Executive: Legal, Risk, Compliance and Regulatory - E4

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS

Legal, Regulatory and Policy Governance

• Provide enterprise-wide legal oversight and advisory services to the CEO on legal, regulatory, contractual, and governance matters.
• Oversee the development, review, and alignment of legislation, regulations, and policy frameworks, in collaboration with the Department of Transport and relevant authorities.
• Ensure the consistent interpretation and application of national legislation and international conventions within SAMSA’s mandate.
• Maintain an integrated policy governance framework, ensuring alignment with legislative, regulatory, and strategic requirements.
• Oversee litigation, dispute resolution, and external legal service providers, ensuring legal risks are effectively managed.

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) & Combined Assurance

• Establish and maintain an enterprise-wide risk management framework, including risk appetite, identification, assessment, mitigation, and monitoring.
• Oversee the enterprise risk profile and risk register, ensuring strategic and emerging risks are identified, managed, and escalated.
• Drive the implementation of the Combined Assurance Model, aligning management, internal audit, external audit, and regulatory assurance providers.
• Provide integrated risk and assurance reporting to EXCO and the Audit & Risk Committee, covering risk exposure, control effectiveness, and assurance gaps.
• Align risk, compliance, audit, and control functions to strengthen governance and oversight.

Compliance, Ethics and Governance Assurance

• Oversee the enterprise compliance framework, ensuring adherence to applicable legislation, regulations, and internal policies.
• Provide assurance on corporate governance practices, including alignment with PFMA and King IV principles.
• Oversee ethics management, whistleblowing mechanisms, and consequence management frameworks.
• Ensure regulatory reporting, audit readiness, and governance processes are consistently maintained.

Security Governance

• Provide executive oversight of organisational security governance, covering physical, information, and personnel security.
• Maintain an integrated security framework aligned to enterprise risk management, business continuity, and organisational resilience.
• Oversee security risk management, including risk assessments, threat monitoring, incident reporting, and response mechanisms.
• Align security controls with enterprise risk and assurance processes, including coordination with law enforcement and relevant security agencies.
• Provide assurance to the CEO, EXCO, and the Audit & Risk Committee on security risks, vulnerabilities, and mitigation effectiveness.
• Safeguard the protection of people, assets, information, and organisational reputation.

SHEQ and ISO Management Systems

• Oversee an Integrated Management System (IMS) aligned to:
• ISO 9001 (Quality)
• ISO 14001 (Environmental Management)
• ISO 45001 (Occupational Health & Safety)
• Provide governance over ISO and SHEQ compliance, audit readiness, and certification requirements.
• Monitor internal controls, corrective actions, and continuous improvement processes across management systems.

Maritime Research

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of SAMSA's maritime research agenda to support organisational objectives, policy development and industry advancement.
• Ensure research findings, sector intelligence and emerging maritime trends inform executive decision-making, organisational strategy and business planning.
• Oversee strategic partnerships with research institutions, academia, industry and international maritime organisations to strengthen SAMSA's research capability and influence.
• Champion research governance, knowledge management and thought leadership to support innovation, regulatory enhancement and sustainable growth of the maritime sector.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Matric Certificate (NQF 4)
• Postgraduate Qualification in Law (NQF 8)
• Postgraduate Qualification in Management/Business Administration/Public Administration/Governance would be an added advantage.
• Master of Laws (NQF 9), preferably in Maritime Law would be an added advantage

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION

• Admission as an Attorney or an Advocate of High Court of South Africa 
• Relevant certifications in the following areas would be an added advantage:

- Enterprise Risk Management (ERM)
- Combined Assurance
- Corporate Governance (King IV aligned)
- ISO Management Systems (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001)
- Compliance or Regulatory Management

EXPERIENCE

• Ten (10) years’ relevant experience in Legal, Compliance and Regulatory in the public sector.
• Five (5) years Senior Management experience in Legal, Compliance and Regulatory.
• One (1) Executive Management experience would be an added advantage.
• Experience in enterprise legal advisory, regulatory frameworks, and policy governance, including the interpretation of complex legislation and its translation into practical governance and policy frameworks.
• Proven experience in Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) and Combined Assurance, including enterprise-wide risk integration and reporting to EXCO.
• Knowledge of Risk Management and Governance or Public Administration
• Experience in compliance, corporate governance, ethics, and audit processes, with exposure to regulatory audits, investigations, and statutory or policy development processes.
• Experience in security governance.
• Experience in overseeing strategic research is advantageous.
• Experience in integrated management systems (ISO 9001, 14001, 45001) at a governance and assurance level.

FUNCTIONAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS

• Sound knowledge of corporate governance frameworks (e.g., King IV) and public sector legislation (e.g., PFMA, Treasury Regulations)
• Knowledge of enterprise risk management (ERM) and Combined Assurance principles
• Understanding of legal and regulatory frameworks, including policy development and legislative processes
• Knowledge of compliance, ethics, and audit practices within regulated environments
• Understanding of ISO and SHEQ management systems (ISO 9001, 14001, 45001)
• Knowledge of organisational security, resilience, and risk integration practices Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess complex risks and governance issues
• Ability to interpret legislation and translate it into practical policies and frameworks
• Effective strategic thinking and decision-making capability at an enterprise level
• Strong reporting and presentation skills, including engagement with EXCO
• Advanced stakeholder engagement and influencing skills across internal and external environments
• Ability to integrate multiple governance functions (legal, risk, compliance, security, ISO) into a cohesive framework

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TERM OF APPOINTMENT

The Executive: Legal, Risk, Compliance and Regulatory shall be appointed for a fixed-term of five (5) years, subject to the terms and conditions of appointment as determined by the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA). 
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As we are committed to Employment Equity in our employment practices, it is our intention to appoint individuals with the aim of meeting our Equity objectives. Preference will be given to African Females to achieve the objectives of Employment Equity.

CLOSING DATE: 10 NOVEMBER 2026

For any related queries regarding this position, please contact Ms Zanele Zwane at 012 366 2600.

Please note: SAMSA reserves the right not to make an appointment to any advertised position. No late applications will be considered. Psychometric and other assessments may be used as part of the selection process and all shortlisted candidates will be required to be available for the tests. If you have not been contacted within 2 months of the closing date as mentioned above, kindly deem your application unsuccessful.