Group Executive: Head of Governance

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time.

Job Summary

Group Governance is accountable for enabling effective, consistent, and value‑adding governance across the Group’s pan‑African operations. Reporting to the Group Chief Governance Officer (GCGO), the role provides strategic leadership, integration, and oversight of enterprise‑wide governance frameworks, Board and committee processes, and governance standards.
The role translates the Group’s governance strategy, regulatory obligations, and corporate governance principles into practical, fit‑for‑purpose frameworks, policies, standards, and operating processes that enable consistent implementation across subsidiaries, geographies, and Group functions. Acting as a governance integrator, the role ensures alignment between regulatory expectations, stakeholder confidence, and the Group’s cultural and business philosophy.

Job Description

Key Accountabilities

1. Enterprise Governance Strategy & Frameworks

• Lead the design, implementation, and continuous enhancement of the Group’s enterprise‑wide governance frameworks, ensuring alignment to King IV, applicable regulatory requirements, and international best practice.
• Translate governance strategy into practical policies, standards, delegations, and operating models that are scalable across diverse African jurisdictions.
• Ensure governance frameworks remain proportionate, pragmatic, and aligned to the Group’s risk appetite and strategic objectives.

2. Board and Committee Governance

• Provide governance oversight of Group Boards, Board committees, and key subsidiary governance forums to ensure effective decision‑making, role clarity, and accountability.
• Strengthen Board and committee processes, charters, calendars, mandates, and information flows to support effective oversight and regulatory confidence.
• Partner closely with Group Company Secretariat and Legal to ensure seamless coordination of governance activities.

3. Regulatory Alignment & Stakeholder Confidence

• Act as a key governance interface with internal and external stakeholders, ensuring governance practices meet regulatory, supervisory, and stakeholder expectations.
• Enable consistent interpretation and application of governance‑related regulatory requirements across jurisdictions.
• Anticipate emerging governance and regulatory trends and proactively embed them into Group frameworks.

4. Governance Integration Across the Group

• Act as the integrator across governance‑related disciplines (Legal, Compliance, Risk, Secretariat, Ethics, Conduct, and ESG) to ensure alignment and avoid fragmentation.
• Drive consistency while allowing for local regulatory, cultural, and operational nuances across African markets.
• Enable governance uplift in subsidiaries through guidance, support, and shared standards.

5. Culture, Ethics, and Governance Maturity

• Promote a culture of ethical leadership, accountability, and responsible decision‑making in line with the Group’s values.
• Embed governance principles into leadership practice, conduct frameworks, and organisational capability.
• Support the maturity of governance practices beyond compliance toward performance‑enabling governance.

6. Oversight, Assurance, and Continuous Improvement

• Monitor governance effectiveness through defined metrics, reviews, and assurance mechanisms.
• Identify governance gaps, risks, and inefficiencies and implement targeted improvements.
• Ensure governance processes are efficient, sustainable, and continuously improved in response to business and regulatory change.

Minimum Requirements

Qualifications

• Postgraduate qualification in Law, Governance, Risk Management, Finance, or a related field
• Professional certification in governance (e.g. Chartered Governance Professional) advantageous

Experience

• Minimum 12–15 years’ experience in governance, legal, regulatory, or risk environments within financial services
• Proven experience operating at executive or senior leadership level in a complex, multi‑jurisdictional organisation
• Demonstrated exposure to Board and executive governance within a regulated banking environment
• Experience across African markets preferred

Critical Competencies

• Enterprise governance design and implementation
• Executive and Board influence
• Regulatory interpretation and application
• Strategic integration and systems thinking
• Pragmatic problem‑solving within regulatory constraints
• High ethical judgement and discretion
• Cultural intelligence and stakeholder management

Education

Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.

Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised