Executive: Head of Quality Assurance and Improvement Programme at Absa Group Limited (Absa)

Job Summary

• As an ex officio member of the Internal Audit (IA) Leadership Team, the Head of Quality Assurance and Improvement Programme (QAIP) is accountable for providing independent, objective assurance to the Chief Internal Auditor (CIA) and the Group Audit and Compliance Committee (GACC) on the quality, effectiveness, and ongoing improvement of the IA function.
• The role leads the design, implementation, and continuous evolution of the IA Quality Assurance and Improvement Programme, ensuring sustained conformance with the International Professional Practices Framework (IPPF), IIA Standards, regulatory expectations, and Group governance requirements, while progressively enhancing the relevance, impact, and value delivered by Internal Audit.
• The Head of QAIP acts as a trusted advisor and credible challenger to the CIA and IA Leadership Team by:
• Providing insight on emerging quality risks, systemic themes, and improvement opportunities across audit delivery, methodology, professional practices, and ways of working;
• Ensuring that audit quality is measured and managed not only through conformance, but through the consistency, insightfulness, and decision usefulness of IA outputs;
• Safeguarding the independence and objectivity of the IA function and its practitioners, and enabling transparent, evidence based reporting to the GACC.
• The role is responsible for embedding a future fit QAIP that encompasses traditional and technology enabled auditing, including data analytics, automated assurance techniques, and evolving audit enablement platforms, ensuring that quality standards keep pace with changes in risk, regulation, and the IA operating model.
• Through strong leadership of a specialist QAIP and Professional Practices team, the role ensures that Internal Audit maintains its reputation for excellence, credibility, and integrity across the Group and its geographic footprint, and continues to evolve in line with leading industry practice.

Job Description

Accountability: Leadership and Execution

• Support the Chief Internal Auditor (CIA) in the effective leadership of the Internal Audit (IA) function by providing independent challenge and advice on matters relating to audit quality, professional judgement, and adherence to agreed quality standards.
• Contribute to the development and execution of the IA strategy, ensuring that quality, sustainability, and continuous improvement are embedded as core enablers of IA effectiveness.
• Lead and prioritise QAIP initiatives based on risk, impact, and stakeholder expectations, ensuring focus on matters that materially influence IA credibility, effectiveness, and reputation.
• Drive a culture of accountability for audit quality across the IA function, ensuring quality ownership is embedded at all levels of audit delivery.
• Lead strategic projects and initiatives relating to QAIP and Professional Practices, as directed by the CIA or arising from quality risk assessments.

Accountability: Themes and Emerging Risks relevant to Quality Assurance and Professional Practices

• Identify, assess, and monitor emerging risks, regulatory developments, and industry trends impacting internal audit quality expectations through structured horizon scanning and external engagement.
• Analyse quality‑related themes and systemic issues arising from QAIP activities, internal assessments, external reviews, and audit outcomes, and ensure these are communicated clearly to IA leadership.
• Translate emerging quality risks and themes into actionable improvement initiatives that strengthen audit delivery, methodology, and professional practices.
• Identify quality risks arising from changes to the IA operating model, including new audit approaches, co‑sourcing arrangements, geographic expansion, and changes in risk profile.

Accountability: Audit Methodology

• Support the CIA in the development, maintenance, and ongoing evolution of the IA methodology to ensure it remains risk‑based, fit‑for‑purpose, and aligned to IIA Standards, regulatory expectations, and Group policies.
• Ensure the IA methodology adequately supports both traditional and technology‑enabled auditing, including data analytics, automated testing, and continuous assurance techniques.
• Establish and maintain minimum quality standards for audit planning, execution, documentation, and reporting, including analytics‑enabled audits.
• Ensure alignment between the IA Audit Enablement System, methodology documentation, and supporting templates.
• Ensure timely communication, training, and embedding of methodology changes across the IA function, including onboarding of new joiners.

Accountability: QAIP (including Professional Practices)

• Design, implement, and maintain an industry‑leading Quality Assurance and Improvement Programme in accordance with the latest IIA Standardsand related guidance.
• Implement independent quality assurance mechanisms to assess the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of IA work, and ensure appropriate remediation actions are defined, tracked, and embedded.
• Define and monitor outcome‑based quality metrics that assess both conformance with standards and the insightfulness, clarity, and decision‑usefulness of IA deliverables.
• Provide independent assurance on the effectiveness of IA’s quality management system, including the sustainability of remedial actions.
• Safeguard the independence and objectivity of the IA function and its practitioners, supporting the CIA’s attestations to the GACC.
• Escalate material quality concerns, recurring themes, or unresolved issues to the CIA and, where appropriate, directly to the GACC, supported by evidence‑based analysis and clear recommendations.
• Deliver clear, insightful, and balanced reporting on QAIP matters to the CIA, IA Leadership Team, and GACC.

