The Centre of Excellence (COE) is the driving force behind SmartPA, where strategy comes to life. As part of this dynamic department, you will act as an Operations & Compliance Coordinator, responsible for architecting and maintaining the operational framework, data integrity, and compliance pipelines that keep complex client accounts running flawlessly. This particular role is assigned to one of our dedicated client accounts, meaning you will represent our brand while working very closely with a global tech giant.
In this role, you will serve as the protective and operational backbone for critical business initiatives. By managing the end-to-end lifecycle of legal reviews, dataset approvals, and procurement workflows, you will ensure our processes meet rigorous compliance standards while preventing bottlenecks. You will leverage operational best practices and modern digital tools to scale administrative workflows, fostering a culture of precision and 'Right First-Time' operational performance.
Aligned to UK working hours: 09:00 to 17:30 (UK Time)
(37.5 hours per week) At SmartPA, we believe in rewarding talent and supporting your growth:
Trusted by global leaders in industries like tech, automotive, retail and legal, we’re the engine behind smarter, more efficient operations. With a vibrant, client-focused culture and a team driven by creativity, no two days at SmartPA are ever the same!
As we continue to grow rapidly, this is your opportunity to join us on the journey to becoming the most optimised administrative organisation in the world. If you’re ready to challenge the status quo and create meaningful impact, we want to hear from you!
In this role, you will serve as the protective and operational backbone for critical business initiatives. By managing the end-to-end lifecycle of legal reviews, dataset approvals, and procurement workflows, you will ensure our processes meet rigorous compliance standards while preventing bottlenecks. You will leverage operational best practices and modern digital tools to scale administrative workflows, fostering a culture of precision and 'Right First-Time' operational performance.
- Legal and compliance coordination: Act as the primary operational liaison for internal and external legal reviews. Track contract lifecycles through complex review stages, collate necessary documentation (such as vendor details, data descriptions, and use-case summaries), and proactively chase responses to ensure deadlines never fall through the cracks.
- Dataset lifecycle administration: Navigate and track the approval process for accessing internal and external datasets. Coordinate usage agreements and licences with external providers, maintain a comprehensive dataset inventory (tracking restrictions and owners), and shepherd proposals through privacy and ethics review processes.
- Procurement and PO management: Manage the end-to-end purchase order (PO) lifecycle for team expenses, software licences, and data access. Collect vendor quotes, draft and submit requests through internal workflow tools, monitor the approval chain, and coordinate financial receipting and invoice routing.
- Research and data support: Support technical and product teams with structured data entry, formatting tasks, and competitive landscape tracking to keep key data repositories and market intelligence trackers completely up to date.
- Stakeholder collaboration: Work closely alongside program managers, internal legal counsel, and dataset providers to bridge communication gaps, formalise operational responsibilities, and ensure seamless cross-functional alignment.
- Essential:
- Proven experience in an Operations, Compliance, Risk Administration, or advanced Technical Administration role within a structured corporate environment.
- Practical experience managing complex administrative workflows that require cross-functional approvals (e.g., tracking legal contracts, procurement lifecycles, or data governance).
- Exceptional, proven stakeholder management skills, with comfort communicating alongside legal counsel, finance teams, and technical program owners.
- Experience building and maintaining tracking tools, compliance logs, or databases to monitor task dependencies and contract timelines.
- Advanced proficiency in Google Workspace tools, specifically Docs, Slides, and Google Sheets for data interrogation and executive reporting.
- An exceptional, proven eye for detail and a highly methodical approach to managing documentation and compliance guardrails.
- Desirable:
- Experience working alongside technical, data science, or research engineering teams.
- Familiarity with contract lifecycle management (CLM) platforms or procurement software (e.g., Ironclad).
- Practical experience or a high aptitude for leveraging AI platforms and LLMs (such as Gemini) to streamline routine tracking or data cleaning tasks.
Aligned to UK working hours: 09:00 to 17:30 (UK Time)
- 10:00 to 18:30 (SAST) from 29 March – 25 October (UK British Summer Time)
- 11:00 to 19:30 (SAST) from 26 October – 28 March (UK Greenwich Mean Time)
(37.5 hours per week) At SmartPA, we believe in rewarding talent and supporting your growth:
- Competitive Salaries
- Department Incentives
- 33 Days Holiday Because rest fuels greatness
- Employee Assistance Programme
Trusted by global leaders in industries like tech, automotive, retail and legal, we’re the engine behind smarter, more efficient operations. With a vibrant, client-focused culture and a team driven by creativity, no two days at SmartPA are ever the same!
As we continue to grow rapidly, this is your opportunity to join us on the journey to becoming the most optimised administrative organisation in the world. If you’re ready to challenge the status quo and create meaningful impact, we want to hear from you!
2+ years experience in operations, compliance, risk administration or technical administration; strong stakeholder management; experience managing contract/procurement/data governance workflows; advanced Google Workspace skills; high attention to detail.
Key Responsibilities
- coordinating compliance
- managing procurement
- tracking datasets
Skills & Tools
Google Docs, Google Slides, Google Sheets, Ironclad, Gemini
Job Details
- Category: Administrative & Clerical Support
- Seniority: Mid Level
- Commitment: Full Time, Temporary
- Workplace: Remote — South Africa
- Languages: English
Benefits
- Generous paid time off
About SmartPA
A tech-enabled administrative service provider delivering human-centred PA and operational support to enterprise clients. — Industry: Consulting Services