Group Lead, Financial Risk Assurance

GENERAL JOB INFORMATION
Job Title : Group Lead, Financial Risk Assurance 
Reports to : Group Executive - Internal Audit & Management Services
Job Grade : 6B
Direct Reports : Group Managers and Senior Group Officers within Financial Risk Assurance audit team 
 

JOB PURPOSE
To lead and direct Financial Risk Assurance (FRA) across the Group, ensuring effective assessment and assurance over the adequacy, effectiveness, and alignment of the Group’s financial risk management framework. This includes Credit Risk, Operational Risk, Market Risk, Liquidity Risk, Model Risk, and other financial exposures. The role supports the Group Executive, Internal Audit & Management Services, by delivering high-quality audits, risk reviews, and advisory services, enhancing risk management practices across the Group and aligning them with international standards and regulatory expectations.

JOB CONTEXT
Ecobank Transnational Incorporated operates in a dynamic, fast evolving, and multi-jurisdictional banking environment across more than 30 African countries. The position, therefore, requires a deep understanding of pan-African banking environments, advanced risk management practices, and the ability to influence change across multiple geographies.
The candidate will have to exhibit integrity, diversity, flexibility and objectivity. They should have good insights and instincts, ability to proactively identify key risks and challenges, build trust and partnership with various stakeholders.
The person will have the responsibility to ensure that control weaknesses in Credit, Operational, Market, Liquidity, Foreign Exchange and Model risk areas are properly identified and monitored.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1.    Financial Risk Assurance Reviews/Audits
•    Establish a framework to ensure effective reviews of Credit Risk, Market Risk, Operational Risk, Liquidity Risk, FX Risk, Model Risk and other key Financial Risks across the Group.
•    Develop robust audit programs and testing procedures for Financial Risk Assurance reviews across the Group.
•    Ensure audits and reviews are risk-based, comprehensive, and aligned with related Group policies, Basel and regulatory standards.
•    Provide assurance on the adequacy of risk mitigation strategies and internal control frameworks.
•    Identify risk concentrations, control weaknesses, and recommend practical, value-adding solutions.
•    Champion best practices in Risk Management, and propose developments and initiatives to help ensure risks are properly identified, evaluated and appropriate controls built in.
•    Ensure adequate monitoring and maintain ongoing oversight on Credit Risk, Market Risk, Operational Risk, Liquidity Risk, FX Risk, Model Risk and other key Financial Risks across the Group.
•    Lead change in processes/approach and automation/digitization of audit processes related to different areas of Financial Risk Assurance.
•    Ensure geographies are equipped with sufficient skills required for decent coverage of Financial Risk Assurance.

2.    Risk Management and Compliance
•    Independently evaluate the design and operating effectiveness of the Group’s financial risk management framework.
•    Validate the consistency and appropriateness of risk assessment methodologies and reporting practices.
•    Ensure compliance with internal policies, external regulatory requirements and established international standards for managing emerging risks.
•    Advise the Group Executive, Internal Audit & Management Services on emerging financial risks, industry developments, regulatory trends and their implications for the Group's assurance strategy.
•    Leverage insights from investigations, regulatory examinations, supervisory reviews, external audit observations and thematic reviews to continuously strengthen Financial Risk Assurance across the Group.
•    Partner with Group Risk Management and Group Business leaders to promote a strong risk culture and governance.

3.    Audit Planning, Execution, and Follow-up
•    Develop and execute financial risk audit programs designed to meet the bank’s strategic needs, thoroughly covering all key risk areas and guiding the collection of relevant data, documentation review, and communication of operational improvements
•    Contribute to the development of the annual Group Audit Plan by identifying emerging Financial Risk priorities, thematic reviews and areas requiring specialist assurance.
•    Lead audit teams across the network to ensure decent coverage of Financial Risk in the planning, fieldwork, reporting, and issue resolution phases.
•    Coordinate Group-wide thematic Financial Risk Assurance reviews involving multiple affiliates to assess systemic risks and promote consistent assurance across the network.
•    Identify opportunities for cross-affiliate reviews to assess common risks, benchmark practices and identify systemic control weaknesses across the Group.
•    Deliver insightful reports to senior management and the Audit Committee.
•    Maintain ongoing engagement with stakeholders to stay informed of changes and new initiatives, sharing audit perspectives on risk identification and mitigation.
•    Leverage existing tools to drive continuous auditing in the areas of Credit, Market, Operational, Liquidity, FX and Model risk or other financial risk areas.
•    Evaluate and verify that controls meet established assurance objectives, maintaining working paper evidence of control examinations.
•    Follow up and report implementation by management of corrective actions from previous audits.
•    Evaluate progress, address any lingering issues, and ensure continuous improvement
•    Align audit plan to the bank’s strategy.
•    Ensure execution of audit plan as approved by ETI Board of Directors.
•    Ensure timely rendition of audit reports.
•    Carry out Issue Assurance audit to ensure effective resolution of audit findings and implementation of audit recommendations.
•    Perform periodic internal audit assessment and ongoing monitoring of internal audit performance.
•    Manage the budgets and costs of all the activities for which they are accountable.
 

4.    Investigation & Consulting
•    Support teams with technical skills required for investigations in financial risk areas such as Credit Risk, Market Risk, Operational Risk, Liquidity Risk and FX Risk
•    Provide consulting services for policy/process reengineering, business transformation, new product risk reviews, and capital adequacy assessments.
•    Serve as a subject matter expert on financial risk during internal or external engagements.
 

