Job Description

The Recruitment Compliance & Governance Team Leader is responsible for the end-to-end governance, compliance, and leadership of recruitment compliance operations. This role ensures that all hiring activities are legally compliant, audit-ready, client-aligned, and consistently applied across the business.

The position also involves leading and developing a high-performing compliance team, while overseeing background screening, digital employee file integrity, adherence to labour legislation, client contractual compliance, and recruitment policy governance. A key focus is ensuring ongoing alignment with South African legislative requirements, including BCEA, POPIA, EEA, and LRA.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, manage, and develop the Recruitment Compliance team, ensuring clear accountability and performance standards
• Set and monitor KPIs aligned to recruitment and business objectives
• Coach and mentor team members to strengthen:
• Legislative knowledge (BCEA, POPIA, EEA, LRA, etc.)
• Decision-making in compliance and screening adjudication
• Audit readiness and client engagement
• Implement continuous upskilling initiatives, including:
• Legislative updates and briefings
• Policy and process training
• Case studies and audit learnings
• Drive succession planning, cross-skilling, and knowledge continuity
• Foster a culture of integrity, consistency, and proactive risk management

Policy & Legislative Governance

• Own, draft, review, and maintain recruitment compliance policies aligned with:
• BCEA, LRA, Employment Equity Act (EEA)
• POPIA / PAIA
• Relevant sectoral and bargaining council requirements
• Establish and manage a formal policy review cycle
• Translate legislative changes into clear operational guidelines, SOPs, and recruiter-friendly tools
• Act as the escalation point for interpretation of legislation and policy

Screening & Compliance Oversight

• Own and govern pre-employment screening processes, including:
• Identity, right-to-work, qualifications, and references
• Criminal, credit, and role-specific checks
• Ensure screening practices are legally compliant and aligned with POPIA
• Manage screening vendors, SLAs, and quality standards
• Oversee adjudication processes, exception handling, and escalations

Audit & Risk Management

• Design and lead recruitment compliance audit programmes, including:
• Internal audits
• Client-specific audits
• Spot checks and thematic reviews
• Ensure audit readiness and accurate documentation
• Drive corrective and preventative action plans (CAPA)
• Maintain and manage a recruitment compliance risk register

File & Documentation Governance

• Ensure integrity and completeness of digital employee files, including:
• Mandatory onboarding documentation
• Evidence tracking, version control, and retention
• Lead file audits and ongoing quality assurance
• Collaborate with HR Operations and Payroll to address systemic issues

Client & Contractual Compliance

• Interpret client contractual requirements and embed them into:
• Recruitment policies and SOPs
• Screening frameworks and documentation standards
• Ensure consistent application of client-specific requirements
• Represent compliance in client audits and governance forums

Training & Knowledge Management

• Design and deliver structured training for compliance teams and recruiters
• Maintain a central knowledge base covering:
• Legislative updates
• Policy interpretations
• Common compliance scenarios
• Incorporate audit findings and regulatory changes into training programmes

Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Develop and manage compliance dashboards and reporting, including:
• Screening SLAs and completion rates
• Audit outcomes
• Policy deviations and trends
• Use insights to drive process improvements, automation, and risk mitigation

Qualifications & Experience



• 5–7 years’ experience in recruitment compliance, HR governance, or risk
• Proven leadership experience managing and developing teams
• Strong knowledge of South African labour legislation related to recruitment
• Experience in policy development and compliance assurance
• Exposure to audit processes within high-volume environments
• Degree or Diploma in HR, Law, Compliance, or Risk
• SABPP registration or membership (preferred)
• Experience within BPO / GBS or multi-client environments
• Familiarity with ATS / HRIS systems and workflow controls