Senior Manager: Special Investigation Unit

Absa Group; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial institution in Johannesburg is seeking a Financial Crime Investigation Unit Manager to oversee strategic compliance and operational implementation of financial crime mitigation procedures. The ideal candidate has a strong background in investigations, compliance, and stakeholder management. This role offers a unique opportunity to enhance investigative methodologies and contribute significantly to the institution's mission amid evolving financial regulations.

Benefits

Equal opportunity employer

Comprehensive training programs

Qualifications

• Experience in financial crime investigations.
• Strong understanding of regulatory requirements.
• Proven track record in stakeholder engagement.

Responsibilities

• Develop tactical strategy for financial crime investigations.
• Conduct thorough investigations and report findings.
• Provide management with relevant and timely information.

Skills

Analytical skills

Stakeholder management

Compliance knowledge

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor's Degrees in Business, Commerce, or Management Studies

Job description

Overview

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

To develop tactical strategy and delivery plans, formulate associated practice and to ensure operational implementation and adoption across a single practice i.t.o. risk methodology, governance and delivery objectives

Job Description

• Be accountable and take responsible for all aspects of the Financial Crime Special Investigation Unit (“FCSIU”), Report review, Transaction Monitoring Report review and reporting. The incumbent will be responsible for implementing the strategic direction and appropriate intelligence-led FCSIU activity across the Absa Group (South Africa and the Absa Regional Operations (“ARO”) countries) (“Group”) to ensure a top in class capability which enables the Group to appropriately manage financial crime and terrorist financing risk and which ensures the Group is compliant with all related regulatory, policy and standards
• Data collection and analysis for effective investigation
• Be client centric
• Manage and perform detailed investigations relating to Anti Money Laundering from various sources
• Ensure that all investigations are conducted to such a standard that they are fully compliant with regulatory requirements, as well as all internal Absa Policies and Policy Standards.
• Obtain all relevant evidence related to an investigation. Scrutinise / analyse this evidence and make meaningful observations / conclusions regarding the findings
• Assess all findings in order to establish trends and escalate all issues of a significant nature to the appropriate stakeholders on a timely basis (as and when these occur) and through various meetings and reports (content presentation, accuracy, quality and completeness are important)
• Ensure that each investigation is of high quality, accurate, value adding conclusion, for the type of investigation being conducted
• Meet investigation timelines as per the 90-day SLA in line with the prioritization matrix guidelines
• Ensure that investigations that are referred by internal and external stakeholders are completed within applicable timelines and feedback is provided timeously.
• Ensure adherence to defined Financial Crime Special Investigation Unit process guidelines and procedure manuals including filing of STR/SAR’s within SLA, submission of governance packs within defined timelines).
• Make meaningful recommendations for the various types of investigations. This will include, but is not limited to system / people / process failures
• Inform management of any suggestions or proposals to enhance investigative methodologies
• Inform management immediately of any new trends which have been identified during investigations for further escalation to stakeholders and or feeding into the Eco-system forum
• Accountability: Reporting and Governance
• Action all requests received in respect of internal and external stakeholder i.e., Sections 27, 29, 32, 34 and 35 of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) Act, Fraud Solutions, CIB, Law enforcement etc.
• Analyse alerts in order to determine whether a suspicious and unusual transaction report should be submitted to the FIC in terms of the Financial Intelligence Centre Act.
• Report and escalate all AML compliance risks and issues arising from businesses promptly and appropriately in accordance with Group and local legal and regulatory requirements
• Inform management regarding AML compliance matters which may pose financial or reputational risks for the business
• Provide appropriate information to management on a daily, weekly and monthly basis by collating appropriate, accurate and reliable MI.
• Be able to identify risks, strategies and closing systematic gaps and reporting this to management
• Collecting data to effectively produce write ups such as position papers, investigation presentation slides etc, to be delivered to business, senior leadership, governance structures
• Be able to identify risks and systematic gaps, emerging trends and risk as well as identifying remediation strategies

Accountability: Stakeholder Management

• Identify, understanding and responding to internal stakeholder’s matters within our scope of investigation
• Build and maintain meaningful relationships with both Internal and External Stakeholders, business, in-country Financial Crime teams (Customer Desirability Risk Management, Assurance, Absa Internal Audit, CIB, FIC, SARB, SIU, SABRIC SAMLIT etc.) with the aim of understanding their needs
• Implement established escalation processes for significant issues and concerns raised so as to manage the culture of "no surprises"
• Maintain professionalism in all verbal and written communication with stakeholders. The professionalism requirement also extends to personal appearance as well as adherence to acceptable business ethics
• Discuss emerging or current issues with local and in-country teams and escalate or resolve these issues where possible
• Implement established escalation processes for significant issues and concerns raised so as to manage the culture of "no surprises"
• Maintain professionalism in all verbal and written communication with stakeholders. The professionalism requirement also extends to personal appearance as well as adherence to acceptable business ethics
• Discuss emerging or current issues with local and in-country teams and escalate or resolve these issues where possible

Accountability: Reporting and Governance

• Ensure that all requests received in respect of Sections 27, 29, 32, 34 and 35 of the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) Act are actioned
• Analyse alerts in order to determine whether a suspicious and unusual transaction report should be submitted to the FIC in terms of the Financial Intelligence Centre Act.
• Report and escalate all AML compliance risks and issues arising from businesses promptly and appropriately in accordance with Group and local legal and regulatory requirements
• Inform management regarding AML compliance matters which may pose financial or reputational risks for the business
• Respond promptly to information requests from South Africa Business, the Regional MLRO, Country MLRO’s and Financial Crime Units
• Provide appropriate information to management on a daily, weekly and or monthly basis by collating appropriate, accurate and reliable MI to feed into the Key Risks Indicators / Dashboard, Suspicious Transaction Monitoring Report (STR), Quality Assurance / Reviews of TMR’s etc.
• Reviews Presentation slides to be submitted to pre-governance for decision
• Reviews Transaction Monitoring Reports (TMR’s) to ensure investigations completed by the team contains sufficient information for reporting to the FIC
• Conducts Quality Checks on reports post GoAML submission to ensure completeness
• Attend all Financial Crime related governance forums and provide valuable input, guidance and problem resolution.

People Management

• Take decisions and lead the team in respect of the recruitment of staff and HR related matters pertaining to the area under control.
• Ensure that an appropriate training programme is designed and approved by the Head: FCISU and that all newly appointed Investigators are trained in Absa's policies and procedures that are relevant to the FCSIU.
• Provide guidance to all Investigators with regard to complex investigations.
• Participate in the development, distribution and regular review of the training material and processes related to the FCSIU.
• Encourage team members and peers to participate in team building initiatives to nurture a co-operative one team ethos within Financial Crime and FCSIU.

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