Accountability: Internal Assessments

• Evaluate IA’s conformance with IIA Standards, the IA methodology, the Code of Ethics, and relevant regulatory expectations across audit delivery and supporting activities.
• Assess the effectiveness and consistency of professional judgement applied in audit planning, execution, and reporting, including risk assessments, ratings, and conclusions.
• Assess audit risk and IA effectiveness through a range of QAIP assessment approaches, including thematic reviews, deep‑dives, and portfolio‑level analysis.
• Assess the efficiency and effectiveness of IA activities across the Group’s geographic footprint.
• Lead constructive discussions with IA management on quality observations, ensuring balanced consideration of viewpoints while maintaining independence.
• Provide timely, high‑quality reporting on internal assessment results, trends, and remediation progress to the CIA, IA Leadership Team, and GACC.
• Accountability: External Assessments
• Act as the primary point of accountability for the planning, coordination, and delivery of External Quality Assurance Reviews (EQARs) and other independent assurance reviews of IA. 
• Ensure IA readiness for external reviews, including proactive identification and remediation of potential quality gaps. 
• Analyse findings from EQARs and external reviews to identify strategic improvement opportunities and benchmark IA practices against leading peers. 
• Provide assurance to the CIA and GACC on the timely and effective closure of all externally identified quality findings.

Accountability: Maintenance and Processes Support

• Maintain QAIP and Professional Practices process documentation and templates that are clear, current, proportionate, and value‑adding.
• Periodically review QAIP processes and tools to ensure they remain efficient, practical, and aligned to IA ways of working.
• Support the review of audit reports and deliverables as part of IA quality governance forums, including the IA Quality Circle.

Accountability: Learning and Development initiatives to address improvement areas

• Translate QAIP findings, quality themes, and assessment outcomes into targeted learning, coaching, and capability‑building initiatives.
• Partner with IA Learning and Development to design and deliver training that addresses identified quality and capability gaps.
• Support the development of quality‑focused leadership capability within IA management, including coaching on professional judgement, challenge, and audit conclusion formulation.
• Contribute to succession planning by identifying and developing future Professional Practices and QAIP leaders within the IA function.
• Line Manager responsibilities and other relationships
• Lead and manage a specialist QAIP and Professional Practices team to efficiently deliver independent quality assurance, improvement initiatives, and assurance outcomes in line with the approved QAIP.
• Provide clear direction, performance management, coaching, and development to team members, ensuring the sustainability of quality capability within the IA function.
• Maintain close and effective working relationships with the Chief Internal Auditor, IA Leadership Team, and Extended Leadership Team to support continuous improvement in audit quality, methodology, and professional judgement.
• Exercise independent challenge in engagements with IA management where quality, consistency, or objectivity may be at risk, while maintaining constructive and professional relationships.
• Maintain professional and credible working relationships with external auditors, independent assessors, and other assurance providers in the context of External Quality Assurance Reviews and related activities.
• Oversee and manage co‑sourced and externally provided QAIP and Professional Practices resources, ensuring quality standards, independence, and value for money are maintained.
• Engage with IA Learning and Development to translate QAIP findings and skills assessment outcomes into targeted capability‑building initiatives across the IA function.
• Where required, engage directly with the Chairman of the GACC and senior stakeholders on QAIP‑related matters, including quality themes, systemic issues, and remediation progress.

Education and Experience:

• Relevant professional qualifications in Internal Auditing, Accounting, Risk Management, or related disciplines (e.g. CIA, CA(SA) or equivalent).
• Certification or formal training in Quality Assurance and Improvement Programmes and/or External Quality Assurance Reviews is strongly preferred.
• Ongoing professional development in areas such as internal audit standards, professional practices, and technology‑enabled auditing (including data analytics) is required.
• Financial services industry experience, preferably within the Banking sector or a similarly regulated environment.
• A minimum of twelve to fifteen years’ experience in risk‑based internal auditing, risk management, or risk and control activities, with demonstrable experience in Quality Assurance and Improvement Programmes within an Internal Audit function.
• Practical experience in the execution and/or management of internal quality assessments, including file reviews, thematic reviews, and methodology conformance assessments.
• Experience supporting or managing External Quality Assurance Reviews (EQARs), regulatory inspections, or independent assurance reviews, either within an Internal Audit function or through an external assurance provider.
• Experience operating within complex, matrixed, and geographically dispersed organisations, including oversight of co‑sourced or outsourced audit delivery models.
•  Knowledge and Skills:
• Extensive experience in risk‑based internal auditing, risk management, or risk and control activities within a complex, regulated environment. 
• Deep understanding of the International Professional Practices Framework (IPPF), IIA Standards, and quality assurance expectations, with the ability to apply these pragmatically in practice. 
• ​Strong capability to exercise sound professional judgement and to evaluate the appropriateness, consistency, and insightfulness of audit conclusions, ratings, and recommendations. 
• Ability to communicate clearly, credibly, and with influence at very senior levels, including Audit Committee and executive management. 
• Demonstrated experience in driving sustainable change and continuous improvement, translating quality findings into practical actions that enhance audit effectiveness and impact. 
• Ability to think and operate at an enterprise‑wide level, balancing quality standards with delivery realities across diverse portfolios, geographies, and delivery models. 
• Proven experience leading and developing teams in complex, matrixed environments, with an adaptable leadership style and a strong focus on talent development and performance management. 
• Working knowledge of technology‑enabled auditing approaches, including the use of data analytics, automated testing, and audit enablement platforms, sufficient to assess quality and fitness for purpose. 
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to identify root causes of quality issues and assess the sustainability of remedial actions. 
• Demonstrated thought leadership, pragmatism, and professional credibility, with the ability to influence quality outcomes without compromising independence or objectivity.

Education

• Postgraduate Degrees and Professional Qualifications: Financial Sciences (Required), Postgraduate Degrees and Professional Qualifications: Statistics (Required)

End Date: February 28, 2026