Job Description

Empowering Africas tomorrow, togetherone story at a time.

With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

Job Summary Support the Head of Operational Risk ARO to enable effective Operational Risk Management practices and delivery in the Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) Africa Regional Operations (ARO) Countries, as well the International Offices and Non-Presence Countries.
Partner with CIB Pan African Business Owners, 1LOD, 2LOD Risk Owners, Internal Audit Partners, as well as in country Business and Risk owners within a matrix structure.
Guide the Country and CIB business through the implementation of the Operational Risk Management Framework and oversee the maintenance of risk and control practices across the businesses.
Provide independent oversight to governance principles.
Adherence to risk decision making and review the risk profile of the businesses against risk appetite and performance measures and agree actions to change the shape of the profile where appropriate.
Perform Conformance reviews, Business Reviews, control testing, Specialist Risk Type assessments, RACI refreshes as required.



Accountability: Risk Assessment and Risk Management

• Support an effective risk culture, where there is an open, proactive, and constructive dialogue relating to Operational Risk.
• Guide and support Business Reviews performed by ORM in Country by assisting in defining the scope and support on the review of evidence, review of the final report and concluding on the remediation actions.
• Enable business aligned reporting, escalation of CIB Control Issues and management of Issues related to Significant Risk Events. Drive and embed the CIB ARO MCA and CE reporting, engagement with Country Leadership, Regional Directors and CIB Management to challenge the quality of reporting.
• Monitor RTS plans per risk type and country and review evidence to support ratings provided to Risk Committees.
• Promote and support timely and complete reporting of risk events and control issues by the business (first line of defence).
• Provide challenge over the quality and completeness of Significant Risk Events for monthly CIB Forum and Group reporting requirements (BA410). Develop and enable automated reporting; introduce DQ tools to 2LOD in country and share thematic failures and root causes across countries.
• Enable the First Line in each of the countries to manage Operational Risk effectively through provision of advice, tools training and robust independent challenge.
• In partnership with business management, participate in post incident reviews to identify and analyse root causes and learning, and to ensure that any necessary remedial actions or control improvements are implemented to prevent future losses and events.
• Review and challenge with the First Line and other stakeholders the design and effectiveness of controls to manage operational risks within appetite and seek appropriate assurance to support the outcomes.
• Deliver value-adding risk assessments and advice to strategic/other change projects and new products to ensure changes to the business risk profile are properly quantified and mitigated/managed within agreed risk appetite.
• Drive the evolution of operational risk measurement and reporting through supporting the development of Key Risk Indicators and risk profile for each function/business unit.
• Deliver value-added MI, specifically Key Risk Indicator trends, and analysis of the drivers of operational risks to help business and senior management better manage operational risk and the associated capital charges.
• Ensure that all activities and duties are carried out in full compliance with regulatory requirements, Enterprise Risk Management Framework, Operational Risk Management Framework and internal Policies and Standards.
• Support the Country teams to implement the required Basel framework as prescribed by the Regulator.
• Provide Performance feedback at a Country ORM level, as well as individuals supporting CIB ORM in each of the countries.
• Coordinate the ERMF workstream for new jurisdictions, acquisitions, and expansion projects.

Accountability: Insight to inform business and strategic decision making

• Advise Business on risks and minimum controls required to perform CIB activities for both product and presence expansion.
• Provide insightful analysis and interpretation of risks to the First and Second Line based on a thorough technical understanding of the Operational Risk Management Framework (ORMF), robust and relevant knowledge of the business with which he/she partners and a deep and broad external market view on risk theories and current best practice.
• Ensure that all business units and countries have measures in place to monitor and manage their own operational risk profiles.
• Drive the embedment of the Group Operational Risk Framework, promoting the integration of operational risk consideration into all risk reward decisions and general business management.

Accountability: Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain effective relationships with Business/Functional Head across ARO and the International Businesses.
• Develop risk professional relationships with other key risk professionals across the Group.
• Develop risk relationships and provide support to the ARO Country Operational Risk resources and CROs.
• Engage with regulators as and when required by business and jurisdictional needs.
• Perform all other duties as reasonably assigned.
• Travel as required into Africa and International Offices as required.

Education

Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required)

Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.

Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised

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