Senior Manager, Ethics Management

Role Summary

The Senior Manager, Ethics Management, plays a key role in embedding an ethical culture, preventing misconduct, and strengthening stakeholder trust across the Group. The role ensures that ethics management processes are institutionalized, measured, and continuously improved in line with The Ethics Institute of South Africa's (TEI) framework, the King IV Code, and international integrity standards.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Responsibilities

• Define and maintain the Group Ethics Management Framework (GEMF) aligned with TEI's six pillars and international standards.
• Advise Group and OpCo leadership, including the ARC and EXCO, on ethics performance, trends, emerging risks, and mitigation strategies.
• Embed ethics management into enterprise governance, risk, compliance, internal audit, and sustainability frameworks.
• Support AXIAN representations and engagements with external ethics forums, regulators, DFIs, investors, and civil society engagements.
• Contribute to ethics-related disclosures in ESG, sustainability, and integrated reporting.

Tactical Responsibilities

• Lead Ethics Risk Assessments (ERAs) across business lines to identify conduct vulnerabilities (e.g., bribery, procurement integrity, data privacy, customer treatment).
• Develop and track Ethics Risk Heatmaps and integrate Key Ethics Indicators (KEIs) into the Group Risk Register.
• Oversee the review, dissemination, and training of the Code of Ethics and complementary policies:
• Anti-Bribery & Corruption (ABC)
• Conflict of Interest & Related Party Transactions
• Whistleblowing & Non-Retaliation
• Gifts & Hospitality
• Responsible Digital Conduct (AI, Data, and Technology Ethics)
• Design and implement the Ethics Awareness and Capacity Building Plan, including training and tailored modules for executives, staff, and third parties.
• Facilitate Ethics Dialogues and Reflection Sessions in high-risk areas and partner with HR to integrate ethics into performance appraisals, leadership competencies, and recognition programs.

Operational Responsibilities

• Maintain the AXIAN Ethics Dashboard tracking KPIs, training reach, investigation outcomes, and maturity progress.
• Prepare quarterly and annual ethics reports for Board sub-committees and EXCO.
• Support ethics audits, maturity assessments, and annual Ethics Climate Surveys.
• Oversee investigations of ethics-related complaints (e.g., conflicts of interest, harassment, data misuse) with Fraud Management, Legal, HR, and Internal Audit.
• Track corrective actions, lessons learned, and ensure systemic improvements are implemented.

• Coordinate Group and OpCo Ethics Committees to ensure alignment of priorities, risk controls, and remedial actions across all business units.

• Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in law, Business, Governance, Risk, or Ethics (Master's preferred).

• CEthics certification from The Ethics Institute of South Africa (or equivalent) highly desirable.
• 8–10 years' experience in ethics, governance, or compliance within telecom, fintech, or digital sectors.
• Proven track record managing group-wide ethics programmes across multiple jurisdictions.

Key Competencies

Technical:

• Deep knowledge of TEI's Ethics Management Framework and King IV principles.
• Expertise in ethics risk assessment, cultural diagnostics, and maturity modelling.
• Strong policy, reporting, and assurance skills.
• Familiarity with operational ethics risks in telecom and fintech environments.

Behavioural:

• High personal integrity and ethical leadership.
• Excellent facilitation and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Analytical, structured, and results driven.
• Culturally adaptable with strong influencing skills at senior levels.

The Senior Manager, Ethics Management, is expected to exemplify ethical leadership and act as a catalyst for integrity across the Group. The role reinforces AXIAN's commitment to making ethical conduct a defining feature of its culture, strategy, and long-term sustainability