Head, Chief Operating Office & Enterprise Risk Oversight at Standard Bank Group

Job Description

• To provide independent second-line Non-Financial Risk (NFR) oversight for the Group COO functional portfolio and lead the Enterprise Execution Risk Cluster. This ensures a reliable, controlled, and fraud-resilient operational execution architecture.
• The role integrates critical execution risk types, simplifies frameworks, and fosters systemic insight to strengthen Group platforms and processes, aligning with strategic objectives and efficient NFR management.
• Serve as a trusted risk advisor to the Group COO, providing independent second-line risk oversight and challenging the adequacy of operational control environments across core COO domains (e.g., Group Technology Shared Infrastructure & Employee Services; Group Platforms and Payments Infrastructure and Strategy; Group Strategic Partnerships and Investments; Group RES and Security Services; Brand and Marketing, Reputation and Communications; Geopolitical, Corporate and Social Responsibility).
• Assess and identify cumulative execution risk exposures arising from platform infrastructure, payment ecosystems, operational services, and strategic initiatives (e.g., platform modernisation, fintech partnerships, infrastructure transformation).
• Provide consolidated, independent risk insights on COO execution exposures to Executive Management and Board Risk Committees.
• Lead the Enterprise Execution Risk Cluster, encompassing execution-critical risk types: Transaction Processing Risk, Fraud Risk (Internal and External), Change and Transformation Risk, and Physical Security / Safety Risk.

Qualifications

• Post Graduate Degree in Business Commerce, Finance and Accounting, Risk Management
• Preferred: Masters Degree in Business Commerce, Finance and Accounting, Risk Management

Experience Required
Operational Risk Management

• 10+ years of experience in financial services industry, with an extensive understanding of Financial Services products and services, underlying system operations, and practices.
• Demonstrated executive presence, with the ability to engage and communicate at the executive level, establish, and maintain collaborative partnerships and provide thought leadership to strategic decisions. Regulatory environment savvy, a proven track record in large scale and high-level leadership.

Additional Information

Behavioural Competencies:

• Challenging Ideas
• Convincing People
• Developing Expertise
• Developing Strategies
• Embracing Change
• Empowering Individuals
• Exploring Possibilities
• Making Decisions
• Providing Insights
• Seizing Opportunities
• Upholding Standards
• Valuing Individuals

Technical Competencies:

• Evaluating Risk Management Effectiveness
• Evaluation of Internal Controls
• Financial Acumen
• Managerial Budgeting
• Operational Planning
• Planning, Forecasting and Budgeting
• Policy Development
• Promote Good Governance, Risk & Control
• Quality Management
• Quality Orientation
• Risk Awareness
• Risk Identification
• Risk Management
• Risk Measurement
• Risk Reporting
• Risk Response Strategy
• Risk/ Reward Thinking
• Root Cause Analysis
• Strategy Definition