Head of Conduct and POPIA

In brief

**Overview** This role is for an experienced Head of Conduct and POPIA within a Banking Client, available in Somerset West, Western Cape, or Centurion, Gauteng. The position involves designing, implementing, and managing the Bank's market conduct, Treating Customers Fairly (TCF), and data privacy compliance frameworks. It is described as a highly specialised, hands-on compliance leadership role that requires extensive knowledge of banking regulations, POPIA, market conduct, FAIS, and regulatory governance. The successful candidate must have practical experience in developing compliance frameworks, managing data privacy obligations, and ensuring fair customer outcomes within a regulated financial services environment. **What you will do** * **Market Conduct & Treating Customers Fairly:** Design, implement, and maintain the Bank's market conduct and TCF framework; ensure banking products, customer communications, marketing, and sales practices comply with fair customer treatment principles; monitor customer outcomes and identify potential conduct risks; oversee product responsibility and fair value assessments; work with Product, Marketing, and Legal teams to ensure appropriate customer disclosures; monitor developments relating to the Conduct of Financial Institutions (COFI) framework; lead regulatory readiness initiatives relating to evolving market conduct requirements. * **POPIA & Data Privacy Governance:** Design, implement, and maintain the Bank's data privacy governance framework; act as, or directly support, the Bank's Information Officer; ensure compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA); develop and maintain data privacy policies, procedures, and internal controls; oversee data protection impact assessments; maintain records of personal information processing activities; manage consent requirements and data subject rights; oversee personal information access, correction, and deletion requests; review third-party and supplier arrangements involving personal information; coordinate data privacy compliance across Technology, Operations, Legal, and other business functions. * **Data Breach Management:** Develop and maintain data breach response and notification procedures; investigate potential personal information breaches; coordinate breach assessments, containment, and remediation; manage notifications to the Information Regulator and affected individuals where legally required; conduct root-cause analysis and recommend corrective actions; maintain accurate breach registers and compliance documentation. * **FAIS Compliance Oversight:** Oversee compliance with the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act (FAIS); monitor Financial Services Provider licence conditions; oversee Key Individual and Representative registers; monitor fit and proper requirements and continuous professional development obligations; support compliance relating to bancassurance and intermediary services; work closely with insurance product stakeholders and regulatory authorities. * **Customer Complaints & Conduct Risk Management:** Develop and maintain the Bank's complaints management framework; monitor complaints trends and identify recurring conduct risks; conduct root-cause analysis and recommend improvements; liaise with relevant banking ombud schemes; ensure complaints are managed in accordance with applicable regulatory requirements; support improvements to customer treatment and service processes. * **Compliance Monitoring & Regulatory Reporting:** Develop and execute annual conduct and privacy compliance monitoring plans; evaluate the effectiveness of compliance controls across business units; identify compliance gaps and monitor remediation actions; prepare regulatory compliance reports for executive management and Board committees; engage with the Information Regulator, FSCA, and relevant regulatory stakeholders; provide regulatory advice on new banking products, digital initiatives, and customer-facing processes. * **Training & Compliance Culture:** Develop and deliver POPIA, TCF, and market conduct compliance training; promote customer-centric and privacy-conscious business practices; provide practical compliance guidance to internal stakeholders; support the future development of the conduct and data privacy compliance function. **Requirements (from the original advert)** * **Minimum Requirements:** * Bachelor's Degree in Law, Commerce, Risk Management, or a related field. * Recognised privacy or compliance qualification strongly preferred. * Information Officer certification, CIPP/E, or equivalent advantageous. * RE5 required. * RE1 advantageous. * Minimum 8–10 years' compliance experience within banking or financial services. * Previous banking experience essential. * Meaningful experience in market conduct and/or data privacy regulation. * Direct experience performing or supporting an Information Officer role under POPIA. * Practical data breach management and Information Regulator engagement experience. * Experience designing or improving TCF and market conduct compliance frameworks. * Experience with customer complaints management and product responsibility processes. * Strong understanding of FAIS and relevant FSP regulatory requirements. * Experience engaging with the FSCA, Information Regulator, or industry ombud schemes. * Strong compliance monitoring, policy drafting, and regulatory reporting skills. * **Essential Experience:** * Proven experience in POPIA compliance and governance. * Proven experience in data privacy framework implementation. * Proven experience in Information Officer responsibilities. * Proven experience in data breach management and regulatory notifications. * Proven experience in market conduct and Treating Customers Fairly. * Proven experience in compliance monitoring and control testing. * Proven experience in regulatory interpretation and policy development. * Proven experience in customer complaints and conduct risk management. * Proven experience in financial services regulatory compliance. * Proven experience in FAIS compliance knowledge. * Proven experience in regulatory stakeholder engagement. * Proven experience in executive and Board-level reporting. * **Key Competencies:** * Strong regulatory knowledge and attention to detail. * Independent and ethical judgement. * Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills. * Strong policy drafting and reporting capability. * Ability to interpret legislation and develop practical controls. * Confident engagement with regulators and senior stakeholders. * Excellent communication and stakeholder management. * Hands-on, proactive, and solutions-focused approach. * Ability to establish frameworks and operate independently. **Who should apply** This role is for an experienced compliance leader with a strong background in banking or financial services, specifically within market conduct, data privacy (POPIA), and FAIS compliance. The ideal candidate will have 8-10 years of hands-on experience in these areas, including practical experience in developing and managing compliance frameworks, handling data privacy obligations, and ensuring fair customer outcomes. They should possess a relevant Bachelor's degree, ideally a privacy or compliance qualification, and be RE5 certified. The role demands an individual with strong regulatory knowledge, excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, and the ability to engage confidently with regulators and senior stakeholders. A proactive, solutions-focused approach and the ability to operate independently in establishing compliance frameworks are essential. **Deadline** Not specified **Reference** Original posting: https://www.jobmail.co.za/jobs/insurance-and-investments/clerical-insurance/somerset-west/head-of-conduct-and-popia-id-7599828 Source: jobmail

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At a glance

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