Head of Compliance: Enterprise Corporate Functions at Absa Bank Limited

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time.

With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

Job Summary

Absa Group is seeking a senior, highly credible Head of Compliance: Enterprise Corporate Functions (ECF) to lead regulatory compliance across the Group’s core enterprise functions, including Risk, Finance, Technology, Internal Audit, Human Capital, and Group Marketing & Corporate Affairs.

This role is accountable for embedding compliance by design across Enterprise Corporate Functions, ensuring regulatory integrity while enabling scalable, efficient and future‑fit enterprise operations.

The successful candidate will shape how regulatory requirements are designed into enterprise processes, operating models, platforms and governance, moving the organisation toward forward‑looking, data‑enabled and preventative compliance approaches.

The role plays a critical part in protecting Absa’s licences, managing regulatory risk, maintaining ethical standards, and strengthening Absa’s regulatory posture across South African, Pan‑African and relevant international frameworks.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

Regulatory & Technical Leadership

• Act as Subject Matter Expert (SME) for allocated legislation and frameworks including, but not limited to, the Banks Act, FICA, POPIA, FSCA/COFI and Basel‑related frameworks.

• Provide authoritative, principles‑based regulatory interpretation and compliance advisory to executive management, governance forums and functional leadership.

• Lead regulatory change impact assessments and translate regulatory developments into clear, actionable and defensible business requirements.

• Support effective engagement with regulators and supervisory bodies (e.g. SARB, FSCA), in collaboration with Group Compliance leadership.

• Draft high‑quality technical opinions, regulatory interpretations and supporting documentation with strong auditability.

Enterprise Compliance Oversight & Enablement

• Provide compliance leadership and oversight across Enterprise Corporate Functions, aligned to Absa’s Enterprise Risk Management Framework (ERMF).

• Drive the design and embedment of compliance by design, integrating regulatory requirements into enterprise processes, platforms and governance.

• Influence enterprise initiatives, operating model changes and technology implementations to ensure compliant delivery at speed.

• Partner closely with the central Compliance Change & Transformation team to ensure consistency, adoption and scalable outcomes.

Compliance Risk Management & Assurance

• Lead risk‑based compliance risk assessments and thematic reviews across ECF, with a focus on forward‑looking and emerging risks.

• Shift compliance practices from manual oversight to data‑enabled, preventative and predictive approaches where possible.

• Support audit, assurance and Combined Assurance activities, addressing findings through root‑cause remediation and sustainable control improvements.

• Ensure compliance risks and insights meaningfully inform enterprise decision‑making and governance conversations.

Governance, Reporting & Stakeholder Engagement

• Provide clear, concise and decision‑useful compliance reporting to senior management and governance committees.

• Escalate significant risks, breaches and control weaknesses in line with internal protocols.

• Act as a trusted advisor to executive management and senior stakeholders, positioning Compliance as a strategic enabler.

• Foster strong collaboration acr

People Leadership & Capability Building

• Lead and develop a high‑performing Compliance advisory team supporting Enterprise Corporate Functions.

• Build future‑fit compliance capability aligned to the Compliance Professional of the Future, emphasising regulatory expertise, judgement, data literacy, digital fluency and commercial awareness.

• Drive a culture of ownership, ethical conduct, quality and disciplined execution.

Role Requirements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Law, Finance, Risk Management or a related discipline (Master’s degree or LLB preferred).

• Deep knowledge of South African financial legislation and enterprise‑level compliance frameworks.

Experience

• 10–15 years’ experience in banking regulatory compliance, with 3–5 years in a senior compliance leadership role within a complex financial services environment.

• Proven track record acting as an SME for major regulatory frameworks and engaging credibly with regulators.

• Demonstrated ability to deliver executive‑level regulatory interpretation, compliance advisory and risk judgement.

• Experience embedding compliance into enterprise operating models, processes, platforms or transformation initiatives.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong principles‑based regulatory judgement and decision‑making under ambiguity.

• Deep understanding of enterprise operating models, shared services and non‑customer‑facing domains.

• Executive‑level influencing and stakeholder engagement capability.

• Data literacy and strong appreciation of automation, digital tools and AI as compliance enablers.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with credibility at senior and regulatory levels.

• Proven people leadership capability, with a strong coaching and development orientation.

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