SAICA has embarked on an exciting transformation to become an insights-driven, technology-enabled, and AI-powered organisation. As part of our journey, we are streamlining processes, enhancing our digital capabilities, and strengthening our focus on sustainability in the accounting profession. This transformation presents an opportunity for you to grow and contribute to SAICAs vision in a redefined, future-fit role. We are looking for passionate, skilled professionals who are eager to innovate, embrace data-driven decision-making, and help shape the future of the profession. If you are ready to be part of this next chapter, make a meaningful impact, and you are a suitably qualified and experienced Difference Maker wanting to go further on this exciting journey, you are encouraged to apply. Purpose of the job The Lead: Ethics & Compliance is pivotal in ensuring the organisation adheres to high standards of ethical conduct and compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and best practices. This role is central to fostering a culture of integrity within SAICA and promoting ethical behaviour across all levels of the organisation. Reporting to the Chief Governance, Risk & Compliance Officer, this individual will be responsible for developing and overseeing the implementation of ethics and compliance strategies, policies, and procedures to ensure that SAICA remains compliant with relevant laws, regulations, and internal policies. This role requires a proactive, detail-oriented, and solution-driven individual with a strong understanding of regulatory and ethical issues facing professional bodies and organisations. The Lead will also be responsible for monitoring and reporting on the organisation’s adherence to ethical and compliance standards, driving continuous improvement, and fostering a culture of ethical behaviour and corporate responsibility across SAICA. Key/main outputs Output 1: Ethics & Compliance Strategy Development Develop, implement, and continuously improve the organisations Ethics & Compliance program, aligning it with SAICAs mission, values, and regulatory requirements Ensure that the program supports the achievement of SAICAs strategic objectives while promoting ethical behaviour, corporate governance, and compliance at all levels of the organisation Design and oversee the implementation of ethical standards, compliance policies, and procedures across the organisation Identify emerging ethical risks and compliance challenges, proposing strategies for mitigation or resolution Output 2: Ethical Leadership & Governance Lead efforts to establish a strong ethical culture within SAICA, ensuring that ethics are embedded in all policies, procedures, and decision-making processes Act as the primary point of contact for ethical issues and compliance concerns, providing guidance to leadership and employees Serve as a trusted advisor to senior leaders and the board of directors on ethical issues, ensuring that the organisations actions align with its values and legal obligations Lead the development of ethics and compliance training programs for employees, ensuring that all staff are aware of their ethical responsibilities and the legal standards that apply to their roles Output 3: Compliance Monitoring & Reporting Oversee the monitoring of compliance with internal policies, external regulations, and industry standards Develop and manage compliance audits and assessments, tracking adherence to policies and procedures, and identifying areas for improvement Prepare and present compliance reports to senior leadership, the board, and relevant stakeholders, highlighting compliance risks, areas for improvement, and actions taken to address non-compliance Work with internal and external auditors to ensure the organisations compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and best practices Identify and mitigate legal risks that could impact the organizations operations and reputation. Track changes in laws and regulations and advise on necessary adaptations by the organisation Support the creation and implementation of internal policies and procedures to enhance legal compliance in line with the strategy as it relates to the portfolio Output 4: Risk Management Identify, assess, and manage ethical and compliance risks across the organization, including reputational risks, legal risks, and financial risks Develop risk mitigation strategies, action plans, and interventions to address areas of vulnerability Collaborate with other risk and compliance teams (e.g., legal, audit, internal controls) to ensure a comprehensive approach to organizational risk management Output 5: Investigation and Disciplinary Action Lead investigations into ethical violations, breaches of compliance, or other integrity-related issues within SAICA Collaborate with HR and legal teams to ensure appropriate disciplinary actions are taken for any breaches of the organizations ethics policies Ensure that investigations are conducted in a fair, transparent, and confidential manner, maintaining the integrity of the process Output 6: Data and Information Governance & Protection Manage the information protection programme and information governance programme, in relation to PAIA, POPI, GDPR, other personal information compliance obligations and Data Governance compliance obligations. Ensure enhancement of maturity levels of systems in regard to information security, data governance and data protection, and the ongoing monitoring and reporting. Ensure effectiveness of the legislative risk identification, assessments and ratings; prioritisation and ranking of data and information security and risks; monitoring of controls and their effectiveness; monitoring and reporting on action plans; periodically reviewing procedures and protocols; implementation of compliance monitoring processes and systems. Ensure the effective implementation of organisation-wide data and information security, data protection and data governance programmes. Manage the development and implementation of Data and Information Security and Governance strategy. Manage the implementation of the Data Governance Framework. Manage the research, awareness and training in relation to information security and governance. Assess the effectiveness of security incident response plans as part of the oversight of security incident management. Output 7: External Stakeholder Engagement Build and maintain strong relationships with external regulators, industry bodies, and compliance networks to ensure SAICAs practices align with industry standards and regulatory expectations Communicate and manage external reporting requirements related to ethics and compliance (e.g., regulatory filings, industry reports) Represent SAICA in external forums related to ethics and compliance matters, including attending industry conferences and meetings with regulators Maintain and foster relationships with key internal stakeholders to ensure strong buy-in and support for ethics and compliance initiatives Output 8: Team Leadership and Continuous Improvement and Training Stay informed of regulatory changes, legal developments, and best practices in ethics and compliance to ensure that SAICA remains in compliance with evolving standards Continuously review and enhance SAICAs ethics and compliance policies, procedures, and controls to keep pace with changes in legislation, regulation, and organizational needs Develop and deliver training programs to promote understanding of ethics and compliance issues across the organisation, ensuring a high level of awareness and adherence to ethical standards Build and lead a skilled team to develop SAICAs internal audit and assurance capabilities Recruit, mentor, and retain top talent Provide training and development opportunities Foster collaboration and a growth-oriented mindset within teams Lead a high-performing and motivated team Drive continuous skill development and capability building Create a culture of innovation and excellence within the function Output 9: Embrace and drive organisational transformation Actively contribute to cost containment efforts by identifying opportunities for operational efficiencies, optimising resources, and ensuring value-driven decision-making in daily activities. Support SAICAs transformation into an insights-driven organisation by leveraging data and analytics to enhance decision-making, improve processes, and drive continuous improvement in your area of work Effectively utilise digital tools and technology to enhance productivity, streamline workflows, and improve service delivery. Stay informed about new and emerging technologies relevant to your role Adopt and embrace AI-driven tools and automation to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and effectiveness in job-related tasks, while continuously seeking opportunities to improve processes through innovative technology solutions Identify and support SAICAs management of risks related to sustainability, including environmental risks, regulatory changes and social risks and integrating them into business continuity and risk management plans Formal Education Relevant postgraduate degree (e.g., Law, Business Administration, Accounting, or a related field). Technical/Legal Certification Certifications in Ethics, Compliance, Risk Management, or Governance (e.g., Certified Compliance Professional orsimilar) are highly advantageous. Experience At least 7-10 years of experience in ethics, compliance, risk management, or governance, ideally within a professional body, regulatory environment, or financial services. Demonstrated experience in developing, managing, and reporting on ethics and compliance programs. Strong understanding of South African corporate governance frameworks, legal requirements, and ethical standards. Proven track record of managing cross-functional teams and working in complex, multi-stakeholder environments