5.    Leadership & Development
•    Lead and mentor a team of senior financial risk auditors within Group Internal Audit and Management Services and across the Group affiliates.
•    Foster a high-performance, collaborative, and inclusive work culture.
•    Build technical and leadership capabilities within the audit team through coaching and training.
•    Promote innovation in audit methodologies, digital tools and use of artificial intelligence to build efficiency in the audit process.
•    Promote the highest standards of ethics and standards across the organization based on the principles of integrity, objectivity, competence and confidentiality
 

6.    Group Oversight of Clusters and Affiliates
•    Develop and maintain the Group Financial Risk Assurance strategy, ensuring alignment with GIAMS' strategic objectives, the Group Risk universe, emerging risks and regulatory expectations.
•    Drive the standardization of Financial Risk Assurance methodologies, audit programs, testing approaches and reporting practices across all affiliates and regions.
•    Own the Financial Risk Assurance methodology across all affiliates. 
•    Provide functional oversight of Financial Risk Assurance activities performed by Regional Cluster Heads and Affiliate Heads of Internal Audit. 
•    Review and challenge the adequacy of audit coverage across all regions. 
•    Approve or review Financial Risk audit programs used throughout the Group. 
•    Ensure consistency of audit quality and reporting across all affiliates. 
•    Monitor execution of Financial Risk audits across the network. 
•    Review significant Financial Risk findings before issuance where appropriate. 
•    Maintain a Group view of emerging Financial Risk themes. 
•    Identify systemic issues across affiliates and escalate to the Group Executive. 
•    Coordinate specialist resources across regions. 
•    Assess capability gaps within each cluster. 
•    Develop Financial Risk audit standards and guidance. 
•    Lead communities of practice across Financial Risk auditors. 
•    Perform quality assurance reviews of Financial Risk engagements conducted in affiliates. 
•    Ensure consistent application of IIA Standards across the network. 
•    Report periodically to the Group Executive on: coverage, audit quality, emerging risks, overdue issues, resource capacity, AI adoption, maturity of Financial Risk Assurance across the Group.
 

7.    AI, Automation and Digital Audit Transformation
•    Develop and implement an AI-enabled Financial Risk Assurance strategy across the Group.
•    Drive continuous auditing through automation, AI agents and advanced analytics.
•    Develop reusable audit analytics covering Credit Risk, IFRS 9, Treasury, Market Risk, Liquidity Risk and Operational Risk.
•    Establish continuous monitoring dashboards using internal and external data.
•    Lead implementation of AI-assisted planning, testing, working papers, issue identification and report drafting.
•    Promote predictive risk assurance rather than periodic assurance.
•    Identify opportunities for Generative AI and Agentic AI throughout the audit lifecycle.
•    Partner with Technology, Data and AI teams to build reusable assurance capabilities.
•    Define data requirements to enable automated assurance across affiliates.
•    Establish standards for responsible AI use within Internal Audit.
•    Measure productivity improvements from AI and automation.

SKILLS REQUIRED
 

Experience
•    At least 15 years of experience in financial services, with a minimum of 10 years in audit, risk management, or control functions.
•    Proven leadership experience in managing regional or Group-wide audit/risk teams in a banking or financial institution context.
•    Exposure to multi-country regulatory and risk environments.
•    Strong listening skills and ability to identify gaps in logic – inquisitive 
•    Acts as a Team Player - Collaborate and support colleagues and peers across the organization, while still being able to work independently when needed. 
 

Knowledge and Skills
 

Technical Expertise
•    Deep expertise in Credit, Market, Liquidity, Operational, and Model Risk.
•    Solid knowledge of Basel II/III, IFRS 9, ICAAP, ILAAP, and stress testing frameworks.
 

Risk Management and Audit
•    Strong understanding of risk assurance principles and internal audit methodologies.
•    Experience conducting complex risk-based audits.
•    Excellent understanding of Risk-Based Audit principles and the ability to fully comply with IIA (Institute of Internal Auditors) standards.
•    Solid understanding and ability to apply risk and control concepts in the areas of Credit, Market, Liquidity, 

Operational, and Model Risk
•    Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify gaps in logic and an inquisitive mindset to challenge the status quo.
•    Detail-oriented yet able to quickly grasp the big picture, adopting a three-dimensional approach in identifying key risks and controls.
 

Leadership and Management
•    Demonstrated ability to manage and inspire diverse, geographically dispersed teams.
•    Skilled in navigating matrix reporting structures and influencing senior stakeholders.
 

Communication and Interpersonal Skills
•    Exceptional communication skills both written and verbal.
•    Confident in presenting audit findings to executive management.
 

Other Requirements
•    Strong project management, organizational, and time management skills.
•    High professional and ethical standards.
•    Strong skills in negotiating, relationship building, problem solving, and timely problem escalation. 
•    Demonstrate a positive, can-do attitude
 

Qualifications
•    Master's degree in accounting, finance, economics, or related field.
•    Professional certification such as CIA, CPA, ACCA, FRM, or CFA will be an advantage
•    Not required, but a plus: MBA or other relevant advanced management degree

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES
•    Strong leadership and team management skills.
•    Strategic thinker with excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
•    Proactive and results-oriented, with strong decision-making capabilities
•    High integrity and professional ethics
•    Culturally sensitive with the ability to work across multiple African markets
•    Resilient under pressure and able to handle ambiguity and change
•    Demonstrates leadership presence and inspires confidence at all levels
•    Excellent written and oral communication skills 
•    Excellent time management and organizational skills 
•    Good interpersonal skills.