Thought Leadership Executive

Thought Leadership Executive

Location : Midrand

Type : Permanent

Inspire the profession. Shape the future of competency and curriculum standards.

Lead national thought leadership across education, training, and professional regulation.

About the Role

This senior role leads the design, development, and continuous improvement of the professional competency framework, curricula, assessments, and lifelong learning programmes across the accountancy profession. You will set the strategy for thought leadership—spanning education, training, development, and assessment—while ensuring alignment with global standards and local regulatory requirements.

You’ll guide research, innovation, and digital transformation initiatives (including 4IR) that keep professional pathways current and future-ready. The remit includes stewardship of accreditation frameworks, course material development, and evidence-based policy that shapes the profession’s next decade.

Who the Client Is

This opportunity is with a respected South African professional institute known for its strong governance, national footprint, and impact on the accountancy profession. The organisation partners with universities, employers, regulators, and global bodies to uphold professional standards and enable credible career pathways across accounting, auditing, business advisory, and taxation.

What You’ll Do

Lead the ongoing development and improvement of the competency framework, career pathways, and skills audit tools across accounting, auditing, business advisory, and taxation.

Own curriculum strategy and annual updates for full, bridging, and modular courses; coordinate expert panels to ensure contemporary content.

Set and oversee assessment strategy (competency-based, professional evaluation, RPL) and associated instruments, moderation, and QA processes.

Drive accreditation policies and workshops for tertiary institutions, ATCs, and service providers; benchmark against IFAC, IAESB, PAFA, SAQA, FASSET, ETQA, IASB, OCTO and related standards.

Lead research and innovation programmes, including technology trends impacting the profession and 4IR initiatives with internal IT and external partners.

Shape thought leadership outputs—reports, position papers, and recommendations—informing board strategy and sector policy.

Manage budgets, procurement adherence, and reporting for the thought leadership and COFE portfolios.

Build collaborative relationships with PAOs, regulators, academia, and industry to advance professional standards.

What You Bring

Master’s degree in an education-related discipline; a professional accountancy qualification and SAIPA membership advantageous.

10+ years in academia or professional education with proven curriculum design, standards setting, and proposal writing.

Deep understanding of the professional accountancy landscape and financial sector; strong research and innovation capability.

Skilled in project leadership, stakeholder engagement, policy development, and quality assurance.

Clear, inclusive communication and the ability to influence at executive and board levels.

High integrity, strategic judgment, systems thinking, and comfort with extended hours during peak cycles.

What Success Looks Like

A future-fit, globally benchmarked competency framework embedded across pathways and programmes.

Accredited, quality-assured curricula and assessments that improve learner outcomes and employer confidence.

Measurable innovation pipeline (new modules, digital delivery, 4IR pilots) adopted by stakeholders.

Strong partnerships with universities, PAOs, and regulators that accelerate rationalisation and regulatory alignment.

Timely, data-driven thought leadership reports informing strategy, policy, and sector debates.

Portfolio delivered on time, on budget, and audit-ready under QMS / QA requirements.

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