Vp, Ombuds And Ethics (L12)

Synchrony; Remote; ZAR 400 000 - 500 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial services company in South Africa is seeking a Vice President for Ombuds and Ethics. This strategic role involves providing leadership in ethics and compliance, managing risk, and ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements. The ideal candidate will have over 8 years of experience in financial services, with strong skills in communication, risk assessment, and data analytics. The position offers work flexibility designed for balancing engagements with teams in different time zones.

Benefits

Work from home flexibility

Best-in-class employee benefits

Career advancement opportunities

Qualifications

• 8+ years of financial services experience or 10+ years in lieu of a degree.
• 5+ years in ethics, risk management, operational risk and compliance.
• Proven experience managing Ombuds programs and/or Compliance frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for the Ombuds and Ethics Program.
• Develop and oversee risk management strategies.
• Enhance compliance frameworks through governance and risk assessments.

Skills

Ethics management

Risk assessment

Regulatory compliance

Communication skills

Data analytics

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree or master's degree in relevant field

Tools

eGRC platforms

Tableau

SAS

Excel

Job description

Role Title

VP, Ombuds and Ethics (L12)

Company Overview

Synchrony (NYSE: SYF) is a premier consumer financial services company delivering one of the industry's most complete digitally enabled product suites. Our experience, expertise and scale encompass a broad spectrum of industries including digital, health and wellness, retail, telecommunications, home, auto, outdoors, pet and more. We have recently been ranked #2 among India's Best Companies to Work for by Great Place to Work. We were among the Top 50 India's Best Workplaces in Building a Culture of Innovation by All by GPTW and Top 25 among Best Workplaces in BFSI by GPTW. We have also been recognized by AmbitionBox Employee Choice Awards among the Top 20 Mid‑Sized Companies, ranked #3 among Top Rated Companies for Women, and Top‑Rated Financial Services Companies. We offer % Work from Home flexibility for all our Functional employees and provide some of the best‑in‑class Employee Benefits and Programs catering to work‑life balance and overall well‑being. In addition to this, we also have Regional Engagement Hubs across India and a co‑working space in Bangalore. We offer Flexibility and Choice for all employees and provide best‑in‑class employee benefits and programs that cater to work‑life integration and overall well‑being. We provide career advancement and upskilling opportunities, focusing on Advancing Diverse Talent to take up leadership roles.

Organizational Overview

Synchrony's Risk Team provides independent oversight of Synchrony's risk‑taking activities to ensure safety and soundness, meet regulatory and legal requirements, and manage risks to the risk‑appetite of the Board. Risk is responsible for independently assessing, quantifying, and overseeing risks and providing effective challenge. Risk serves as Synchrony's Second Line of Defense. Overall, Risk Team oversees and manages the Risk Program to support the business in anticipating and addressing risks, issues and challenges. Results are consistent with the respective strategic uses and complying with related overall risk, risk testing policies, standards, procedures as well as regulations. Our Risk organization consists of 4 pillars: Compliance, Credit & Financial Risk, Enterprise Risk and Operational Risk. Each of the pillars play a vital role in managing Risk and supports the business in anticipating and addressing risks, issues, and challenges.

Role Summary / Purpose

We are seeking an experienced and strategic Vice President to provide leadership and oversight of the Ombuds and Ethics Program in the Risk & Compliance function. This role requires deep expertise in ethics, risk management, regulatory compliance, reporting / analysis, and ombuds services. Reporting to the VP Ombuds & Ethics Leader, the candidate will steer the design, implementation, and continuous enhancement of comprehensive ethics and compliance programs that protect the organization's integrity, promote a culture of transparency, and mitigate risk across all business units.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction and oversight for the organization's Ombuds Office, ensuring effective, confidential, and impartial resolution of employee concerns and conflicts.
• Develop and oversee enterprise‑wide ethics and compliance risk management strategies to identify, assess, and remediate potential risks in alignment with corporate policies and regulatory requirements.
• Drive the design, implementation, and ongoing enhancement of compliance frameworks, including governance, risk assessments (RCSAs), RAQs, regulatory exams, internal Audit, issue management, eGRC, and change management initiatives.
• Lead efforts to refresh and optimize the Ombuds and Ethics program by identifying operational efficiencies and developing a quality assurance (QA) process.
• Emphasize data‑driven approaches to enhance program effectiveness and transparency through robust reporting mechanisms.
• Foster a strong ethics culture by promoting awareness programs, training, and communications that reinforce organizational values and support employee engagement.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership and the Board on ethics, compliance risks, and mitigation strategies.
• Collaborate closely with cross‑functional partners—including Legal, HR, Audit, and Business Units—to ensure consistent application of compliance standards and ethical practices.
• Support the oversight of ethical investigations to ensure thoroughness, impartiality, and timely resolution while maintaining confidentiality and compliance with all relevant laws and standards.
• Utilize data analytics and eGRC tools to monitor program effectiveness, perform quality assurance reviews, identify trends, and prepare comprehensive reports for senior leadership.
• Partner with team members who lead day‑to‑day operations and direct management of compliance professionals, providing strategic guidance and support as needed.
• Lead the organization’s engagement with external audits and regulatory examinations related to ethics and compliance.
• Champion continuous improvement initiatives to enhance operational efficiency and strengthen risk mitigation capabilities across the compliance function.

Required Skills / Knowledge

• Bachelor's degree / master's degree and 8+ years of financial services experience and 10+ years financial services experience in lieu of a degree.
• Minimum 5+ years of progressive experience in ethics, risk management, operational risk, and compliance, with at least 5 years in leadership roles.
• Proven expertise in managing Ombuds programs and / or Compliance framework within complex, regulated environments.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements, industry standards, and best practices in ethics and compliance functions.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to influence at all organizational levels, including Ombuds Committee.
• Demonstrated ability to provide strategic oversight for investigations and manage sensitive, confidential matters with discretion.
• Experience using eGRC platforms and data analytics tools to support compliance monitoring, quality assurance, and reporting.
• Strategic thinker with strong problem‑solving skills and a solution‑focused mindset.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across complex, matrixed organizations and influence without direct supervisory authority.
• Proficient in data reporting and analysis using tools such as Tableau, SAS, and Excel to create accurate, insightful reports that support business decisions.

Eligibility Criteria

• Bachelor's degree / master's degree and 8+ years of financial services experience and 10+ years financial services experience in lieu of a degree.
• Minimum 5+ years of progressive experience in ethics, risk management, operational risk, and compliance, with at least 5 years in leadership roles.

Work Timings

This role qualifies for Enhanced Flexibility and Choice offered in Synchrony India and will require the incumbent to be available between 06 : 00 AM Eastern Time – 11 : 30 AM Eastern Time (timings are anchored to US Eastern hours and will adjust twice a year locally). This window is for meetings with India and US teams. The remaining hours will be flexible for the employee to choose. Exceptions may apply periodically due to business needs. Please discuss this with the hiring manager for more details.

For Internal Applicants

Understand the criteria or mandatory skills required for the role, before applying. Inform your manager and HRM before applying for any role on Workday. Ensure that your professional profile is updated (fields such as education, prior experience, other skills) and it is mandatory to upload your updated resume (Word or PDF format). Must not be any corrective action plan (Formal / Final Formal). L10+ Employees who have completed 18 months in the organization and 12 months in their current role and level are only eligible. Employees at L10+ can only apply for this opportunity.

Grade / Level: L12

Job Family Group: Risk Management

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