Prudential PLC

PSA| Associate Director – Lead, Group Operations Risk

Kuala Lumpur (Group Head Office) Full time

Prudential’s purpose is to be partners for every life and protectors for every future. Our purpose encourages everything we do by creating a culture in which diversity is celebrated and inclusion assured, for our people, customers, and partners. We provide a platform for our people to do their best work and make an impact to the business, and we support our people’s career ambitions. We pledge to make Prudential a place where you can Connect, Grow, and Succeed.

Job Description

  • Enables first-line Operations Risk capability, authoring Group-wide control standards,
  • coordinating and providing assurance, governing issues and incidents enabling audit readiness/closure of audit deliverables  
  • Acts as primary interface with Group Risk and Internal Audit -Operates through a hub-and-spoke model to uplift control effectiveness and transparency across LBUs, with consolidated reporting through PRISM/eGRC.
  • Author and maintain Group Operations Risk policies, standards and control libraries aligned to Group frameworks and regulatory expectations.
  • Develop assurance playbooks detailing sampling methods, evidence requirements, monitoring cadence, and validation guidelines for LBUs, including Read across
  • Provide design-time support & challenge to major initiatives to ensure controls are embedded effectively and proportionately.
  • Harmonize Ops Controls with Group ORM and NFRM framework
  • Own the central issue log, ensuring accurate categorization, robust RCA, and sustainable remediation.
  • Publish aging dashboards and thematic insights; operate escalation routines for overdue or high-risk items.
  • Ensure end-to-end data quality and completeness in PRISM, including evidence and closure verification.
  • Coordinate first-line inputs, evidence and follow-up with Internal Audit and Group Risk without influencing audit outcomes.
  • Track closure of audit findings and ensure linkage to control standards and assurance playbooks
  • Run the incident governance cadence covering classification, RCA, remediation tracking, and reporting of losses/near misses.
  • Lead thematic post-incident reviews and read-across across LBUs; ensure lessons learned are embedded.
  • Prepare quarterly updates for Group Risk/Executive committees on Ops risk posture, incident/issue themes and forward-looking exposures.
  • Lead cross-LBU engagement using the hub-and-spoke operating model and contribute to the Group Business Controls Report (Ops chapters).
  • Coach LBUs on control effectiveness, evidence quality, and issue closure expectations.
  • Foster a proactive risk culture and build a community of practice for Ops risk across markets.

Job Requirement

  • 10–15 years of experience in Operational Risk, Internal Controls, Operational Resilience, or first-line assurance preferably within insurance or financial services.
  • Proven experience at Group or regional level, operating across multiple markets, preferably in a hub-and-spoke governance model.
  • Demonstrated leadership in policy/standards authorship, control framework design, and assurance methodologies.
  • Hands-on experience with issue/incident governance, RCA, KRI frameworks, dashboards, remediation oversight, and governance reporting.
  • Exposure to regulatory frameworks relevant to insurance operations (e.g., MAS OR, OJK, BNM, Operational Risk principles).
  • Preferred Relevant academic background in Risk, Compliance, Operations, Business, or related fields.
  • Deep understanding of the IIA Three Lines Model, operational risk taxonomy, internal control principles, and assurance techniques.
  • Strong familiarity with PRISM or equivalent eGRC platforms, including data quality, workflows, issue/incident modules, and reporting.
  • Ability to review, challenge, and uplift BCP/DR practices, resilience frameworks, and change readiness.
  • Excellent analytical skills and comfort with dashboards, data-driven insights, KRIs/KCIs, and thematic risk analysis.
  • Influential stakeholder manager capable of engaging Group Risk, Internal Audit, Group COO, LBU COOs, and cross-functional governance teams.
  • Ability to lead through influence, operate with 1st/1.5 line mindset, and reinforce independence boundaries.
  • Strong communication and governance presence, with the ability to convert complexity into simple, executive-ready insights.

 

Prudential is an equal opportunity employer. We provide equality of opportunity of benefits for all who apply and who perform work for our organisation irrespective of sex, race, age, ethnic origin, educational, social and cultural background, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, disability or part-time / fixed-term work, or any other status protected by applicable law. We encourage the same standards from our recruitment and third-party suppliers taking into account the context of grade, job and location. We also allow for reasonable adjustments to support people with individual physical or mental health requirements.