Dis-Chem Pharmacies’ Head Office in Midrand has an opportunity available for a Risk Manager. To safeguard the organisation’s risk integrity by proactively identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks across the Dis-Chem Group. The role ensures strong internal controls, regulatory compliance, and effective risk monitoring, while partnering with the business to strengthen processes, embed a culture of accountability, and integrate risk management into strategic decision-making.

Minimum Requirements…

Essential:

• Matric or equivalent Senior Certificate
• Degree in Risk Management, Finance, Accounting, or related field
• Minimum of 4 – 7 years in risk management, internal audit, or compliance preferably within the industry
  

Advantage:

• IFRS reporting, financial controls, and regulatory compliance
• CRMA, CISA or CA (SA)

Job Specification…

Risk Identification, Assessment, and Compliance

• Proactively identify potential operational, regulatory, compliance, and business risks within the relevant function.
• Conduct regular risk assessments using both qualitative and quantitative methods to evaluate the likelihood and potential business impact of identified risks.
• Monitor emerging industry trends, economic shifts, and regulatory changes that could affect organisational operations.
• Support management in identifying and assessing business controls, potential risks, process gaps, and
  workflow inefficiencies.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulatory requirements including industry standards
  related to risk management. Such as the Companies Act, POPIA etc.
• Prepare relevant teams for internal and external audits, ensuring accurate and compliant
  documentation are in place.
• Escalate and flag non-compliance issues within the business, coordinating remedial actions promptly.

Internal Controls and Process Strengthening

• Develop, implement, and maintain robust internal controls to safeguard organisational assets and ensure compliance with company policies, legislation, and healthcare regulations.
• Collaborate with operational and support teams to review processes, identify control weaknesses, and implement improvements that minimise fraud, errors, or non-compliance.
• Ensure segregation of duties in key operational processes, particularly in procurement, supplier payments, and stock management for pharmaceutical products.
• Perform procedures to verify that key controls identified by management are in place and operating effectively.
• Conduct control testing and implement process improvement initiatives to address identified risks.
• Manage the review of internal operational controls in line with Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) requirements, ensuring that controls and the annual review plan are up to date and compliant.

Risk Monitoring, Mitigation, and Policy Management

• Define, implement, and maintain a comprehensive group risk monitoring tool to track, measure, and report on key risk indicators across the organisation.
• Partner with business units to develop risk mitigation plans and ensure risk policies are regularly reviewed and updated in line with operational needs and regulatory requirements.
• Update risk registers quarterly to ensure all identified risks are consistently recorded, assessed, and monitored.
• Monitor key risk indicators (KRIs) such as supplier concentration risks, operational disruptions, exchange rate volatility for imported goods, and market dependencies.
• Recommend mitigation strategies such as insurance coverage, contractual safeguards, supplier diversification, or operational contingency plans.

Performance Monitoring and ReportingStakeholder Engagement

• Monitor and investigate KPIs that fall outside normal thresholds each month, identifying root causes
• and potential risk implications.
• Prepare detailed documentation and provide support for Enterprise Risk Committee (ERCO) meetings and the Audit and Risk Committee (ARC), ensuring decision-makers receive accurate, timely, and actionable information.
• Establish risk dashboards and reports to provide the CFO and other stakeholders with clear visibility of priority organisational risks and mitigation actions.

Stakeholder EngagementStrategic Risk Integration

• Act as the key liaison between operational teams, legal/compliance, support functions, and senior management on risk-related matters.
• Conduct regular training sessions for relevant business units on risk awareness, compliance obligations, and industry-specific operational risks.
• Present risk findings and recommendations to executive management and the board, ensuring leadership has the necessary information to act.

Strategic Risk Integration

• Support the organisation in integrating risk considerations into strategic planning, resource allocation, and operational forecasting processes.
• Advise on risk implications of major organisational decisions such as mergers, acquisitions, large-scale projects, or expansion into new markets.
• Align enterprise risk management activities with the company’s overall strategy to support sustainable growth in a highly regulated sector.

Competencies

Essential:

• Strong knowledge of enterprise risk management principles, frameworks, and
  methodologies, with awareness of Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) internal control requirements.
  
• Strong analytical and critical thinking skills to assess complex operational and strategic data, identify potential risks, and uncover process inefficiencies.
• Ability to integrate risk considerations into strategic planning, resource allocation, and
  major organisational decisions, with knowledge of cost control and contract risk allocation.
• Ability to clearly present risk findings and recommendations to executive management, the board, and external stakeholders.
• Strong relationship-building and influencing skills to foster collaboration across operational, legal, compliance, and support teams, driving adoption of risk management best practices.
• Detail-oriented with a strong focus on continuous improvement of risk processes, internal controls, and KPI monitoring.
• Proactive in identifying risks before they materialise and initiating preventive measures.
• Ability to set a clear vision for risk management and inspire teams to uphold compliance standards.
• Skilled in planning, prioritising, and coordinating risk management activities, with strong project management expertise for implementing risk monitoring tools and process improvements.
  
• Proficient in designing and implementing Group Risk Monitoring tools and KRIs, with strong Excel and data modelling skills for risk scenario analysis.

Special conditions of employment:

• South African citizen
• MIE, clear criminal and credit
• Driver’s license and/or own reliable transport
• Occasional travel

Remuneration and benefits:

• Market related salary
• Medical aid
• Provident fund
• Staff account
  

ONLY SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS WILL BE CONTACTED. IF YOU HAVEN`T BEEN CONTACTED WITHIN TWO WEEKS AFTER THE CLOSING DATE CONSIDER YOUR APPLICATION AS UNSUCCESSFUL.

Dis-Chem Pharmacies is an equal opportunity employer. Dis-Chem’s approved Employment Equity Plan and targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process aligned to Dis-Chem’s Employment Equity & Transformation Strategy. Dis-Chem actively supports the recruitment of People with Disabilities.