Volunteer Opportunities

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CFA Institute Volunteering

Give back to the profession, network with other members, refine your skills, and, in many cases, earn Professional Learning credits. 

Browse current CFA Institute volunteer opportunities

Volunteer with CFA Society South Africa

Volunteers are at the heart of CFA Society South Africa’s ability to advance ethical standards, education, advocacy, and professional excellence across the investment industry. By volunteering, you contribute your expertise while supporting the future of the profession.

Give back, make a difference and build our community - Volunteers Measure Up!

Why Volunteer

Volunteering with CFA Society South Africa allows you to:

  •       Give back to the profession and broader community
  •       Support education, ethics, advocacy, and inclusion initiatives
  •       Share your knowledge and professional experience
  •       Build leadership, governance, and stakeholder engagement skills
  •       Contribute to initiatives that shape the investment industry in South Africa

Volunteer roles are designed to be meaningful, well-governed, and aligned to the Society’s strategic objectives.

Who Can Volunteer

We welcome volunteers from across the investment profession, including:

  •       CFA charterholders
  •       CFA Program Candidates
  •       Society members and industry professionals
  •       Subject-matter experts aligned to specific initiatives

Opportunities range from once-off and ad hoc roles to structured, longer-term commitments, depending on the initiative.

Areas of Involvement

Volunteers may contribute across a range of initiatives, including:

      Education & Ethics

o   Ethics Challenges, workshops, and moderation

o   University Research Challenge mentoring and grading

      University & Candidate Outreach

o   Career talks, information sessions, and panel discussions 

      Mentorship & Development

o   Mentorship programmes and leadership development initiatives

      Advocacy & Thought Leadership

o   ESG task teams, consultation responses, webinars, and panels

      Inclusion & Industry Initiatives

o   Diversity and Inclusion Code implementation

o   Women in Investment Management events

Roles are matched based on skills, experience, interest, and availability.

What You Gain

As a volunteer, you gain:

  •       Professional visibility and recognition through Society platforms
  •       Opportunities to develop leadership and governance experience
  •       Exposure to committees, task teams, and strategic initiatives
  •       Networking with peers, leaders, and stakeholders across the industry
  •       Formal recognition at Society events and in annual Stakeholder report

Volunteering also forms part of the Society’s leadership and Board development pipeline, for those who wish to pursue future Board roles.

How to Get Involved

Getting involved is simple:

  1. Complete the online volunteer sign-up form
  2. Your details are captured and reviewed against upcoming initiatives
  3. You will be contacted by the initiative lead closer to the relevant programme timeline

Not all opportunities are immediate, but all volunteers are contacted as needs arise.

Register your interest to volunteer

 

CFA Institute Committee Volunteer Opportunities

The Disciplinary Review Committee

 

The Disciplinary Review Committee (DRC) is a volunteer committee of CFA Institute Charterholder members who are responsible for enforcing the Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct and the rules and regulations of the CFA® Program and CIPM® Program. 

 

Selection of DRC Members

DRC members serve for a term of one year, renewable annually for a maximum of six years. Terms may be staggered to allow for turnover and continuity.

Volunteer Qualifications: Members must be CFA Institute Members who have held the charter for at least three (3) years, with a minimum of five (5) years of experience in the industry.

Volunteer commitment: Service on the DRC requires significant time commitment (about 100-150 hours), some of which will be during the work week. Members may be asked to serve on in-person hearing panels that require international travel.

 

The Education Advisory Committee

The Education Advisory Committee (EAC) is responsible for providing oversight and guidance to the processes by which CFA Institute develops the competency framework, Global Body of Investment Knowledge TM (GBIK), Bodies of Knowledge (BOK), curricula for the CFA® Program, CIPM® Program, and any other program curriculum materials that are developed and administered by CFA Institute.

An EAC member:

  • Makes recommendations for development of the practice analysis process by which the individual program Bodies of Knowledge (BOK) and competencies are developed.
  • In collaboration with the curriculum team, selects BOK sections and competencies to be reviewed each year and sets priorities for the year.
  • Assists in development of specialized BOK and competencies.
  • Ensures that the program curricula are in line with practice analysis, individual program BOK and test specifications.
  • Provides guidance in the process of managing working body members.
  • Collaborates with CFA Institute Strategic Divisions (Credentialing; Professional Learning; Research, Advocacy, and Standards) and leverages the practice analysis process to support their strategic objectives.
  • Identifies, evaluates, and recommends potential areas of practice for future programs at CFA Institute.
  • Other activities as designated by the CFA Institute staff and Board of Governors.

Learn More

 

From Our Volunteers

The Joy of Giving

Embracing the life of service because communities thrive when we look out for one another

My journey into community service didn’t start with a CFA badge or a fancy title. It started when I took my younger brother to school and found myself volunteering as their crèche teacher. I learned very early that helping others grow is one of life’s greatest privileges.

Since then, serving others has never really left me, maybe because I have always been a beneficiary of people who poured into me, teachers, mentors and professionals who opened doors I didn’t even know existed. Quite literally, I am the product of generosity.

One of the biggest turning points in my life came at university when I became a beneficiary of the JB Marks Education Trust Fund, a subsidiary of National Union of Mineworkers, (Yes, I am a daughter of a mine worker). That experience didn’t just help me access education; it planted something much deeper in me, the spirit of paying it forward. When someone lifts you up, the only proper response is to reach back and lift another.

That spirit grew stronger when I became a mentee of Young Leaders Connect – International Women’s Forum South Africa and later part of their Circle of Influence. Being surrounded by professionals who genuinely care about developing others showed me that leadership is not about titles; it’s about service. Somewhere between boardroom conversations and mentoring sessions, I realised: this is my community now, and I belong here, not just to receive, but to give. For me, volunteering is also deeply spiritual. It is my way of praising God by using the talents He gave me, not just for myself, but for others. I stand on the shoulders of many, and volunteering is my way of becoming someone else’s shoulders.

Coming from Lesotho, where there are only three CFA Charterholders, my desire to volunteer has an extra layer of urgency. My country needs these skills for economic growth, for stronger institutions, and for better decision-making. Promoting the CFA profession in my home country is not about prestige, it’s about possibility. It’s about showing young people that global standards are within reach, even from a small mountain kingdom.

Volunteering with the CFA Society South Africa allows me to merge all the threads of my story: community service, professional growth, faith, and the deep belief that none of us succeeds alone. I am also inspired by members of the Society’s board, especially Thato Mashigo, Nicola Comninos, and Lwando Moni, whose leadership and commitment to service continually remind me what giving back should look like.  Among the many initiatives I have been involved in, the CFA Society South Africa's Day of a Girl initiative remains especially close to my heart. Seeing those girls, full of hope and curiosity, experiencing the real world of investments was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life, a reminder of why our work matters. 

And if my journey has taught me anything, it is that volunteering is not about having extra time, it is about having a willing heart. CFA Society South Africa is more than a professional body for me; it is a community where each of us can make a difference. I encourage every member to find their place, share their skills, and get involved in shaping the next generation of professionals. You never know whose life your contribution will change, and it may be your own. Plus, where else do you get to give back, grow professionally, and still earn CPD points? That feels like a pretty good return on investment.