JOBS: Financial Crime Intelligence, Surveillance and Investigations Manager at Absa Bank Limited

Job Summary

To plan, manage and monitor the implementation of risk and compliance activities and processes in order to deliver on approved operational plans in an effective and efficient manner.

Overall Job Purpose

The role will focus on Financial Crime Intelligence, Surveillance, and Investigation (FCIU) of any emerging Financial Crime-related concerns. Intelligence and Surveillance financial crime initiatives encompass proactive and reactive Financial Crime Risk mitigation initiatives.

Key Accountabilities

Financial Crime Intelligence, Monitoring & Reporting - 50%

• Surveillance and Regulatory investigations on financial crime and markets conduct to provide reliable information to businesses and stakeholders

Intelligence:

• Providing a data intelligence capability to support strategic intelligence activities; utilizing internal   & external data to undertake holistic reviews of high-risk customer segments, industries, and financial crime typologies.
• Thematic trend analysis of internal risk events (SARS/Court-Orders/Exits  
• Payment breaches).
• Support public/private partnerships with external agencies to support the   Counterterrorism and   Anti-Money Laundering agenda.

Monitoring:

• Utilize the rich sources of Customer, Transactional and Geospatial data to develop flexible rule-based profiling models to monitor and detect ongoing Financial Crime red flags.
• Undertake analytically based assessments to validate Financial Crimes compliance with key policies, controls, and regulations; and
• Monitor social media, print media, and online media publications to detect customers that are linked to adverse media and would pose a Financial Crime and Reputational risk to the firm.
• Support the MLRO in monitoring any whistleblowing trends in relation to FC matters

Reporting:

• Effectively Implement AML report suites as mandated by the MLRO and other business stakeholders
• Effective and timely STR/SAR/CTR reporting as delegated by the MLRO
• Financial Crime Investigations & Risk Assessments – 25%
• Oversee and review the monthly Financial Crime investigation statistics or reconciliation.
• Establish close working relationships with the First Line, Business, and Second-line compliance colleagues to ensure country performance on the monitoring of policies, procedures, and local regulations with regard to Financial Crime and Regulatory investigations.
• Investigate Financial Crime related concerns, end to end, by ensuring that all prescribed investigative / operating methodologies are adhered to and by conducting proper planning.
• Obtain all relevant evidence related to the Financial Crime investigation. Scrutinize/analyze this evidence and make meaningful observations/conclusions regarding the findings.
• Compile investigation reports as per the prescribed operating methodology, containing the findings of investigations.
• Ensure that each investigation has an accurate, value-adding conclusion
• Identify control issues and make meaningful recommendations.  This will include but is not limited to, system/people/process failures or internal and external threats.
• Make meaningful recommendations to the mandated officials regarding the raising of loss provisions, refunds to clients, repudiations, recovery actions, and write-offs.
• Assist line management / HR with relevant findings/documentation for use in disciplinary processes.
• Ensure that each investigation is concluded within the prescribed and acceptable time limit for the investigation.
• Inform management of any suggestions or proposals to enhance investigative methodology / operating procedure.
• Liaising and working with law enforcement agencies, professionals, and commercial organizations in this field of expertise and taking active responsibility for the outcome of Financial Crime Investigations-This includes but is not limited to co-ordination of any Financial Crime-related requests from Absa Bank of Kenya regulators and External stakeholders.

Support the MLRO in developing and embedding the FCIU’s value proposition to the business through:

• Threat assessments for the bank including from whistle blowing reports.
• Assisting in the development of typologies based on threat assessments.
• Engaging and socializing all relevant stakeholders on the results of the risk assessments.

Governance & Control – 10%

• Ensure that all activities and duties are carried out in full compliance with Regulatory Requirements, Enterprise-Wide Risk Management Framework, and internal Absa Policies and Policy Standards.
• Understand and manage risks and risk events (incidents) relevant to the role.

Stakeholder Management – 10%

• Develop key relationships with business leaders within the bank.
• Understand the needs and expectations of the stakeholders
• Be available to Management across Absa Bank
• Develop key relationships with stakeholders impacted by Financial Crime in the bank
• Develop key relationships within the Financial Crime, Investigation environment in the bank, including forensic function within the bank.
• Providing meaningful feedback to stakeholders and having regular exchanges with stakeholders

Building Professional competence - 5%

• Being aware of legal frameworks which have jurisdiction and are applicable in each investigation
• Having a working knowledge of the Financial Crime local and international legislative requirements
• Being conversant in most Financial Crime topics and recent events
• Have an existing network in the Financial Crime sector
• Knowledgeable of Financial Crime issues in Kenya
• Participating in industry forums
• Implement and control strategic initiatives

Education and Experience Required

• First degree in a relevant course obtained from a recognized University,
• Appropriate qualification/experience in a quantitative discipline such as statistics, data analytics, etc.
• Good knowledge and grasp of banking practices and the regulatory and risk frameworks.
• Strong analytical ability with the ability to consume large sets of data and identify trends.
• Stakeholder management skills.
• Strong Investigation and Communication skills.  
•  8 - 10 years of professional experience

Knowledge & Skills: 

• Knowledge of the banking environment
• Report writing
• Excellent Verbal/communication skills
• Negotiation skills
• Analytical skills
• Problem-solving (being able to see the real underlying issue in each instance)
• Sound judgment
• Deciding and initiating action

Competencies: 

• Learning and researching
• Relating and networking
• Adapting and responding to change
• Persuading and influencing
• Creating and innovating

Personal Traits:

• Confident
• Resilient
• Resourceful
• Bold
• Energetic
• Team player
• Ethical
• Able to respond to the complexity of each investigation
• have a proven track record in dealing with sensitive and complex issues

Education

• Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Business, Commerce, and Management Studies (Required)