Head: Group Combined Assurance

Group Head of Combined Assurance is responsible for overseeing the development, implementation, and maintenance of an integrated assurance program that provides reasonable assurance to the Board, Executive Committee, and other stakeholders on the effectiveness of the banking group's governance, risk management, and internal control processes.

• Design and implement a comprehensive and risk-based combined assurance (CA) strategy that aligns with the Absa’s overall risk appetite and objectives and ensures that all assurance activities are integrated and coordinated.
• Develops the combined Assurance Policy in support of the groups Enterprise Risk Management Framework.
• Leads in the agenda setting for Group Combined Assurance Oversight Committee.
• Develops and implements the assurance methodology and provides quality assurance embedment for Risk.
• Provide oversight on the activities of the assurance providers (internal audit, compliance, and risk management functions as well as business unit first line risk and control teams), to ensures alignment with the combined assurance strategy, and that the results are effectively communicated to the Head of Governance, Risk and Control, the Group Chief Risk Officer, the AGL Exco and the Board.
• Liaise with external audit and regulatory supervisory teams to ensure that their activities are effectively integrated into the combined assurance planning cycle, and that their recommendations are adequately addressed.
• Ensures that the combined assurance program is sufficiently robust to identify emerging risks and respond to changes in the internal and external environment.
• Foster a culture of risk awareness and assurance excellence within the organization by promoting the importance of combined assurance and the value it adds to the business.
• Ensures sustained CA planning and reporting processes.
• Monitors and reports on the effectiveness of the combined assurance program to the Head of Governance, Risk and Control, Chief Risk Officer, senior management, and the Board, and make recommendations for improvements as necessary.
• Builds a combined assurance reporting capability that clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of controls that have undergone assurance testing.
• Act as point of escalation on matters relating to interpretation of CA policies and risk assurance standards including clarity on group combined assurance strategy embedment across the group.
• Continually assesses the combined assurance community of practice to ensure the organization has the necessary skills, resources, and support to effectively carry out its assurance objectives.
• Leads the design, sustainability, and enterprise-wide embedment of a Group Combined Assurance methodology, enabling structured cross-functional reliance and integrated assurance outcomes across the Group.

• B Degree
• Professional certification in auditing, risk management, internal audit or related fields (e.g. CA(SA), CIA)
• Minimum of 15 years’ assurance experience with at least 5 years in a leadership role
• Combined assurance experience essential
• Management/ leadership experience required
• A minimum of five years’ financial services experience
• Strong Understanding of Banking regulations and Industry best practices related to risk management and internal control