Human Resources Risk Specialist, Africa at Standard Chartered Bank

The Role Responsibilities
Strategy:

• Develop and lead the delivery in the AME region of the HR Risk roadmap, priorities and milestone plan, aligned to the standards / requirements in support of the Group’s strategy and in line with the Enterprise Risk Management Framework (“ERMF”).
• Keep abreast of developments in the risk management landscape and apply learning to HR’s risk management practices. Coordinate with counterparts in other functions / business lines across the AME region to ensure a consistent, best practice and collaborative approach.
• Continuously evaluate and provide clear, balanced advice and leadership to senior management on the HR risk implications of business strategies and programmes, and the cost benefit analysis of risk remediation.
• Play a leadership role on regulatory projects and change initiatives, ensuring appropriate risk management strategies are in place.
• Positively influence and ensure effectiveness of HR Non-Financial Risk Team Meetings (NFRTM) in AME, upholding the integrity of HR risk / return decisions.

Risk Type Frameworks:

• Ensure the HR Process Universe is well understood and embed process ownership across AME.
• Ensure there is a clear articulation of the framework for managing the First and Second Line activities of HR.
• Lead the review of existing risk-based processes and the development of new risk-based processes where gaps have been identified. Lead the alignment of these processes to HR policies, ensuring the revised suite of policies clearly articulate the roles and responsibilities of both the First and Second Lines of defence.
• Lead the implementation of the ERMF across HR in the AME region, ensuring it is effectively embedded across all product areas (including HR Process Universe, controls and control effectiveness, policies and policy assurance, process risk assessments).
• Ensure that risks are properly assessed, and control cost / benefit decisions are made transparently and controlled in accordance with the Group’s standards and Risk Tolerance.
• Act as an adviser over the aggregate level of risk in HR AME that arises from end to end processes. Lead the design of effective controls and the systematic monitoring of process control effectiveness and compliance with applicable laws and regulations.
• Continuously monitor and provide leadership and oversight of HR’s Non-Financial risk profile and the effectiveness of the risk mitigation in place. Provide a comprehensive view of (1) the material risks facing HR and (2) the material HR risks facing the Bank, ensuring that risk assessment and reporting is comprehensive and accurate.
• Lead Policy and Standard owners in creating, maintaining and ensuring the effective deployment across AME of Group HR Policies and Standards. Ensure alignment to and compliance with policy governance standards.
• Lead the roll out of process risk assessments, scenario analysis and stress testing for HR.
• Drive and promote an effective and exemplary risk and control culture (aligned to the Group’s risk appetite), with appropriate escalation.
• Lead updates to senior HR management.
• Ensure that all members of the HR function across AME are aware of their risk management responsibilities through leadership, communication and training.
• Act as the primary liaison between Country Operational Risk and HR, ensuring effective First and Second Line of defence coordination and integrated risk assessment.
• Collaborate with colleagues across HR to ensure continuous improvement in HR to strengthen the control environment.

Information & Cyber Security:

• Act as the single point of contact for the HR, HICS on ICS activities (including information assets) across AME and coordinate with Country HR colleagues
• Provide any country specific treatment plans after coordination within HR
• Represent the Regional Head, HR on the ICS Working Group for AME

Audit, Compliance and Risk Reviews:

• Lead risk based internal control reviews within HR and proactively influence / inform Country Internal Audit and Compliance planning (formal audits, risk reviews).
• Lead internal, external and regulatory audits and compliance reviews: support HR and Audit teams with their engagement, the management of audit activities, the reporting of audit findings and the management and closure of all audit findings. Ensure timely response to and implementation of any audit points / issues raised.
• Ensure lessons learned and best practices are shared across HR, and a central repository of audit points / observations and reports is in place.

Governance:

• Ensure that the Non-Financial Risk Team Meetings in AME are exercising their responsibilities effectively and the requisite information flows are in place and working effectively.
• Embed the Group’s values and code of conduct and ensure adherence with the highest standards of ethics, and compliance with relevant policies, procedures and regulations forms part of the culture.

Regulatory & Business Conduct:

• Display exemplary conduct and live by the Group’s Values and Code of Conduct.
• Take personal responsibility for embedding the highest standards of ethics, including regulatory and business conduct, across Standard Chartered Bank. This includes understanding and ensuring compliance with, in letter and spirit, all applicable laws, regulations, guidelines and the Group Code of Conduct.
• Effectively and collaboratively identify, escalate, mitigate and resolve risk, conduct and compliance matters.

People and Talent:

• Ensure that resources and infrastructure are adequate to support the management of risk within HR.
• Drive an environment of performance, collaboration and compliance, to ensure issues are raised and blockages are resolved in a timely manner.
• Provide forward-looking leadership to ensure HR Risk is positioned to meet the challenges of the future.
• Champion and act as a role model of the Group’s values and culture.  
• Actively contribute to and raise the overall professional competence of the broader HR function. 

Key Stakeholders:

• Regional Head, HR, AME
• Regional Management Team, AME
• Country Heads, HR across AME
• HR Management Teams (AME region)
• Senior Operational Risk Officer, Functions, AME countries
• Country Compliance Team (AME countries)
• Audit Teams (AME countries)

Our Ideal Candidate

• 7+ years of experience in aspects of HR Services, HR Operations, Risk & Compliance management.
• Certifications on risk and compliance preferred.
• Understanding of Hub/Spoke model, Shared Service Centre environment,
• Investigatory mindset, ability to analyse problems & processes based on data sets.
• Ability to work effectively across functions/businesses, cross team collaboration.