Compliance Specialist

Purpose of the role

The Compliance Specialist provides vital administrative and regulatory support to the Talent Acquisition team, ensuring that every new hire who joins Dis-Chem Life meets all compliance, fit-and-proper, and ethical requirements before appointment.

This role manages the full pre-employment vetting process, including DOFA, FAIS, debarment, reference, and background checks, so that recruiters can focus on what they do best, finding and bringing great talent into the business.

By handling all the compliance and verification activities behind the scenes, the Compliance Specialist helps protect the company's license to operate and its reputation for integrity.

Working hand-in-hand with the recruitment team, this role ensures that every appointment is both compliant and aligned to Dis-Chem Life's high standards of professionalism and trust.

Summary of the role

The Compliance Specialist is responsible for executing and managing all candidate compliance vetting and pre-employment verification processes within the Talent Acquisition and HR functions.

This includes MIE vetting, FAIS fit-and-proper verification, DOFA and debarment checks, RE validation, and employment background screening.

The role demands strong regulatory understanding, precision, and ethical judgement.

It requires meticulous data management within Simplify HR and related systems, proactive stakeholder engagement, and timely escalation of potential risks.

The Compliance Specialist acts as the compliance nerve Centre for the recruitment process, ensuring every appointment meets Dis-Chem Life's regulatory, operational, and ethical standards.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and growth potential in a high-performance culture.
• Direct contribution to protecting Dis-Chem Life's regulatory standing and reputation.
• Cross-functional exposure across HR, Talent, and Group Compliance.
• Opportunities for professional development within compliance and governance disciplines.
• Experience within one of South Africa's fastest-growing life insurance businesses.

Key Responsibilities

Compliance Vetting and Verification

Conduct and verify all pre-employment checks including MIE Vetting, FAIS Fit-and-Proper, DOFA, Debarment, and RE verification.

Ensure all candidates meet applicable regulatory and ethical standards before appointment.

Validate and upload all supporting compliance documents to Simplify HR or equivalent platforms.

Maintain full traceability and documentation for internal and external audit readiness.

Identify, document, and elevate potential compliance risks or irregularities.

Compliance Process Management

Manage the end-to-end pre-employment vetting workflow in line with HR and Group Compliance standards.

Monitor vetting turnaround times, proactively escalating delays impacting hiring SLAs.

Maintain accurate and current vetting records within recruitment systems.

Continuously improve and document standard operating procedures (SOPs) for compliance in recruitment.

Stakeholder Engagement and Collaboration

Partner with Recruiters, Hiring Managers, and HR Business Partners to ensure compliant and seamless onboarding of new hires.

Collaborate with Group Compliance to align hiring practices with broader risk management and governance frameworks.

Provide compliance advisory support to the Talent Acquisition team regarding candidate eligibility and risk exposure.

Support compliance-related queries, audits, and investigations tied to recruitment.

Risk Management and Reporting

Proactively monitor and assess compliance risks across the recruitment lifecycle.

Ensure early identification and resolution of potential breaches or process gaps.

Report compliance status, exceptions, and audit findings to the Head of HR and Group Compliance.

Uphold data privacy and security requirements in accordance with POPIA and internal policies.

Continuous Improvement

Keep abreast of changes in employment, FAIS, and labour legislation to maintain compliance best practice.

Drive process improvement initiatives that streamline verification efficiency while strengthening control.

Contribute to building a compliance-first culture within the Talent Acquisition and HR teams.

Soft Skills

Technical Skills

Experience

Qualifications

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