Profiles and device management

there is supposed to be a setting under General for profiles and device management. Not there on my 12 pro max

It’s there only when you have at least one active profile. If it’s not there, that means device has no active profiles.

Then how do you add a profile?

Install a configuration profile on your iPhone or iPad

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT209435

Get started with a supervised iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

https://support.apple.com/en-za/HT202837

You need to re-download the profile from your employer. Once you do so, that section will appear and you can install the profile.

FWIW. On my 2020 iPhone SE, running iOS 14.4, it doesn't exist either when no profiles are currently enabled.

Contact your company’s IT department for help. They might tell you what happened and issue you a new profile if it’s needed.

I can only go by what I have experienced with the Apple beta programs ... and that is, Apple provided me with a link to download the profile "seed." When activating it, it created a profile that can been seen in the General settings.

What profile are you trying to add to your phone?

The profile is what connects it to an MDM. Once installed, the MDM can be used to forcibly install apps, track location, prevent sync of specific data, force sync of specific data, forcibly install email profiles etc.

Source: I manage roughly 400 iOS devices using an MDM and management profiles.

If this is a work-related profile, that is controlled via MDM, then this may be a good example of what KiltedTim is referring to ... and why the "mysterious" disappearance.

Yes you do, if the profile does not install MDM they cannot manage your device. If they are going to install a profile to that will install MDM control but not display it then it would be necessary to jailbreak all of the iPhones you are going to install it on.

If an employer is issuing iPhones to their employees or the employees are using the phones for business purposes then the employer has a right to either use Exchange to exert control over the device or MDM. If the employee doesn't want this they are free to seek employment elsewhere. As management in a company I would not allow iPhone company phone use without that control.

The whole problem here is that you have no idea what profile does or does not do until it's too late.

I cringe every time I see someone here asking how to install a profile on their phone... Are there times when it's reasonable and appropriate? Sure... but most of the posters here trying to do it are doing so because they want to install a stupid game from outside of the App Store.

To install a game from outside the Apple Store you do have to add MDM to your device so you can install the app. This same method was also used for parental spying apps that were popular with helicopter parents until Apple blocked them. Those are the only two nefarious uses I've seen.

As far as profiles you do have an idea what they are doing when you install them (actually you do for the games as well) and there are ways to inspect a profile. The vast majority of the use of Profiles and MDM (which are not synonymous) are legitimate. And as the OP already said this was for his employer.

Per chance, are you referring to adding a beta profile?

You do realize than installing a profile gives the author of the profile nearly complete control over your phone, right?

Actually it does not, and MDM will do that but profiles are much more specific to the task at hand.