Head of Advisory – Compliance

About the role

The Head of Advisory – Compliance at Vice President level leads the Compliance Advisory function as an independent second-line business partner for Absa Bank (Mauritius) Limited. It oversees a team of Compliance Business Partners delivering integrated, risk-based advice across Financial Crime Compliance, Compliance, Conduct Risk and Regulatory Risk, and reports to the Head of Financial Crime Compliance & MLRO.

Key responsibilities

• Provide independent second-line advice, challenge and oversight, and recommend conditions, mitigants or escalation where risk is not adequately managed
• Lead the team, set its strategy, priorities and operating model, and allocate work by risk, complexity and business priority
• Resolve business advisory queries across FCC, Compliance, Conduct and Regulatory Risk, and oversee intake, triage, escalation and service levels
• Contribute to policies, standards and internal controls, and to legal and regulatory change processes
• Support regulatory examinations, audits and Board reporting, and maintain an audit trail of advice and escalations
• Engage early with business stakeholders on strategy, products and channels, and agree pre-launch and post-launch conditions
• Monitor compliance risks, challenge first-line risk assessments and escalate material breaches
• Own the advisory training and awareness plan, and produce management information and timely reporting of financial crime risks

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Law or a related field; a Master's degree or postgraduate qualification is advantageous
• Extensive experience in compliance, financial crime compliance, conduct, regulatory and risk management, including leading teams and advising senior stakeholders in a regulated financial-services environment
• More than 10 years in financial crime compliance and risk management, with 5 years in a similar senior leadership role
• Relevant professional certification in compliance, AML/CFT, financial crime, conduct risk or risk management preferred

Required skills

• Strong analytical skills and ability to interpret complex regulations
• Broad knowledge of banking regulation, FCC, conduct and customer outcomes
• Strategic thinking, written and verbal communication, prioritisation, coaching and governance reporting
• In-depth knowledge of AML/CFT, sanctions and fraud prevention regulations