Senior Forensic Specialist: Investigations

Overall Purpose of the Role:

The role of the specialist is to perform an SME role in minimising the impact of financial crime and integrity misconduct through timeous high quality investigative interventions on significant matters that has a financial impact on the bank and its customers. The SME must be able to investigate, lead and provide guidance in all types of investigations, such as card fraud, merchant acquiring fraud, application fraud across all types of products as well as internal investigations

Responsibilities:

• Carefully Plan and scope all investigations to ensure focus.
• Control, Secure and reference evidence obtained during the investigation.
• Implement and maintain an agreed risk based methodology for the prioritisation and management of investigations
• Proactively work with stakeholders to identify, evaluate, record and action to reduce or close risks in line with the Banks Operational Risk framework.
• Lead the resolution of complex investigations leveraging appropriately skilled resourcing from your team and from the virtual community.
• Act as escalation point for customers and team members, providing ad hoc expert advice, support and guidance as required.
• Implement and maintain agile processes and procedures to support the continuous improvement of the investigations function.
• Develop and maintain appropriate domestic and international industry benchmarking and reporting processes that identify the relevant issues and make sound judgements, conclusions and recommendations relating to those issues.
• Proactively work with stakeholders to identify, evaluate, record and action to reduce or close risks in line with the Banks Operational Risk framework.
• Ensure case management is of adequate standard and accuracy and maintained in the case management system in line with agreed performance levels.

Internal and External Client / Customer Service

• Collaborate with peers, technology partners, risk communities, business units and customers in providing a professional, independent and objective investigations function.
• Develop and maintain strong contacts with industry, regulatory and law enforcement personnel to support the objectives of the Investigation team.
• Deliver within agreed service level agreements/objectives with customers of the Investigation functions services.
• Effectively manage customer and stakeholder expectations in relation to the delivery of services relative to the Investigations function.

Contribution to Business / Profit 

• Maintain operations in line with the Bank’s Strategy.
• Identify, analyse and interpret the information required to track performance of Investigation function.
• Develop and promote a culture of continuous improvement and productivity by identifying cost savings, process improvements associated with the Investigations function.

Manage operations in line with budgets.

• Initiate, manage and lead the delivery of consulting assignments and management reviews. Leadership / Management
• Influence and embed innovation, knowledge management, thought leadership and trust and team spirit into the Bank’s culture.
• Contribute to the success of the Investigation function by coaching and developing others through sharing own knowledge and experiences, challenge constructively and by seeking the views of others within the team with a view to supporting the quality of investigation work and the learning of others.

Risk Management / Compliance

• Ensure risks are properly identified, evaluated, recorded and mitigating action plans are monitored, and escalation of significant issues occurs in line with agreed escalation procedures.
• Actively contribute to the identification, escalation and mitigation of potentially systemic control weaknesses
• Contribution to development investigation procedures, contribution to defining training and professional standards
• Promote the continuous improvement of risk related awareness, ensuring that issues are escalated as appropriate and resolved.
• Ensure escalation of risk issues to a higher level of management for information or decision as appropriate
• Ensures all compulsory training assessments are completed as per Bank requirements
• Show leadership in developing an appropriate risk culture within your team including implementing efficient and effective controls to manage business risks and comply with due date with respect to any identified issues (self, risk, audit or externally identified)

 

Manage key relationships

• Build relationships within the business community to ensure an understanding of fraud strategies and operations.
• Build relationships with other external stakeholders to ensure effective collaboration and cooperation in the fight against fraud (e.g. SABRIC, Other Bank, Police, Payment Schemes)

Experience Required:

• Deep understanding of South Africa’s banking industry, culture, regulatory structures, and customers.
• Good Understanding of Merchant acquiring, card and other retail banking product related investigations. Good letter and report writing skills and vocabulary
• Experience in dealing with customer complaints
• At least a Minimum 5 years’ experience in Forensic Field Investigation.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Good time management and project management skills
• Excellent analytical skills
• Knowledge and practicable experience of performance management, budgeting,
• Exceptional people leadership capability with the ability to inspire and motivate people

Qualification/s Required:

• A tertiary degree or Diploma in either in Risk management or relevant experience or Other diplomas, certificates, or training courses in Fraud, Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) qualification would be an advantage