Job Description

Empowering Africa's tomorrow, together...one 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
Accountable to the Head of Risk Group Functions for Risk Oversight of Absa Forensics and Physical Security (AFS) Risk. Key accountabilities include supporting the function Head of Risk by ensuring contributions towards functional strategies, operating model and control design. The key purpose of this role is to ensure that the risk profile and control environment is effectively managed in an integrated manner across the functional area of Absa Forensics and Physical Security. This includes ensuring day to day management of all risks under the ERMF as it relates to the functional areas within AFS and taking the lead on the following primary risks within the function i.e..(AFS).

Accountability: Leadership and Stakeholder ManagementIn collaboration with the head of risk, act as a trusted advisor to the function (AFS) and support risk activities while ensuring you remain independent. Ensure implementation of an effective Operational Risk Management strategy within the function. Ensure proper delivery of Risk Management Requirements, capabilities and oversight across the Group Function value chain Provide support to the functions to manage their primary risks Build effective working relationships with key stakeholders and ensure information flows across the function and the risk team within the Group. Display role model behaviors, inspiring others to work together to achieve the strategic vision. In collaboration with the 1LoD, identify risks, draft reports on behalf of the function head of risk for presentation at the relevant risk committees or EXCO. Assist the 1LoD to determine appropriate Key Risk indicators (where necessary) while ensuring implementation of Group KRI for the relevant sub-risk types Advise management on emerging global financial services operational risks / trends and facilitate proactive change ahead of threat materializing. Provide input into key 1st Line of Defense (1st LoD) governance and control combined assurance activities. Review and provide inputs into the function non - risk policies and standards working with the subject matter experts, functional Heads of AFS as well as the 1st LoD Operational Risk Manager for the function. Lead the function to improve risk management through ensuring digitization, automation, standardization and simplification of operating processes. Collaborate with Group Operational and Resilience Risk team on the management and implementation of the Operational and Resilience Risk Framework (ORRMF), Governance and Control environment requirements. Assist the function to implement an effective governance structure for all risks in the function in line with regulatory and Group policy requirements Ensure knowledge and compliance with Regulatory requirements for Non-Financial risks and with all other relevant laws and legislation pertaining to Group Functions Ensure robust risk management activities that will contribute to a satisfactory control environment Leverage appropriate systems and controls including assurance methodology to identify, assess, measure, report, control and manage key risks. Ensure timely escalation of risk issues to enable effective mitigation Support the function to deliver on their combined assurance plan by providing guidance as appropriate. Influence behavior to reduce risk and foster a strong risk management culture throughout the Group Functions.

Accountability: Operational Risk StrategyIn collaboration with the function Head of Risk contribute to the development of the function Risk Management strategy and participate in the function 1LoD governance, combined assurance and control meetings Support the first line to determine the overall Risk Appetite and risk strategy and propose the same for approval to the head of risk + Monitor the function's risk profile in liaison with the control and governance teams ensuring alignment with their approved strategy and ensure it is consistent with the overall approved Group Risk Appetite.
+ Challenge completeness, relevance and management of risks associated with the execution of the Function strategy.
+ Provide clear and constant feedback on progress and challenges within the Function ensuring that the Managing Executive is kept informed at all times of current events and issues on the horizon
+ Provide clear and constant feedback on progress and challenges within the Function (AFS) ensuring that the head of risk is kept informed at all times of current events and issues on the horizon


Accountability: Operational Risk Framework, Policies and Standards OversightAssess the level of compliance for the relevant risk frameworks and policies. Remain abreast of the Operational Risk and Resilience framework, policies, standards, procedures and relevant legislation/regulations. Provide assurance that the functions Standards and policies are implemented through Conformance Reviews. Facilitate the refresh or development of Function related policies and standards in collaboration with 1LOD. Ensure the Group implementation of the Function related policies and standards through target training initiatives within the Group. Track and monitor training within the Function related to Operational Risk and Resilience framework, policies, standards.

Accountability: Operational Risk Management OversightEstablish supporting process to embed monthly monitoring and reporting requirements for all elements of the Operational Risk and Resilience Management Framework between the Operational Risk community and the functional governance and control team Maintain and promote network of Lessons Learned (including Root Cause Analysis) sharing across businesses and geographies. Educate the business function (AFS) and facilitate appropriate proactive remediation of identified vulnerabilities. This process must take account of the information/reporting requirements of the Central Operational Risk Team and must facilitate timely report preparation, review and challenge to enable effective Group level operational risk monitoring and reporting. Close interaction with the relevant RTOs will be essential. Ensure that periodic reporting requirements are submitted by the function on time (monthly, quarterly) and shared with the function Head of Risk.

Accountability: Monitor, challenge and review the function progress against ORRMF Standards and Policy requirementsProvide guidance, check and challenge and facilitation to the Operational Risk community and 1LOD within the function to enable consistent implementation of the Operational Risk Management Framework on a risk-sensitive basis. Affected elements include but are not limited to: Risk and Control Self-Assessment, Internal Risk Events, External Risk Events, Key Indicators, Key Risk Scenarios, Lessons Learnt and Conformance requirements Monitor implementation progress and report progress and issues to the functions Head of Risk Team on a regular basis Escalate significant Operational Risk exposures/events, Framework and methodology issues to the Functions Head of risk Make Risk decisions within mandates delegated by the function Head of Risk, escalate risk decisions outside of discretion to the function Head of Risk. (Any individual within function which acts to restrict these powers must be escalated to the function Head of Risk.) Perform independent review and challenge of the business /function (AFS) performance and risk profile. Assess, challenge and monitor the current and forward-looking Operational Risk exposure (financial and non-financial) i.e. considering all framework elements, strategic planning, business expansions/contractions and other major change programs,). Support the scoping and definition of related Operational Risk deliverables and plans, ensuring that these are aligned to the central Operational Risk calendar. Assess the relevance and performance of the function key risk indicators and threshold ensuring they are maintained within appetite. Review the assessments of all sub-risk types for the function for completeness, with appropriate challenge. Partner with the first line of defense to provide guidance on issue/action documentation, tracking, escalation and remediation of Operational Risk and any other issues. Investigate any matter affecting the business risk profile, which poses undue risk. Periodically conduct deep dives to independently assess the function Risk profile and control environment levels. Document outcomes and share these with management. Oversee monthly loss event reconciliations and related attestations to ensure that all risk events and losses have been correctly and timely captured on the Operational Risk system. Escalate any unresolved concerns directly to the Head of Risk. In the event of a significant control failure or limit breach, ensure appropriate escalation, through the function Head of Risk. Ensure that Operational Risk Management systems and tools (ORMS) are used and that data is accurate, of good quality and current. Support the function to deliver on a satisfactory control environment as well as the Management Control Approach (MCA). Ensure the function MCA and Control environment assessments are timely, effectively completed and captured on the system. Review and challenge the proof points to independently determine the overall outcomes.

Accountability: Risk ReportingAggregate the function risk profile taking into account all the relevant risk types managed in the function, indicating the levels of adherence to appetite. Validate data and information in relevant reports provided by first line of defense, as appropriate. Provide independent challenge on, and insight from relevant reports to senior management. Prepare appropriate current and forecast Operational Risk profile reporting as required by Group Operational and Resilience Risk team as well as other governance requirements. Ensure conformance reports are complete and accurate and encompass all issues identified from conformance review activities. Monitor and report to the head of risk on the deliverability of the combined assurance plan.

Qualifications and ExperienceDegree in Legal, Risk and/or Audit background preferred Physical Security Risk (advantageous) 10 years of experience within physical security, legal, risk and/or audit

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