Chief Risk Officer

Job Purpose

• To set and direct SARS' enterprise-wide risk management strategy and risk governance framework, providing independent oversight and authoritative advice to the Commissioner, executive leadership and governance structures on material and emerging risks and risk appetite, to enable risk-informed strategic decisions, strengthen organisational resilience and support the fulfilment of SARS' statutory mandate to collect all revenue due, ensure optimal compliance with tax, customs and excise legislation, and facilitate legitimate trade while protecting the economy and society.

Education and Experience

Minimum Qualification & Experience Required

• Honours Degree / Postgraduate Diploma (NQF 8) in Risk Management, Enterprise Risk Management, Accounting, Finance, Auditing, Governance with 12 - 15 years’ experience in , Senior-level experience in risk management or an environment directly relevant to enterprise-wide risk management, risk governance, risk oversight and strategic risk management of which 4 - 6 years at a senior management level

Alternative

• Bachelor's Degree / Advanced Diploma (NQF 7) in Risk Management, Enterprise Risk Management, Accounting, Finance, Auditing, Governance with 15 - 18 years’ experience in Senior-level experience in risk management or an environment directly relevant to enterprise-wide risk management, risk governance, risk oversight and strategic risk management, of which 4 – 6 years at a senior management level

Minimum Functional Requirements

• Demonstrated senior-level experience in enterprise/operational risk management and risk and compliance, including developing or directing risk frameworks, risk governance, risk appetite, assessment of material and emerging risks, and providing strategic risk advice to executive leadership or governance structures.

Job Outputs:

Process

• Develop and direct an integrated risk strategy that translates organisational priorities into risk management direction, strategic interventions and measurable outcomes.
• Establish a coherent enterprise-wide framework of risk policies, methodologies, decision rights and escalation mechanisms that defines clear risk ownership and accountability.
• Recommend risk appetite for approval by the appropriate governance structures, translate approved appetite into actionable tolerance limits and provide independent monitoring and escalation of breaches.
• Consolidate forward-looking assessments of material and emerging risks, interdependencies and aggregate exposure to inform organisational priorities and risk responses.
• Provide independent risk opinions and authoritative advice that enable executive leadership and governance structures to assess strategic choices, major investments and organisational change against risk appetite and long-term objectives.
• Independently challenge risk assessments, mitigation plans and control effectiveness, and escalate material weaknesses and overdue corrective actions to accountable executives and governance structures.
• Provide reliable, decision-useful risk indicators, analysis and reporting that enable timely visibility of changing exposures, risk appetite breaches and mitigation effectiveness.
• Assess enterprise-wide preparedness for severe disruptions through scenario analysis and stress testing, and bring resilience gaps and corrective priorities to executive attention.
• Align risk-based assurance with management and assurance providers to identify coverage gaps, limit duplication and preserve the independence of assurance functions.
• Embed a culture of risk ownership, constructive challenge and timely escalation through risk management standards, guidance and capability development across the organisation.
• Direct a strategically aligned risk function with appropriate capability, resources, systems and quality standards to deliver credible, independent and effective enterprise-wide risk oversight.
• Be responsive to change in order to influence and effectively manage associated functional acceptance
• Champion policy frameworks and objectives with internal partners to ensure integration between functions in pursuit of strategic goals.
• Contribute to the development of the functional operating model and alignment of the value chain to org. objectives in partnership with stakeholders.
• Create the context to continuously improve all functions and systems in line with national, regional and organisational changes.
• Determine strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, interpret changing social and org. environments and identify new initiatives and or systems.
• Direct, control, coordinate and optimise resources to meet established objectives and deliver agreed results across functional areas.
• Influence and communicate across all levels of the business to minimise resistance and ensure on-boarding of new thinking in own area.
• Proactively identify interconnected problems, develop and model alternative solutions as well as contingency plans to resolve value chain conflicts.
• Provide authoritative advice and guidance that supports the realisation of major divisional objectives in line with the SARS mandate.
• Provide periodic reports on performance against plan and progress on medium-term initiatives and use to realign operating plan and objectives appropriately.
• Scan external environment, identify benchmarks and influence alternative operating plans or model to deliver on the SARS objectives and mandate.
• Set priorities to shape and structure the function by providing a framework for the achievement of longer-term objectives.
• Translate and communicate a meaningful strategic context that articulates functional purpose in relation to the organisational vision, purpose and philosophy.
• Use insights and knowledge gained from high level reports to conduct abstract, conceptual and comparative analysis to define functional strategy.

Governance

• Ensure the consolidation of the risk profile for the area of accountability, manage critical risks and ensure feedback integration.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory changes and drive the alignment of corporate governance, policies and risk strategies.

People

• Communicate strategic context that guide best practice, foster an environment of continuous learning and improved employee engagement levels.
• Create a positive work climate and culture to energise employees and give meaning to work, minimise work disruption and maximise employee productivity.
• Develop clear human capability and accountability frameworks within own area in support of people management strategies.
• Provide leadership and direction by translating, articulating and reinforcing the vision or direction for the function.

Finance

• Ensure that the own area's strategy is adequately budgeted for through the development and implementation of a requisite budget.
• Implement effective financial control, management of costs and corporate governance in area of accountability.

Client

• Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders to ensure integrated approaches in pursuit of collective goals.

Behavioural competencies

• Accountability
• Fairness and Transparency
• Honesty and Integrity
• Problem Solving and Analysis
• Respect
• Trust
• Ability to translate strategy into execution
• Concern for Impact of own behaviour on others
• Develops teams and nurtures interdependency
• Inspires others to Positive Action
• Nurtures Future Talent
• Stewardship and Service Orientation
• Strong Results Orientation
• Values and Manages Diversity

Technical competencies

• Business Acumen
• Change Management
• Decisiveness
• Effective Business Communication
• Functional Policies and Procedures
• Managerial Budgeting
• Operations Risk Management
• Planning and Organising
• Problem Analysis and Judgement
• Risk and Compliance
• Risk Knowledge
• Strategic Planning

Deadline:13th November,2026