan and targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. This commitment is what drives us to achieve a diverse workplace with employment equity as a key goal to create an inclusive workforce, representative of the demographics of our society as well as people with disabilities.