Onafriq is an omnichannel network of networks, making borders matter less by providing our partners with a single pathway to unlock the full power of cross-border and cross-platform payment solutions.
With a network spanning 41 African markets, Onafriq connects over 1 billion mobile money wallets, 300 million bank accounts, and 200,000 agents in Nigeria, enabling domestic and cross-border disbursements and collections, card issuing and processing, agency banking, and treasury services.
By connecting global and regional enterprises, mobile money operators, money transfer operators, banks, fintech's, and online and offline merchants, supported by world-class regulatory and compliance capabilities and a strong regional presence in 10 offices in Africa, and others in the UK, US, and China, Onafriq is ushering in a new era of access for people across the African continent and beyond.
The Role
We are recruiting a seasoned Risk professional who will lead and grow our operational risk management function, providing proactive, effective, and context-adapted guidance across the Onafriq Group. This role will ensure robust risk oversight, regulatory horizon scanning, and a forward-looking approach to operational risk management. The role will also be central in driving risk culture across the Group and embedding the use of risk appetite statements as a practical monitoring and decision-making tool.
As a member of the Enterprise Risk Management team, the Head of Operational Risk will report to the General Counsel & Group Chief Risk Officer.
Duties and Responsibilities:
Operational Risk Management
Lead the Operational Risk function for the Onafriq Group, aligning with the Group Enterprise Risk Management framework.
Implement and maintain an operational risk management framework covering all current and future business activities across the Group.
Build, embed, and oversee an Operational Risk Management framework with appropriate monitoring, escalation, and reporting structures.
Draft and roll out operational risk management policies, procedures, and supporting documentation.
Monitor the effectiveness of operational risk frameworks to ensure alignment with business strategy and regulatory requirements.
Oversee the implementation and maintenance of the Risk Control Self Assessments (RCSA) process across the Group, ensuring consistent risk identification, assessment, and mitigation across functions.
Ensure each function develops and maintains a risk profile including key risk indicators, internal/external loss data, issue/control logs, and risk/control matrices.
Facilitate periodic reviews of risk appetite statements, ensuring they remain relevant to Onafriq's evolving strategy, and embed them into business decision-making and performance monitoring.
Liaise with internal and external auditors, providing up-to-date matrices and following up on findings.
Review and report on operational loss incidents and ensure appropriate remediation.
Drive oversight of product risk development, including the identification and management of risks inherent in new products, features, and business models.
Report regularly to Executive Management and the Board on material risks, exposures, and the adequacy of mitigation.
Maintain and oversee the Company's risk register, incident log, and fraud log, ensuring clear ownership and accountability.
Own and coordinate the Company's insurance portfolio, and incorporate it into the overall operational risk approach, as a risk transfer method, This includes claims tracking and settlement support.
ISO Oversight & Security/Resilience
Oversee and support certification, compliance, and ongoing alignment with ISO 27001 (Information Security Management) and ISO 22301 (Business Continuity Management) across the Onafriq Group.
Ensure ISO frameworks are integrated into operational risk processes, tested regularly, and embedded into business functions.
Lead assurance activities on security, resilience, and access control as part of operational risk oversight.
Provide strong leadership on data privacy, ensuring the Onafriq Group meets Group-wide and jurisdictional obligations.
Conduct Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIA), Legitimate Interest Assessments, and vendor due diligence reviews.
Respond to queries from internal/external stakeholders on privacy matters, ensuring alignment with GDPR, NDPR, POPIA, and other applicable frameworks.
Drive the culture of privacy by design, embedding privacy principles into product and process development.
Work with in-country DPOs and Group Privacy teams to ensure policy harmonization, awareness, and compliance.
Risk Culture
Lead the development and embedding of a strong risk culture across Onafriq, ensuring that risk awareness and accountability are integrated into daily business activities.
Design and roll out Group-wide initiatives such as risk awareness training, "Pause and Reflect" campaigns, and function-level workshops to strengthen ownership of risk.
Ensure risk management is not only a control function but a core part of Onafriq's culture, values, and decision-making.
Monitor cultural indicators (survey results, training participation, audit outcomes, RCSA quality) and report on progress to Executive Management and the Board.
Business Continuity Management (BCM)
Design, implement, and oversee a Group-wide Business Continuity Management (BCM) program, including awareness and training initiatives.
Lead the design and testing of BCM plans, crisis response procedures, and recovery strategies.
Ensure alignment with ISO 22301, with periodic drills and independent testing.
Qualifications & Skills
Bachelor's degree in business, commerce, law, or related field.
Postgraduate qualification in Risk, Compliance, or related discipline.
Minimum 10 years in senior risk and compliance leadership roles, with proven board/executive interaction.
Demonstrable expertise in operational risk, product risk management, risk culture implementation, risk appetite integration, data privacy, and ISO framework oversight.
Experience implementing ISO 27001 and ISO 22301 programs preferred.
Strong leadership in risk and compliance within financial services, including regulatory engagement.
Ability to balance strategic risk leadership with operational execution.
Skilled in leading teams across diverse functions and jurisdictions.
Strong communicator with the ability to engage senior stakeholders and drive cultural change.
Desired skills:
Superior communication skills in English, both written and oral
Relationship builder who is comfortable managing the interests of multiple stakeholders
Able to work in a complex, high paced environment, and handle ambiguity effectively
Attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy in all work activities.
Data analytics proficiency.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, Power BI and Jira.
You will be a good fit if you are:
A trusted confidant with strong emotional intelligence who can build relationships quickly and understand the perspective of others
A great listener and strong communicator across diverse stakeholder groups
A diligent closer with dedicated and timely follow-through
Able to manage and deliver on multiple work streams simultaneously whilst ensuring that their work product is of a high standard
Able to drill down into the detail, as well as pull back and see the bigger picture
Ready to take on new types of work without prior experience or direct supervision
Motivated by the growth of others
An excellent relationship builder who can effectively handle conflict when it arises
Comfortable with ambiguity and can operate effectively in a fast-paced and changing environment
Why work for us:
We work at the very cutting edge of fintech in Africa.
We solve relevant problems for Africa and the world in hope of continuing to make an impact on the millions, if not billions, of users who also believe in what we do.
We have a very diverse work environment with over 28 nationalities represented and continually strive to build a culture of caring and execution.
We operate a flexible working and unlimited leave policy.
We offer a competitive salary package and bonuses.
* We prioritize the overall well-being of our staff through various initiatives aimed at ensuring they reach their full potential in a supportive environment.
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