Operational Risk Specialist: Sustainability Risk at Absa

Job Summary

To provide specialist advice and support in area of specialisation enabling the effective implementation of risk frameworks.

Job Description

• Facilitating implementation of the environmental and Social Sustainability Framework across the bank;

• Working in collaboration with Group Risk Management for protecting the bank from material environmental and social (including climate risks) risks i.e. direct risks (own operations and procurement) and indirect risks (environmental credit, collateral, or reputational risks);

• Provide support and technical guidance to group business functions on Sustainability

• Conduct research on environmental and social sustainability aligns to best practice and to ensure Absa stays abreast of developments

• Recommendation, implementation and integration of environmental, climate change risks and social controls, policies and procedures into various processes in the bank (e.g. prioritization of UN Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Climate Agreements, target setting and related disclosures);

• Provision of specialist input and recommendations on environmental and social aspects of more sensitive or complex nature);

• Engaging with industry associations (e.g. Banking Association of South Africa, United National Environmental Finance Initiative, etc.) and other opinion formers (e.g. lobbying on emergent environmental and social legislation, such as the National Environmental Management Act, Climate Change legislation and best practice, etc.) and

• Ensure implementation of Principles for Responsible Banking Framework, in accordance with the internationally recognised industry standard requirements, formulating and documenting science based targets, as publicly adopted where applicable;

• Ensure implementation of appropriate Group Sustainability Framework policies throughout various business units and refinements are made to policies on an annual basis;

• Ensure that the annual Sustainability assurance is conducted as required by various internal and external frameworks to close out any findings and implement corrective action timeously;

• Review and assess a variety of sector case referrals to establish the Sustainability (environmental and social considerations and provide specialist input, guidance and clear, concise, commercially aware recommendations to business;

Business Transformation    (10%)

• Research, analyse, monitor and interpret developments in the Sustainability arena, to understand potential risk, legal, ethical, regulatory and practical implications and develop appropriate response as necessary to ensure best practice for benchmarking and enhancement purposes e.g. development of processes and tools to address key risks in new environmental and social regulations.

• Proactively identify areas where business would benefit from additional guidance and identify opportunities for positive impact;

Stakeholder  Management  and  Reputational  Enhancement  (20%)

• Absa Group Limited is a member of the United Nations Environmental Programme Finance Initiative. Ensure active participation in working groups;

• Contribute to the content of environmental and social reports for internal or external stakeholders;

• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues across Absa (e.g. wholesale credit, legal, CRES, Procurement and corporate citizenship staff and provide expert guidance and support as appropriate;

• Engage with peer group banks and multi-lateral FIs in the ongoing development and refinement of industry Sustainability standards;

• Maintain dialogue and network with relevant opinion formers, to understand key areas of interest and expectation;

Grow  Talent  and  Capability  (15%)

• Provide direction, development and guidance to staff members in Sustainability Risk to help staff to bridge any financial industry, product, environmental risk management, internal processes or other knowledge gaps;

• Raise general staff awareness and develop training on Sustainability (environmental & social) and related strategy considerations  through development of learning programs, formal training of staff and various internal learning academies;

• Research, develop and maintaining new tools, techniques and processes to enable business areas and risk teams to place greater reliance on self-analysis.

Drive   Performance   (15%)

• Manage Sustainability as a commercial business partnership, ensuring minimal incremental or unjustified cost or delay to transactions and processes;

• Quality assure input by environmental specialists to ensure that conclusions and recommendations are commercial, risk and Sustainability focused in alignment to Absa’s strategic objectives;

• Act as the conduit to commissioning and defining the work of consultants, ensuring shared trust and respect, by using a flexible approach to obtain mutual understanding of general Sustainability requirements between the bank and the consultants, in order to minimise potential liabilities and costs within set timescales ;

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