Head of Legal and Compliance - Absa Bank Ghana

We, Absa Group are seeking to recruit an experienced senior management level legal and compliance professional to join the Absa family as Head of Legal and Compliance.

The job holder will be responsible for managing the Ghana legal and compliance function, providing strategic focus and direction with the aim of implementing and maintaining a fit-for-purpose operational framework across

the bank. In addition, the job holder will ensure effective management of regulatory relationships and oversight of the legal and company secretarial function in-country to achieve an effective control of legal risk and discharge of company secretarial functions.

Key Accountabilities

• Establish and implement a consistent operating framework for the identification, management, monitoring and reporting of country legal and compliance risks and issues.
• Responsible for ensuring that the operating framework is embedded consistently in-country to meet internal and statutory requirements.

• Deliver valued advice and guidance to management on all legal and compliance issues.
• Participate in the development of processes, policies and procedures designed to reduce legal risk and/or increase the efficiency of Absa Bank Ghana Ltd.
• Participate in the development and implementation of relevant legal and compliance training for business, support areas and other members of the legal and compliance function.
• Deliver an appropriate review mechanism to assess reputational risk before it is assumed.

Essential Requirements

• Solid knowledge, understanding and appli, 3tion of Regulatory Compliance.
• Must be called to the Ghana Bar and a member of the Ghana Bar Association.
• 15 years post qualification experience with a minimum of 10 years financial institution experience, five of which must be in senior management.
• Flexibility to appreciate commercial objectives of the business, coupled with an ability to independently and constructively challenge senior management, peers or other colleagues where appropriate, to insist upon adherence to the highest standards of business practice and ethical behaviour and to the requirements of relevant authorities.
• Tact and sensitivity as well as strength and authority are important.
• Incisive analytical ability to resolve and minimize legal risk issues and new product legal issues.
• Must have influencing and negotiation skills.
• Autonomous decision making - ability to take major legal decisions and conduct negotiations for and on behalf of the bank.
• Ability to design and conduct technical/upskilling programmes.
• Good understanding of global standards of best practice and shared objectives in the role of the financial system in tackling money laundering, terrorist financing, proceeds of crime and other financial crime ^a
  Ability to make a real contribution in a rapidly changing environment and thrive on change and the need to learn rapidly.