Job Title: Lead, Head Office Operations Control
Location: Remote
Department: Internal Controls
Reports to: Head, Internal Controls
About this role
- The Lead, Head Office Operations Control is a systems thinker who is responsible for leading the assessment, monitoring, and reporting on the adequacy and effectiveness of internal controls across all head office operational functions and shared services of the Bank.
- This includes oversight of daily Core Banking GL Movements, People Operations, Real Estate & Administration, Procurement, Customer Complaints Management, Physical Security, Policy & Procedure Governance, and other non-core support functions.
- The role ensures that entity-level controls, physical asset governance, purchase-to-pay processes, complaint management workflows, and HR operational processes are adequately designed and operating effectively to mitigate risk, safeguard assets, and promote compliance with the Bank's policies and regulatory requirements.
- The Lead will manage and develop a team of Shared Service Control Officers, drive the control testing programme for head office operations, and serve as the primary liaison between the Internal Control Department and all head office support functions.
- The position requires a strong understanding of internal control frameworks — particularly COSO, ISO 31000, and relevant regulatory standards — with a focus on operational risk management, entity-level controls, and governance assurance.
Responsibilities
Oversight & Planning:
- Develop and lead the annual internal control activity plan for all head office operational functions and shared services, ensuring alignment with the Bank's enterprise risk management framework, COSO principles, the Internal Control Charter and Framework.
- Identify, assess, and prioritize risks across head office operations and design appropriate control programmes to address them.
- Serve as the primary 2LoD advisor to head office support function leaders on internal control matters, risk mitigation, and process improvement.
Control Assessment & Testing:
- Design and execute risk-based control assessments to evaluate the design and operational effectiveness of controls within daily GL Movements, People Operations, Real Estate & Administration, Procurement, Customer Complaints (L1, L2, L3), Physical Security, and other shared service functions.
- Conduct control reviews and assessments of facility, premises, property, equipment, and other physical and revenue-generating assets including POS to validate physical existence, linking their values on records (asset register) to the consolidated position on the financial statements for completeness, accuracy of valuation, depreciation, and carrying value.
- Conduct control reviews and assessments of the purchase-to-pay process, tools, stores and inventory handling; validate accounts payable (AP) metrics and report on over-aged positions in the AP GL.
- Review and assess HR processes including joiner-mover-leaver controls, background screening, payroll processing, benefits administration, and other people operations activities to validate process design adequacy and operational effectiveness.
- Assess the complaint management process and tools across L1, L2, and L3; report on the effectiveness of design and operational efficiency; create linkages that feed the IT General and Application Controls team on weaknesses noted in L3 and the E-Business and Product Control team on weaknesses noted in L2.
Entity-Level Controls & Policy Governance:
- Monitor and manage entity-level controls by overseeing the central policy and procedure repository of the Bank to promote availability, controlled access, regular updates, and revision to policies, standards, frameworks, SOPs, and allied playbooks.
- Conduct periodic attestation reviews to confirm that all policies and procedures are current, approved, and accessible to relevant stakeholders.
- Ensure that the Bank's governance documentation meets regulatory expectations and supports audit readiness.
Physical Security & Environmental Controls:
- Assess the adequacy and effectiveness of physical and environmental security controls including access controls, CCTV, UPS, fire suppression, and facility management procedures.
- Conduct periodic inspections and validate remediation of identified exceptions.
Monitoring, Reporting & Remediation:
- Develop and manage Key Risk Indicator (KRI) dashboards for head office operations that generate and analyse outlier reports on breaches of internal limits and potential control failures.
- Oversee the control deficiency remediation dashboard for follow-up and closure of open findings from control assessments, internal audits, and external examinations across all head office functions.
- Prepare and present periodic reports on the control environment of head office operations to the Head, Internal Control for the attention of Business and Function Leaders, MANCO, and FARCo.
- Conduct post-review follow-up assessments to evaluate whether all identified open findings have been sufficiently mitigated.
Team Leadership & Development:
- Lead, mentor, and develop the Shared Service Control Officers, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
- Assign and review work, provide coaching, and ensure quality standards are met across all assessments conducted by the team.
- Identify training needs and support professional development of team members.
Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement:
- Partner with People Operations, Real Estate & Administration, Procurement, Customer Support, Legal, and Compliance teams to ensure effective implementation of control activities.
- Collaborate with the Lead, Treasury and Finance Control and the E-Business Control Manager to ensure seamless coverage and avoid control gaps across overlapping processes.
- Facilitate effective communication channels to ensure relevant control and compliance information is shared with all stakeholders.
Continuous Improvement:
- Stay current with emerging operational risks, regulatory changes, and best practices in head office control and governance.
- Recommend and drive process improvements that strengthen the Bank's overall internal control maturity posture.
- Carry out any other tasks as assigned or become necessary to improve the head office control environment and the overall internal control maturity model of the Bank.
What success looks like in this role
- Establishment of comprehensive, risk-aligned control coverage across all head office operations and shared service functions.
- Timely identification, tracking, and remediation of control deficiencies to systematically elevate the organization's internal control maturity posture.
- Robust policy governance mechanisms and accurate physical asset reconciliations reflected across financial statements.
- Development of a high-performing team of Shared Service Control Officers delivering high-quality 2LoD assurance.
- Strong collaborative partnerships with cross-functional leaders to maintain high audit readiness and proactive risk management.
Experience & Background
- 6 – 8 years of proven experience in internal control assessments, operational auditing, or risk management, with at least 2 years in a supervisory or team lead capacity.
- Experience in the banking or financial services sector is strongly preferred.
- Experience in a Big Four firm conducting operational or ICFR assessments is an advantage.
- Educational Background: A Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Finance, Risk Management, or a related field. A Master's degree or MBA is an added advantage.
- Certifications: ACA, ACCA, CIA, CISA, CFE, or other relevant professional certifications. Membership of a recognized professional body is required.
Skills & Competencies:
- Internal Control Frameworks: Deep understanding and practical experience with the COSO internal control framework, ISO 31000 (Risk Management), entity-level control assessment methodologies, and familiarity with the Basle Committee Principles for Internal Control Systems in Banking Organisations.
- Operational Risk Management: Strong knowledge of operational risk identification, assessment, and mitigation across non-core support functions (HR, facilities, procurement, complaints).
- Asset & Procurement Controls: Experience in validating physical asset existence, valuation, and depreciation; strong understanding of purchase-to-pay processes and accounts payable governance.
- Policy Governance & Sector Knowledge: Proven ability to manage and maintain enterprise-wide policy repositories. Deep understanding of head office operations in a financial institution, alongside strong knowledge of SQL and Big Data handling.
- Data Validation & Analysis: Proficiency in developing control programmes and test scripts; ability to leverage data analytics for exception reporting and KRI monitoring.
- Leadership & Team Management: Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor, and develop a team of control professionals; experience in work allocation, quality review, and performance management.
- Stakeholder Management & Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills to effectively document and present assessment findings to stakeholders at various levels, including FARCo.
- Analytical & Problem-Solving: Strong analytical skills to identify control deficiencies, assess their impact, and develop practical remediation plans.
- Professional Qualities: Meticulous attention to detail, strong organizational and time management skills, commitment to continuous improvement, adaptability, and high integrity.
Why join us
- Competitive compensation, benefits, and career growth opportunities.
- Fully remote work culture and support for professional development.
Application Closing Date
Not Specified.
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online
Note: The role is Remote but a successful candidate based in Lagos would be preferable for shadow oversight.