Head : Fraud Controls & Fraud Regulatory Compliance

Edge Executive Search Group; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1 100 000 - 1 500 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading African bank is seeking a Head of Fraud Controls & Fraud Regulatory Compliance. This senior leadership role involves designing and governing fraud control frameworks, ensuring adherence to regulatory standards, and embedding a proactive fraud risk culture. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in fraud controls within financial services, a strong ability to influence stakeholders, and hold relevant degrees or certifications. This role is pivotal in safeguarding the organization against financial and reputational risks.

Qualifications

• Extensive senior-level experience in fraud controls or regulatory compliance.
• Strong expertise in first-line-of-defence with a control-focused orientation.
• Deep understanding of enterprise risk management and audit processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead fraud control and regulatory compliance across Fraud Solutions.
• Design and govern fraud control and quality assurance frameworks.
• Ensure adherence to Group Risk policies and regulatory requirements.
• Manage budgets and fraud loss reporting within risk appetite.
• Influence fraud risk policies and standards.

Skills

Leadership

Fraud controls expertise

Regulatory compliance

Risk management

Stakeholder influence

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business or related

MBA or relevant certifications

Job description

A senior leadership opportunity at the forefront of fraud risk management within a leading African bank. This role is critical in shaping, governing, and strengthening first-line fraud control frameworks across a complex financial services environment.

Reporting at VP level, the Head of Fraud Controls & Fraud Regulatory Compliance is accountable for providing strategic direction, oversight, and independent challenge to ensure that fraud risk management practices are robust, compliant, and aligned to enterprise risk standards. The role operates as a key first line of defence, focusing on preventative controls, regulatory adherence, quality assurance, and governance rather than investigative execution.

You will work closely with Group Risk, Compliance, and Fraud leadership to influence policy, drive assurance outcomes, and embed a strong risk culture across Fraud Solutions. This includes ownership of control frameworks, audit readiness, regulatory engagement, and continuous improvement initiatives that protect the organisation from financial loss, regulatory sanction, and reputational damage.

Our client is a prominent pan-African banking group with a strong focus on governance, risk discipline, and sustainable growth. The organisation operates in a highly regulated environment and is known for investing in senior talent that can balance commercial outcomes with rigorous risk control.

What You’ll Do

• Lead first-line fraud control and fraud regulatory compliance across Fraud Solutions
• Design, implement, and govern fraud control, quality assurance, and business assurance frameworks
• Ensure adherence to Group Risk policies, ERM standards, and regulatory requirements
• Partner with Group Fraud, Operational Risk, and Compliance to influence fraud risk policies and standards
• Oversee audit, assurance reviews, and management control assessments
• Maintain fraud risk registers, dashboards, and mitigation plans
• Provide oversight on POPIA, data privacy, and business continuity inputs
• Manage budgets, cost optimisation, and fraud loss reporting within risk appetite
• Act as an independent voice in challenging processes, governance, and control effectiveness

What You Bring

• Extensive senior-level experience in fraud controls, fraud risk governance, or regulatory compliance within financial services
• Strong first-line-of-defence expertise with a preventative and control-focused orientation
• Deep understanding of enterprise risk management, regulatory frameworks, and audit processes
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and operate independently
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Commerce, or a related field
• MBA or relevant risk/fraud certifications advantageous

What Success Looks Like

• Robust, auditable fraud control frameworks embedded across Fraud Solutions
• Consistently strong audit and assurance outcomes
• Reduced regulatory, operational, and reputational risk exposure
• A mature, proactive fraud risk culture aligned to enterprise standards