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Harnessing the talent of 457 000+ people located across more than 150 countries and territories, our size and scale puts us in a unique position to help change the world for the better—by bringing together the services we provide, the societal investments we make, and the collaborations we advance through our ecosystems.
Deloitte offers career opportunities across Audit & Assurance (A&A), Tax & Legal (T&L) and our Consulting Services business, which is made up of Strategy, Risk & Transactions (SR&T) and Technology & Transformation (T&T).
Deloitte South Africa is seeking an experienced and visionary leader to build and expand our AI Assurance capability within the Technology Assurance portfolio. This role is ideal for a senior professional with deep expertise in AI governance, risk, and controls assurance — and a strong track record in leading teams, engaging senior stakeholders, and driving market growth.
You will be responsible for shaping Deloitte’s AI assurance offering, establishing market presence, overseeing the delivery of high-quality engagements, and playing a pivotal role in helping organisations adopt AI safely, responsibly, and in alignment with emerging regulatory expectations.
Market Leadership & Growth
- Drive business development efforts to grow Deloitte’s AI Assurance practice in South Africa and support broader Africa Member Firm needs.
- Originate and shape new AI governance, risk, and assurance opportunities across industries.
- Build and maintain strong executive‑level relationships with C‑suite leaders, boards, audit committees, and risk stakeholders.
- Represent Deloitte as a market thought leader on AI governance, responsible AI, and assurance over AI systems and models.
- Contribute to go‑to‑market strategies, thought leadership, and industry engagements focused on safe and trustworthy AI adoption.
Service Delivery & Innovation
- Lead complex assurance engagements across AI governance, AI risk management, AI controls assurance, model risk management, and responsible/ethical AI.
- Conduct readiness assessments and assurance over regulatory‑aligned frameworks (e.g., EU AI Act‑aligned controls, local regulatory expectations).
- Oversee design and execution of assurance methodologies for AI systems, including controls testing, governance evaluation, documentation review, and risk assessments.
- Ensure that assurance solutions remain aligned with leading standards and frameworks such as:
- ISO/IEC 42001 (AI Management System)
- NIST AI Risk Management Framework
- King IV / emerging King V
- SOC 1 / SOC 2 / ISAE 3402 where applicable
- Coordinate closely with technology implementation teams (who handle design/build work) to ensure clear separation of assurance and implementation services.
- Deliver high‑quality, risk-based, and value-driven outcomes for clients that address trust, transparency, fairness, robustness, and accountability in AI systems.
- Bring innovative thinking around the use of automation and analytics to enhance assurance delivery.
Team Leadership & Development
- Build, mentor, and lead a growing AI Assurance team, developing capability from a lean foundation into a scalable, high-performing unit.
- Foster a culture of excellence, inclusion, curiosity, and continuous learning — with a focus on emerging AI risk and governance skills.
- Collaborate with regional and global Deloitte teams to leverage leading practices, methodologies, and accelerators.
- Provide coaching, performance management, and technical guidance to practitioners at all levels
- 12+ years of experience in technology assurance, risk, governance, or related advisory fields — with at least several years focused on AI, data, advanced analytics, or model risk.
- Proven track record in business development and senior client relationship management.
- Strong understanding of AI governance, risk, and control frameworks, with familiarity (or practical exposure) to:
- ISO/IEC 42001
- NIST AI RMF
- Responsible AI principles
- King IV
- Cloud and AI platform risks (Azure/OpenAI, AWS, GCP)
- SOC / ISAE assurance standards
- Hands‑on knowledge of AI/ML concepts sufficient to contextualise risk and assurance activities (not implementation-focused).
- Professional certifications such as CISA, CRISC, CDPSE, CISSP, or AI‑focused governance/risk certifications are advantageous.
- Prior experience in a Big 4 or similar professional services environment is preferred.
- Strong stakeholder engagement, communication, and leadership capabilities.
Leadership Capabilities
- Living our Purpose - Acts as a role model, embracing and living our purpose and values, and recognizing others for the impact they make.
- Talent development - Develops high-performing people and teams through challenging and meaningful opportunities.
- Performance drive - Delivers exceptional client service; maximizes results and drives high performance from people while fostering collaboration across businesses and borders.
- Influence - Influences clients, teams, and individuals positively, leading by example and establishing confident relationships with increasingly senior people.
- Strategic direction - Understands key objectives for clients and Deloitte, aligns people to objectives and sets priorities and direction.
Note: The list of tasks / duties and responsibilities contained in this document is not necessarily exhaustive. Deloitte may ask the employee to carry out additional duties or responsibilities, which may fall reasonably within the ambit of the role profile, depending on operational requirements.
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