Manager - Personal Financial Services (Compliance & Operational Risk)

Hong Leong Bank; Malaysia; On-site; MYR 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Hong Leong Bank in Malaysia is seeking a dedicated Compliance and Operational Risk professional to support the PFS portfolio. You will help maintain compliance frameworks, review SOPs, and ensure alignment with regulatory expectations in a fast-changing financial services environment.

The role emphasizes proactive risk management, training, and collaboration with Group Compliance and Hong Leong Islamic Bank.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and enforce HLB’s compliance frameworks; review and update SOPs to ensure alignment with statutory, regulatory, and internal guidelines.
• Act as the primary advisor for the assigned PFS portfolio on regulatory, compliance, and Shariah requirements (partnering with Group Compliance and Hong Leong Islamic Bank).
• Lead, execute, and monitor the compliance review plan and complete self‑assessments within the assigned portfolio to proactively spot gaps.
• Ensure accurate and timely submission of regulatory reports.
• Coordinate regulatory information requests, internal/external audit engagements, and regulatory meetings.
• Promptly track, escalate and report compliance breaches or emerging issues to senior management and Group Compliance.
• Participate in Horizon Scanning Working Committee and work closely with PFS Compliance/Cross-Division Compliance/Group Compliance to interpret new laws/regulations, assessing their impact on PFS and recommending necessary process enhancements or operational changes.
• Design and deliver customized compliance training programs for PFS department heads and team members to foster a strong compliance awareness culture.

Job description

If you are looking to excel and make a difference, take a closer look at us…

Functional (job responsibilities)

• Maintain and enforce HLB’s compliance frameworks; review and update standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure alignment with statutory, regulatory, and internal standard guidelines.
• Act as the primary advisor for the assigned PFS portfolio on regulatory, compliance, and Shariah requirements (partnering with Group Compliance and Hong Leong Islamic Bank).
• Lead, execute, and monitor the compliance review plan and complete self‑assessments within the assigned portfolio to proactively spot gaps.
• Ensure accurate and timely submission of regulatory reports.
• Coordinate regulatory information requests, internal/external audit engagements, and regulatory meetings.
• Promptly track, escal… and report compliance breaches or emerging issues to senior management and Group Compliance.
• Participate in Horizon Scanning Working Committee and work closely PFS Compliance/Cross-Division Compliance/Group Compliance to interpret new laws/regulations, assessing their impact on PFS and recommending necessary process enhancements or operational changes.
• Design and deliver customized compliance training programs for PFS department heads and team members to foster a strong compliance awareness culture.

Operational Risk

• Assist PFS business units in identifying, assessing, and evaluating major operational risks, ensuring effective risk mitigation strategies are embedded in everyday operations and SOPs.
• Drive the implementation of Group Risk Management tools, tracking attestations, remediation action plans, and risk exposure assertions across the assigned portfolio.
• Review and ensure all assigned PFS business units strictly adhere to internal outsourcing standards, policies, and procedural requirements (third party and outsourcing risk).
• Validate the adequacy, readiness, and effectiveness of Business Continuity Plans (BCP) and Disaster Recovery Plans (DRP) for supported units.
• Monitor operational risk events and ensure timely reporting and escalation in accordance with the Group Operational Risk Policy.
• Conduct targeted briefings and training sessions on operational risk tools, controls, and risk-management best practices for staff within assigned portfolio.

Managerial (team/group responsibilities)

• Drive a strong compliance and risk‑aware culture across PFS business units by embedding legal, regulatory, and internal standard guidelines into daily operations.
• Guide and coach PFS Staff within assigned portfolio to deepen their knowledge of applicable laws, regulations, operational risk frameworks, and industry best practices.

Organizational (organizational responsibilities)

• Uphold a robust 1st Line of Defense posture, ensuring transparent reporting and high data integrity when escalating risks to Senior Management and relevant Governance Committees.
• Streamline processes across assigned PFS business units to uphold the spirit of regulatory requirements while maintaining operational efficiency.
• Proactively evaluate and propose re‑engineered operational workflows within the portfolio to adapt to emerging regulatory changes and industry trends.
• Build strong, collaborative working relationships with key internal stakeholders to ensure consistent implementation and enforcement of policies.
• Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability in taking on evolving roles, special projects, or changing portfolios within the broader Compliance and Operational Risk function as business needs shift.

About Hong Leong Bank

We are a leading financial institution in Malaysia backed by a century of entrepreneurial heritage. Providing comprehensive financial services guided by a Digital-at-the-Core ethos has earned us industry recognition and accolades for our innovative approach in making banking simpler and more effortless for our customers. Our digital and physical offerings span across a vast nationwide network in Malaysia, strengthened with an expanding regional presence in Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, and China.

We seek to strike a balance between diversity, inclusion and merit to achieve our mission of infusing diversity in thinking and skillsets into our organisation. Candidates are assessed based on merit and potential, in line with our mission to attract and recruit the best talent available. Expanding on our "Digital at the Core" ethos, we are progressively digitising the employee journey and experience to provide a strong foundation for our people to drive life‑long learning, achieve their career aspirations and grow talent from within our organisation.

Hong Leong Bank (\"HLB\") stands proudly as a leading financial services institution based in Malaysia, providing a wide range of comprehensive and innovative financial solutions across the region. These services are delivered through both digital and traditional means, via online and mobile banking, as well as our digital branch concept to provide customers with an efficient and seamless experience aided by technology.

As the service and financial landscape changes rapidly with the ever‑increasing use of technology, staying attuned to customers needs and desires becomes even more critical to HLB's operations. To stay ahead of these dynamic changes, the Bank has adopted the approach of reimagining banking by embedding digital considerations and customer centricity in every aspect of our operations, from products and services as well as customer care and engagement.

HLB's ethos of being Digital-At-The-Core powered by customers-at-the-forefront will continue to lead us to innovate offerings in line with our aspiration of being a highly digital and innovative financial services organization.