Head of Strategic Change (Group Compliance) at Absa South Africa

Job Summary

• This role will be accountable to the Absa Group Head of Financial Crime for the execution of the AGL Compliance strategy. The role will also offer a service to all areas of Compliance including assistance with business optimisation, data analytics and AI, and change, post-implementation enhancements of strategic systems.
• There is also a key role to be played outside of the function, when group-wide projects owned by Compliance but need to be executed across the whole organisation, in order to meet regulatory commitments. This role owns the large-scale programmes to ensure group-wide execution across the bank results..

Job Description

Key Accountabilities

• Accountability: Strategy Execution (incl. Change, Digital and Data, Process and Org. Design)
• Defining and Executing Change - acts as a catalyst for change and inspires confidence in stakeholders with the quality and conviction of their vision, building support and sponsorship at all levels and ensures the need for change is embedded.
• Execution Leadership: Lead a multidisciplinary team, to ensure the successful delivery of the transformation initiatives
• Change Management: Develop and implement change management strategies to facilitate the adoption of the new business models and processes as well as the technology across the business units and functions of the bank.
• Driving Continuous Improvement and Innovation: Shapes and drives a culture of review and improvement across the organisation. Strives to continually improve business processes that impact positively on the business and uphold the values.
• Ensure functional co-ordination and delivery of all Technology and Process change programmes.
• Ensure that Data is used as a strategic asset in the effective and efficient execution of the Compliance Strategy
• Management of one Functional Book of Work that unlocks the functional delivery strategy – where required provided these services to other functions such as Legal and Internal Audit
• Ensure the Group Compliance Book of Work is aligned to that of the enterprise strategy and prioritised in line with Functional aspirations.
• Oversee the execution of the Book of Work delivery for the Function, and provide advice and counsel to Functional and Project leadership (Executive Sponsors) to ensure that the project methodology is robust and in line with Group Policy and standards.
• Ensure that the appropriate return on investment (ROI) is realised by building a culture and discipline of benefits tracking.
• Ensure that Technology solutions implemented into Compliance are fit-for-purpose, align to the bank’s architectural standards, and enable the Strategy
• Manage the transition from Project to Operations, and ensure Compliance Technology Operations are appropriately and effectively managed, and where necessary escalated to Head of Functions Technology or Chief Information Officer

Accountability:  Risk Management

• Risk Management: Identify potential risks and issues associated with the implementation and develop and manage mitigation strategies to minimise execution risk and protect business value.  Adopt the ‘Think Big, Start Small, Learn Fast’ approach to ensure that the programme never becomes too big to fail, that benefit aligns closely to investment.
• Ensure optimal and compliant operational control environment of any projects, processed or Target Operating Models implemented in the Compliance Function in line with the risk and control requirements of the Group.

Accountability:  Financial and Skills Management

• Drive the financial planning cycles for Compliance and manage costs within approved budget and work with Finance to ensure optimal efficiency.(both Strategic Investment and BAU Operating Costs)
• Spend Management: Manage the spend for the Transformation implementation, ensuring efficient allocation of resources and cost control, controlling with range, ensuring efficiency of spend.
• Ensure fund allocation is driven by the strategic imperatives, and to facilitate the achievement of the key strategic metrics committed to group
• Work with the Procurement to improve good governance and transformation in relation to the sourcing of external suppliers and vendors and the negotiation of service delivery expectations.
• Translate short and medium term business strategy into resourcing and capability needs for the Compliance Function, identify gaps, implement measures to close gaps.
• Together with the Human Capital partner, devise a Compliance talent acquisition and development strategy, measure function wide and team performance.
• Drive strategies to ensure the business unit attracts, retains and develops talent, giving due consideration to the transformation agenda.
• Develop partnerships for cooperation, talent swaps, internships etc, with other area, with a view to derive skills development in the areas which will be needed to execute on the strategy

 Accountability: Key Stakeholder Management

• Technology Partner Management : Collaborate with Tech partners to ensure smooth delivery of all strategic initiatives requiring technology, ensuring the latest and most appropriate tools are implemented, in a an agile, controlled and client-centric way
• Group Data Office Alignment : Collaborate with Group Analytics office, to ensure alignment of Data initiatives across the bank that impact Compliance, and ensure maximum collaboration across Data areas in the bank
• Vendor Management: Collaborate, lead with the partners to ensure the Transformation initiatives meets the bank's strategy, requirements and is delivered to our commitments on schedule and within budget.
• Stakeholder Communication: Maintain effective communication with key stakeholders, including AGL Executive, AGL board members, Regulator, Efficiency Exco, Operations Review Forum, Strategy Realisation Forum, Compliance Exco, ExOps and colleagues, to keep them informed about the progress and benefits of the transformation

​​​​​​​Education: (preferred)

• Degree in Science, Engineering or Commerce would be an advantage, or at least 10 years Project Management / Operational Transformation Experience

​​​​​​​Required Experience: (preferred)

• Fifteen (15) years’ experience in the Banking/Financial Services sector
• Ten (10) years’ experience Strategy Execution and Operational Transformation in Financial Services, preferably in Banking
• Ten (10) years’ experience on a senior management (Director) level in a large Corporate
• Five (5) years’ experience in Financial Crime and/or Compliance in a large regulated Financial Services institution
• Proven experience in implementing large scale Transformations within a Tier 1 Bank
• Proven track record of successfully delivering large-scale, complex, and strategic technology initiatives.
• Experience with technological advancements, digital transformation, and innovation in financial services environment.
• Change management experience preferably on a Pan African scale.

Education

• Postgraduate Degrees and Professional Qualifications: Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required)

End Date: October 6, 2025