Head of Independent Review

Job summary.

• To lead the Independent Review function, providing objective and independent assurance over key banking activities, portfolios, and processes. The role delivers effective advice and challenge to business and risk decisions, assesses the adequacy of preventive, detective, and corrective controls and actions, and enhances the bank's overall risk governance framework.

Job description

Strategy, Planning, and Governance:

• Develop the Annual Credit and Non-Credit Review Plan based on risk assessments, historical high-risk issues, audit findings, and regulatory requirements.
• Ensure alignment with the bank's risk profile, governance expectations, and emerging risk landscape.
• Submit the plan to Direct Reporting Management (Head of CORM and CRO) for review and endorsement prior to presentation to ROC and acknowledgement by the BoD.
• Manage and monitor execution of the approved plan, ensuring delivery within agreed timelines and quality standards.
• Propose adjustments to the plan due to emerging risks, regulatory changes, or management requirements, following appropriate governance and approval processes.

Independent Review, Advice, and Challenge

• Lead and oversee independent reviews across credit and non-credit areas, providing objective assurance, as well as independent advice and constructive challenge to business and risk decisions.
• Assess the adequacy and effectiveness of preventive, detective, and corrective controls and actions, identifying control gaps, policy deviations, and emerging risks.
• Provide independent opinions on customer debt classification and provisioning, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and internal policies.

Quality Assurance and Review Outcomes

• Ensure high-quality review execution by:
• Conducting robust root cause analysis
• Identifying systemic issues and control weaknesses
• Delivering practical, actionable recommendations, including preventive, detective, and corrective actions
• Lead exit meetings with management to validate findings, agree on root causes, and secure commitment for remediation within defined timelines.

Issue Management and Remediation Oversight

• Monitor and follow up on implementation of agreed action plans to ensure timely closure and effective risk mitigation.
• Challenge remediation actions where necessary to ensure adequacy, sustainability, and alignment with risk appetite.
• Drive improvements in credit and non-credit processes to enhance control effectiveness and minimize risk exposure.

Reporting, Escalation, and Governance Oversight

• Prepare and present quarterly review results to management, providing independent insights, key findings, and systemic risk themes.
• Report progress against the approved review plan on a quarterly basis to Direct Reporting Management, prior to submission to ROC and acknowledgement by the BoD.
• Promptly escalate material issues, serious compliance breaches, or control deficiencies to Direct Reporting Management for further escalation to senior management or relevant committees.

Stakeholder Engagement and Communication

• Act as the primary contact point for regulators and external auditors in relation to Independent Review matters.
• Ensure transparent, consistent, and professional communication with internal and external stakeholders.

Risk Awareness and Continuous Improvement

• Promote a strong risk culture by sharing lessons learned from significant issues with relevant stakeholders.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of the bank's control environment, review methodologies, and risk governance practices.

Qualifications.

• Master's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in credit risk, internal and/or external audit within the financial services or consulting industry.
• Minimum 5 years in a leadership role, with proven experience in managing teams and leading independent review, audit, or assurance functions.

Strong experience in:

• Credit review / credit risk management
• Operational risk or control testing
• Audit, assurance, or regulatory-related roles
• Experience in leading teams, influencing stakeholders, and driving change initiatives

Personal Characteristics:

• Strong leadership capability

Skill:

• Strong capability in leveraging technology-enabled and data-driven approaches to enhance the efficiency, productivity, and coverage of Independent Review activities
• Ability to translate data insights into practical, actionable recommendations to strengthen controls and risk management.
• Analytical & Problem-Solving Skills
• Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to:
• Analyze complex data and processes
• Identify root causes and systemic issues
• Develop effective solutions to reduce risk and improve efficiency
• Strong focus on risk-based thinking and continuous improvement.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to:
• Collaborate effectively across different business units
• Provide independent advice and constructive challenge to senior management
• Communicate complex issues clearly to executives and Board-level committees

Knowledge:

• Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements related to credit risk and operational risk management in banking (e.g., BOT, Basel frameworks).
• Solid understanding of:
• Banking products and services
• Regulatory compliance requirements
• Risk and control processes, including internal control frameworks
• Familiarity with governance structures and risk oversight practices
• Practical knowledge or experience in:
• Data analytics tools for full-population testing, trend analysis, and risk identification
• Robotic Process Automation (RPA) to streamline repetitive review, testing, and monitoring processes
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Machine Learning concepts for anomaly detection, pattern analysis, and predictive risk insights
• Dashboarding and data visualization tools for timely and actionable management reporting

Other Qualification:

• Professional certifications such as CPA, CIA, FRM, or other relevant certifications in risk management, audit, data analytics, or project management are preferred.