Risk and Compliance Manager

About the role

Symmetry, a division of Old Mutual Life Assurance Company (South Africa) Limited within the Old Mutual Wealth cluster, is looking for a Risk and Compliance Manager to lead its first-line risk and compliance function. The role reports to the Head of GLRC and covers the risk framework, compliance management and monitoring plan, and the FAIS, AML, privacy and third-party risk processes. It is a first-line role that works alongside second-line risk and compliance within a combined assurance model.

Key responsibilities

• Own the risk framework: set the approach to risk and control self-assessment, incident management and key risk indicators, run risk and control assessments, maintain the Risk and Control Matrix and the risk register, and oversee the end-to-end risk incident process
• Monitor key risk indicators and escalation thresholds, identify emerging risks and escalate them to the Head of GLRC
• Lead first-line oversight of outsourced service providers such as the fund administrator, through service levels, incidents, reconciliation breaks and control assurance reporting
• Design and maintain the compliance function, mapping FAIS, CISCA, FICA, POPIA and FSCA conduct standards to business owners, processes and controls
• Own the FAIS supervision and Fit and Proper framework, including supervision arrangements, Fit and Proper evidence and the accuracy of the representative register
• Implement Group compliance requirements, including the FICA Risk Management and Compliance Programme and POPIA privacy processes, and track regulatory changes
• Manage third-party risk under the Group TPRM Framework, including vendor inventory, risk tiering and attestation cycles
• Oversee breach reporting from the administrator and management company, and prepare FSCA submissions and respond to regulatory information requests
• Produce risk and compliance reporting for the Head of GLRC, the Symmetry Governance Forum and Old Mutual Wealth governance committees, and manage the quarterly Governance Forum
• Contribute to internal audit, second-line reviews and independent assurance reviews, draft policies and SOPs, and maintain the contracts register

Required profile

• A law degree, or a BCom with a strong legal or regulatory background (minimum NQF level 7)
• 7+ years in financial services, including at least 5 years in risk management and regulatory compliance roles, ideally in asset management, collective investment schemes or a linked investment environment
• Experience supervising or leading others, and designing or embedding a risk management framework and a risk-based compliance monitoring plan
• Strong written communication in plain language and credibility with senior stakeholders

Required skills

• Advanced knowledge of FAIS, including supervision and Fit and Proper requirements, and of CISCA, FICA and POPIA
• Preferred: a professional designation from the Compliance Institute Southern Africa or IRMSA, experience in third-party risk management, FSCA submissions and GRC systems