The incumbent will be responsible for a central team, within Relationship Banking (RB) Operational and Resilience Risk, designed to enable the effective implementation and embedment of the Enterprise Risk Management Framework (ERMF) and the Operational and Resilience Risk Management Framework (ORRMF) within RB. This role is directly accountable to the RB Head of Operational and Resilience Risk (ORR), to ensure effective support and delivery of the overall RB ORR strategy and is the key interface into the RB business, Group ORR, Group Risk, Group Functions, Assurance and Risk partners. This involves ORR management in an area, where innovation is top of mind and where traditional risk management techniques will be balanced, with the need to find creative solutions for the benefit of RB Stakeholders.
To elevate the impact of Operational and Resilience Risk within RB, the incumbent will be accountable for the delivery of:

• Risk measurement, monitoring, assessment, and analytics of the portfolio.
• Enablement of the end-to-end ORR portfolio, including a strategy that encompasses people, process, data, and technology, to enable efficient and effective management of ORR.
• End to end ORR framework, policy, and standard embedment across the portfolio.
• Governance processes, which enable rigorous challenge and oversight of the portfolio.
• Reporting, including portfolio and Business Unit (BU) insights and ensuring capability directed appropriately in support of internal and external reporting requirements.
• Establishing RB wide protocol for ORR management processes and requirements.
• Establishing required risk management processes, capabilities, and controls in the RB ORR team.

• Effective embedment of the ORRMF toolset, to enable effective measurement, monitoring, assessment, and oversight of ORR within the cluster.
• Risk appetite setting, in conjunction with Group counterparts and drive the cascade into RB. Monitoring adherence against Risk appetite statements (RAS) and/or tolerance levels, with the use of appropriate key risk indicators.
• Risk assessments – oversight of the annual refresh of risk assessment processes (Critical Process Assessments & Risk and Control Self Assessments) and change driven risk assessments.
• Drive strategic risk assessments, with relevant stakeholders within the cluster.
• Ensure Management Control Approach and Control Environment Road to Satisfactory (RtS) remedial activities are driven to closure sustainably, in support of a progressive and transparent risk culture.
• Drive an appropriate analytics capability across all framework elements, i.e., risk events and issue management, to enable proactive analysis and insights of the risk profile, to adequately evaluate, respond and monitor.
• Manage Scenario analysis and capital processes for RB in conjunction with Group ORR.
• Assess conformance to the ORRMF, policies and standards across RB, by establishing an annual conformance testing plan, and ensuring execution against this, in line with the combined assurance requirements.

• Drive the formulation of an annual strategy for ORR, together with the Head, and track implementation against the plan.
• Management and coordination of all strategic, regulatory, and business as usual projects and change initiatives, geared towards ORR.
• Operational Risk Management System (ORMS) (IBM OpenPages) and tools champion – Drive and monitor the adoption & embedment of ORMS within RB. Influence changes on the system to Group ORR.
• Training strategy and plan – formulation and management of an annual training plan and content, encompassing technical skills, system training and masterclasses, for both ORR and Business.
• Stakeholder and relationship management: Establish and maintain a coherent operating rhythm across the value chain (i.e., intra-risk, across Clusters and Group and 3rd parties, where required) in support of the functional objectives.
• Derive optimal engagement models for the RB ORR function, which enable efficient and prioritised coordination of Group ORR requirements into the RB cluster.
• Drive and foster collaboration across the ORR team, Group ORR, Group Risk, other Cluster ORR teams and Assurance partners.
• Thought leadership across the subject matter, to sharpen advisory capability and industry relationships. Ensure research on operational risk trends and forthcoming developments have been socialized and understood by the portfolio.

