A significant position for an Operational Risk Manager was announced in January 2026 by ABSA Bank Tanzania, a well-known financial organization with strong ties to Africa and worldwide connectivity. Within the bank’s larger Risk Management department, this position, which is situated in Dar es Salaam’s commercial center, plays a crucial defensive and enabling role.
The current banking environment is complicated, ranging from cyberthreats and digital fraud to changes in regulations and ineffective procedures. As the main designer of the bank’s safety net, the Operational Risk Manager makes sure that every transaction, product, and procedure is protected by a strong control environment. Under the motto “Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together,” ABSA is looking for a specialist who can combine technical expertise with the forward-thinking leadership needed to overcome the financial obstacles of 2026.
- Overview of the Role: Operational Risk Manager
Identification, evaluation, and mitigation of risks resulting from internal processes, personnel, systems, or external events fall within the purview of the Operational Risk Manager (ORM). Operational risk concentrates on the “how” of banking—making sure the bank’s “plumbing” functions properly—as opposed to credit risk, which is the danger of a loan not being repaid.
| Feature | Details |
| Organization | ABSA Bank Tanzania |
| Location | Dar es Salaam, Tanzania |
| Reporting Line | Chief Risk Officer (CRO) |
| Department | Risk Management |
| Employment Type | Full-Time |
- Strategic Responsibility Pillars
Technical Risk Assessment (60%) and Business Advisory & Guidance (40%) are the two main focal areas of the position.
A. Risk Evaluation, Analysis, and Reporting (60%)
This is the role’s technical core, requiring in-depth knowledge of banking frameworks and sophisticated data analysis.
Framework Implementation: Assisting the CRO in integrating the Operational Risk Management Framework and the Enterprise Risk Management Framework (ERMF).
RCSA and CPA: Promoting Critical Process Assessments (CPA) and Risk and Control Self-Assessments (RCSA). In these methodical evaluations, the bank “tests itself” to identify vulnerabilities before they result in losses.
Incident Management: The ORM oversees the Root Cause Analysis (RCA) following a risk event (such as a system outage or a processing error) to make sure the problem doesn’t happen again.
RDARR Compliance: Risk Data Aggregation and Risk Reporting (RDARR) will be a primary priority in 2026. The ORM serves as the nation’s main point of contact for making sure data is timely, accurate, and compliant with international standards.
Facilitating risk assessments for major change initiatives and new goods is known as New Product Innovation (NAPA). The ORM makes sure that ABSA innovates while staying within the secure parameters of the Product Risk Policy.
B. Advice & Management of Business Relationships (40%)
The ORM is a consultant to the business units, not merely a “checker.”
Thought Partnership: Continually discussing the current risk profile of their respective business areas (Retail, Corporate, Treasury) with senior management.
Awareness and Culture: Creating a “Positive Risk Culture.” This entails holding training sessions and mentoring employees to comprehend that risk management is everyone’s duty, not just the risk department’s.
Audit Preparation: Making sure the control environment is always “audit-ready” by advising business units ahead of internal and external audits.
Policy Customization: Making sure that international ABSA Group policies are successfully incorporated into Tanzania’s local context and legal framework.
- Education and Experience Requirements for Candidates
For this role, ABSA Bank demands a high level of professional excellence that combines academic background with specific certifications.
Education: A bachelor’s degree in financial services, accounting, risk management, auditing, or a similar discipline.
Professional Qualifications: Candidates having a CPA (T), CIA (Certified Internal Auditor), or CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor) have a major advantage, even though a degree is the minimum.
Experience that is pertinent:
demonstrated expertise using matrix reporting in a global or multi-segment setting.
prior experience in operational risk, compliance, or auditing.
extensive familiarity with international frameworks including Sarbanes-Oxley, COSO, and Basel II & III.
Competencies:
Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities to decipher complicated management information (MI).
Influencing Skills: The capacity to successfully confront senior stakeholders when risk exposures are excessive.
competence with data aggregation and risk management software.
- The 2026 “RDARR” and “NAPA” Focus
Two particular acronyms listed in the job description must be examined in order to comprehend this position in the context of 2026:
RDARR (Risk Data Aggregation and Risk Reporting): The Central Bank and international regulators demand that banks be able to “pull a report” on any kind of risk immediately in the age of Big Data. In order to ensure data integrity, the ORM at ABSA Tanzania is in charge of adhering to these rules at the national level.
NAPA (New and Amended Product Assessment): The ORM makes sure that these “NAPA” guidelines are adhered to when ABSA Tanzania introduces new digital banking capabilities, mobile money integrations, or AI-driven lending products to prevent innovation from surpassing safety.
- The role’s key performance indicators (KPIs)
The observable enhancement of the bank’s operational health serves as a gauge of success in this role:
Decrease in Operational Losses: Reducing the monetary consequences of mistakes and malfunctions.
Action Plan Closure: Making ensuring that at least 95% of the corrective actions found in RCSAs are completed on schedule.
Getting a “Satisfactory” or “Strong” rating in internal and external risk governance audits is known as policy embedding.
Training Coverage: Ensuring that business employees receive all required risk training.
- The Cultural Compass: Absa Values
It is required of every “Absian” to make decisions based on a particular set of values:
Trust: Developing dependable connections with the business divisions.
Being resourceful means coming up with creative solutions to reduce risk without impeding company expansion.
Stewardship: Preserving the bank’s resources and good name throughout time.
Inclusive: Making sure risk assessments take into account a variety of viewpoints.
Courage: When a procedure is risky, having the “courage to challenge” senior officials.
- Application Process: How to Become a Member of Absa
The worldwide “My Career Development Portal” is used by ABSA Bank Tanzania for all hiring.
Prepare your resume by emphasizing your experience with RCSA, RDARR, and Combined Assurance. Emphasize any particular “wins” in which you were able to lower operational loss.
Submission: To upload your documents, use the SuccessFactors portal’s official link.CLICK HERE TO APPLY
No Fees: ABSA Bank will never request payment for processing or interviews, as stated in the caution on the posting. It is a scam if you are requested for money.
Closing: Although the position was posted in late January 2026, applicants are urged to submit their applications within seven to ten days after that date.
- Strategic Guidance for Executive Candidates
The interview process will be intense if you are selected for the Operational Risk Manager position. You ought to be ready to talk about:
The “Review and Challenge” Model: Give an instance where you were able to confront a business head about a control flaw.
Data-Driven Risk: Describe how you forecast a risk occurrence using Key Indicators (KIs) before it occurs.
Regulatory Knowledge: Show that you are aware of the Bank of Tanzania’s (BoT) operational resilience and cybersecurity rules.