Head, Chief Operating Office & Enterprise Risk Oversight

Standard Bank Group is a leading Africa-focused financial services group, and an innovative player on the global stage, that offers a variety of career-enhancing opportunities – plus the chance to work alongside some of the sector’s most talented, motivated professionals. Our clients range from individuals, to businesses of all sizes, high net worth families and large multinational corporates and institutions. We’re passionate about creating growth in Africa. Bringing true, meaningful value to our clients and the communities we serve and creating a real sense of purpose for you.

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.

• 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.

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