• Adoption and effective implementation of ORRMF, policies and standards.
• Drafting of Cluster specific standards and influence and collaboration across the entire value chain, from conception to implementation of these standards.
• Utilisation of various external tools and industry bodies, to foster and bolster the emerging risk capability across the non-financial risk types. Emerging risk and threat monitoring via horizon scanning including active participation in ORX (Operational Riskdata eXchange association) workstreams and utilisation of data insights from external sources and coordinating efforts for non-financial risk within RB, in conjunction with Group ORR.
• Coordination of the 2nd line of defence approach and responsibilities pertaining to end-to-end fraud risk management across RB, working with the Group ORR and Fraud Strategy teams (1st line of defence).
• ORR process custodian – embed and implement standardised processes and practices to support ORRMF embedment via the Senior Operational Risk Managers and directly into RB and across the 1st line of defence.

• Establish, maintain, and continuously assess the efficacy of an integrated governance structure in support of robust and regular review and challenge of ORR management within RB and the linkages between RB and Group Committees.
• Manage a streamlined, quality risk reporting process, which will provide appropriate management information and insights of the portfolio.
• Drive, build and utilise and appropriate analytics capability to bolster and augment the views on a continuous basis, by highlighting key risks and opportunities to the relevant ORR governance committees.

• Ensure delivery of internal and external reporting in line with the Cluster and Group requirements, including compliance to BCBS239.
• Representation and preparation of submissions required at Group ORR, Group Risk and RB forums on a periodic basis.
• Participate in key risk management committees, in conjunction with the Head of RB ORR, across the Group, representing the portfolio and provide challenge, thought leadership and direction.
• Coordination of inputs into Regulatory engagements i.e., Prudential Authority on-sites.

• Direct resources in the most effective and efficient manner to execute the RB ORR strategy, including, but not limited to:
• Ensuring an adequately designed and embedded operating model for the RB Operational Risk Enablement, Governance and Reporting team, in the execution of the ORRMF mandate.
• Enabling delivery of a supporting Risk Culture to deliver performance consistent with the Group’s Purpose and Values.
• Direct involvement in all appointments and setting competencies for the roles.
• Defining personal scorecard objectives and measures for employees that align to the Function’s Plan and Absa Balanced Scorecards.
• Input to enable the design of remuneration structures that are appropriately aligned with Group’s Purpose, Culture and Policies.
• Directing performance objectives and remuneration structures for the team designed to achieve a balance between risk, individual reward, and the long-term objectives of the Group.
• Input to, coordination and support of the performance management process of employees.
• Participation in the talent development and succession plans; and
• Management of an Operational Budget that supports delivery of the appropriate capabilities in pursuit of the Function’s Plan.

• A relevant tertiary qualification in Commerce, Business Science, Risk Management, Business Administration, Audit, Accounting or similar.
• Relevant Subject matter certifications and/ or professional body membership advantageous.
• Experience working in a complex, multinational company is preferred.
• 7+ years’ experience in risk management is essential, with knowledge of Financial Services preferential.
• Experience in a Senior leadership position, in a Risk or Governance based role is essential.

• Technical proficiency in risk management, governance, control environments
• Data analytics and reporting
• Complex Stakeholder engagement and management
• Problem solving and agile thinking
• Strong ethics and compliance ethos
• Decisive and action-orientated
• Strong and strategic people leader and influencer
• High levels of agility to adapt and respond to change
• Applying expertise, technology, and innovative methods in executing mandate

• Personal accountability- highly organised and professional, always focusing on quality outputs
• Independent in practice and in thought
• Leadership skills
• Team player – dealing with a multitude of stakeholders requires high levels of emotional intelligence and self-awareness
• Engaged with a visible level of presence
• Drive the right risk culture in the business
• Appropriate level of curiosity
• Confident to responsibly challenge and manage conflicts
• Ability to attend Senior Management forums and present independently
• Problem solver and solution oriented – innovative way of solving problems, utilising creative and future thinking skills
• Resilient
• Adhering to principles and values
• Relating and networking
• High levels of agility to adapt and respond to change
• Persuading and influencing
• Presenting and communicating
• Applying expertise, technology, and innovative methods in executing mandate

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