Senior Compliance Specialist

Momentum; Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 70 000 - 90 000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent financial services firm in South Africa is seeking a leader for their compliance strategy. The role involves overseeing compliance frameworks, managing risks, and providing advisory support to senior executives. Candidates should possess a strong educational background in law or finance and substantial experience in regulatory environments. This position offers an opportunity to influence governance and ethical conduct across the organization.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5–8 years of progressive compliance experience within financial services or insurance.
• Proven experience in leading complex regulatory change projects.
• Demonstrated expertise in interpreting legislation such as FAIS, FICA, POPIA.

Responsibilities

• Translate regulatory requirements into business-aligned compliance strategies.
• Lead high-impact compliance initiatives that influence organisational culture.
• Provide advanced oversight of compliance risks.

Skills

Regulatory insight

Risk management

Stakeholder engagement

Compliance strategy development

Education

Bachelor’s degree in law, Risk Management, Finance or related field

Postgraduate qualification in Compliance Management or Corporate Governance

Registration as a Compliance Officer with the FSCA or Compliance Institute

Job description

Role Purpose

Drive and embed the compliance strategy across business units through strategic advisory, proactive risk management and advanced regulatory insight. Lead the development and implementation of compliance frameworks that strengthen governance, ensure business sustainability and enable ethical conduct within a complex regulatory environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in law, Risk Management, Finance or related field
• Postgraduate qualification in Compliance Management or Corporate Governance (Highly desirable)
• Registration as a Compliance Officer with the FSCA and/or Compliance Institute of Southern Africa (Essential)
• Minimum 5–8 years of progressive compliance experience within financial services or insurance.
• Proven experience in leading complex regulatory change projects, stakeholder engagement and compliance strategy development.
• Demonstrated expertise in interpreting legislation such as FAIS, FICA, POPIA, COFI, FSR Act, all subordinate legislation and FSCA Conduct Standards.

Duties & Responsibilities

Strategic Compliance Leadership

• Translate regulatory requirements into business-aligned compliance strategies, frameworks and policies.
• Anticipate regulatory developments and advise executive and senior leaders on strategic implications and readiness plans.
• Lead high-impact compliance initiatives that influence organisational culture, enhance control of environments and mitigate reputational risk.
• Represent the business in engagements with regulators and industry bodies, ensuring a trusted and credible compliance presence.

Risk & Governance

• Provide advanced oversight of compliance risks through enterprise-wide monitoring, analytics and reporting.
• Partner with Risk, Legal and Audit to ensure alignment and integration of compliance risk within the broader governance framework.
• Review and enhance the effectiveness of the Compliance Monitoring Plan, identifying trends and recommending systemic interventions.
• Oversee the resolution and root-cause analysis of significant breaches and regulatory findings, ensuring accountability and continuous improvement.

Advisory & Enablement

• Act as a trusted advisor to business executives and management on complex compliance matters, balancing regulatory expectations with business objectives.
• Design and deliver advanced compliance training, fostering ownership and accountability among business leaders.
• Provide specialist input into new product development, business restructuring and digital innovation to ensure compliance by design.
• Interpret new and evolving legislation (e.g., COFI, FSCA Conduct Standards, POPIA) and translate it into practical application guidance.

Operational Excellence

• Ensure the continuous improvement of compliance processes, methodologies and monitoring systems.
• Develop dashboards and reporting mechanisms that enable data-driven compliance oversight.

Additional Responsibilities

• Lead or contribute to special projects, investigations and enterprise compliance reviews.
• Contribute to client growth, engagement and sound compliance advice.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and maintain strategic relationships with regulatory authorities, industry peers and internal governance forums.
• Influence decision-making through clear, concise and credible communication of compliance insights and risk intelligence.

People & Finance Management

• Develop and maintain productive and collaborative working relationships with peers and stakeholders.
• Demonstrate exemplary leadership behaviour through personal involvement, commitment and dedication in support of organisational values.
• Continuously develop own expertise in professional, industry and legislative knowledge.
• Take ownership for driving career development.