Head of Governance and Controls

Role/person specification

Qualification

• Bachelor’s degree in a Business-related field
  
• Master’s Degree
  
• Full qualification from a professional body (e.g. CPA, ACCA, CISA, CRISC, FRM or similar)
  

Experience

• Minimum 10 years’ experience in governance, controls, risk, audit or assurance roles within banking or complex financial services environments
  
• Proven senior leadership experience within a risk‑intensive operating environment
  
• Experience engaging effectively with executive leadership, boards, regulators and auditors
  
• Exposure to technology‑enabled banking operations, digital transformation and change governance
  
• Experience in matrix and multi‑stakeholder environments, ideally within regional or multinational organisations
  

Controls Oversight - 30%

• Drive the implementation and management of the control framework promoting strong self-assessment culture and ownership across the operations
  
• Promote and embed risk management and control culture within business units more in Absa bank.
  
• Delivery and management of the Country Control Framework activities, primarily Critical Process Assessment and Risk and Controls Self-Assessment, including reporting and tracking of progress.
  
• Support the identification of new and emerging risks through proactive process reviews
  
• Provide support in identifying and resolving control issues and themes including managing the resolution of audit and other control issues.
  
• Drive synergies in the control framework mechanisms and identify opportunities to improve the control environment including new products and processes.
  
• Working with Operational Risk, Chief Risk Office and Internal Audit to ensure proper operational risk management.
  
• Ensure effective reporting of any noted issues, risks, and business impact of controls deficiencies and track remediation to completion
  

Governance & Reporting – 30%

• Provide strategic oversight and leadership in the tracking, monitoring, and closure of control issues and audit findings arising from Combined Assurance Reviews across the bank.
  
• Drive accountability and timely resolution of all risk and control-related actions, ensuring alignment with regulatory expectations and internal governance standards.
  
• Lead root cause analysis initiatives, ensuring lessons learned are embedded into business processes and control frameworks to prevent recurrence.
  
• Drive the Management Control Approach (MCA) and Control Environment (CE) review and reporting processes for Absa Bank Kenya, ensuring consistency, accuracy, and timely delivery.
  
• Lead the coordination and execution of Specialist Risk Type “Road to Satisfactory” plans, ensuring progress tracking and escalation of critical issues.
  
• Champion integration and synergy across control mechanisms, identifying opportunities to streamline processes and enhance the overall control environment.
  

Leadership & Team Management – 10%

• Directly manage and develop a high performing team of Control partners, providing direction, support and coaching as required
  
• Champion governance, risk and control best practice, developing an appropriate risk culture across the business
  
• Promote a culture of sound conduct and service excellence in all dealings with internal clients (and external parties as appropriate)
  

People Management - 20%

• Build and develop a high performing team through embedding performance management.
  
• Manage direct reports in terms of their performance and development, providing adequate support and direction
  
• Determine and manage Development Needs Analysis and Succession plans for direct reports.
  
• Responsible for recruiting all staff into the Controls teams in-country.
  
• Agree departmental headcount requirements with the Chief Operating and Digital Officer on an annual basis.
  
• Create a well-motivated team by providing an empowering environment for the department staff, encouraging individual ownership and initiative as well as participation in the bank’s recognition schemes.
  
• Ensure team members own and manage customer queries and complaints by taking ownership and resolving in a timely manner. Act as the escalation point for unresolved queries and complaints.
  
• Develop the skills, knowledge, and awareness of staff through delivery of relevant trainings for the team members.
  
• Act as a role model and drive pro-active application of Absa values throughout the team, including establishment of common goals and objectives.
  

Business Networking Management - 10%

• Maintain high standards of Business Relationships and Networking to ensure value realisation for the business through accountable Business partners and stakeholders.
  
• Oversee the delivery of the assurance monitoring programme (i.e. review of monitoring controls and reporting on control breakdowns and required improvements.
  
• Represent Controls in key business forums, providing insightful and relevant commentary on material controls topics.
  
• Work in conjunction with Group in relation to changes and/or improvements to Policies and overarching Control Framework, ensuring relevance and applicability for the business.
  
• Agree targets and take accountability for the overall achievement of performance objectives for the team in terms of Employee satisfaction, Customer experience, Cost performance and Continuity.
  
• Responsible for cost management for the team driving cost saving initiatives.