Risk and Compliance Officer Job at Paymentology (Johannesburg)

Job Description

At Paymentology, we’re redefining what’s possible in the payments space. As the first truly global issuer-processor, we give banks and fintechs the technology and talent to launch and manage Mastercard and Visa cards at scale - across more than 60 countries. Our advanced, multi-cloud platform delivers real-time data, unmatched scalability, and the flexibility of a network of regional hubs. It's this global reach and innovation that sets us apart. We are seeking a hands-on Risk & Compliance Officer with experience in South African regulatory requirements, AML/CFT controls, and practical risk management. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working cross-functionally, translating complex regulatory and risk requirements into clear, actionable processes, and strengthening monitoring and control frameworks. This dual-responsibility role will play a key part in strengthening local compliance execution while helping to build and embed a structured risk management approach across our South Africa business. You will work closely with the Legal & Compliance team and partner with stakeholders across the organisation, contributing to the continued growth of our South Africa operations.

Job Responsibility

Act as the primary compliance contact for Sponsor banks, supporting day-to-day operation of Paymentology’s local compliance framework
Interpret and implement partner banks’ Risk Management and Compliance Programme (RMCP) requirements, ensuring alignment with applicable legislation and regulatory frameworks
Conduct and oversee KYC and KYB processes for cardholders, corporate clients, and partners, including onboarding, beneficial ownership verification, sanctions, PEP, and adverse media screening
Lead onboarding risk assessments in line with global standards and risk appetite, including enhanced due diligence where required
Perform periodic reviews (monitoring & testing) to assess compliance and risk programme effectiveness and identify improvements
Maintain accurate compliance records and prepare clear, structured reports for senior management, clients, and regulators
Support documentation requests to demonstrate the effectiveness of compliance controls
Support the development and embedding of a structured risk management framework for South Africa
Identify, assess, document, and monitor key risks across compliance, operational, third-party, resilience, and regulatory domains
Contribute to the implementation of a proactive Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) framework
Maintain risk registers, issue logs, and remediation trackers, ensuring clear ownership, timelines, and status updates
Track regulatory findings, internal actions, and control improvements
Map risks to controls and assess control design and effectiveness
Partner with business teams to strengthen documentation and close control gaps, ensuring solutions are practical and aligned with the business model
Support risk activities related to business continuity, disaster recovery, incident management, and third-party dependencies
Coordinate remediation actions, evidence gathering, and documentation improvements aligned with ERM initiatives
Support implementation of agile compliance risk management systems aligned with Paymentology policies
Provide practical guidance and deliver training on compliance and risk requirements, ensuring teams understand and embed controls in daily operations
Contribute to wider Legal & Compliance and business initiatives, including policy updates, framework enhancements, and cross-functional projects
Prepare and maintain audit-ready documentation across risk and compliance activities

Requirements

4–6 years’ experience in compliance, financial crime, risk management, or related roles within banking, payments, fintech, or another regulated environment
Strong knowledge of South African regulatory frameworks (e.g. FIC Act, NPS Bill), particularly AML, CFT, KYC/KYB, and risk management
Practical experience in risk assessments, compliance monitoring, issue management, and remediation
Familiarity with international financial crime frameworks (FATF, EU AML Directives, OFAC) preferred
Experience with compliance tools (e.g. sanctions screening, AML monitoring, GRC systems) preferred
Proven experience implementing RMCPs and conducting due diligence and policy rollouts
Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office (especially Excel and PowerPoint) and a willingness to leverage AI tools for efficiency
Strong stakeholder management and ability to operate effectively in complex, ambiguous environments
Ability to translate regulatory requirements into practical, operational controls
Strong organisational and project management skills
This is a hybrid role, x2 days in the Johannesburg office per week

Nice to have

Familiarity with international financial crime frameworks (FATF, EU AML Directives, OFAC)
Experience with compliance tools (e.g. sanctions screening, AML monitoring, GRC systems)

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