Group Senior Specialist Skills Development

Overview

Empowering Africas tomorrow, together…one story at a time. With over 100 years of rich history and a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

Job Summary : To act as the strategic advisor and custodian of the Groups Skills Development strategy, ensuring alignment with the Dynamic Skills Strategy, South African legislative compliance (BBBEE, Skills Development Act, and Financial Services Charter), and the future-fit capabilities agenda of the Bank. This role delivers insight-led advisory, policy shaping, audit readiness, budget optimisation, and strategic stakeholder influence to position Skills Development as a business enabler across the African continent.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Advisory & Influence : Serve as the Groups authority on skills development legislation and external skills landscape (SETA, QCTO, FSC). Advise Executive Superiors, Learning Leads, and Country CPOs on embedding the Dynamic Skills Strategy (DSS) and developing critical skills pipelines across the Skills Matrix (Categories A–G). Influence SETAs and industry forums to align funding and recognition to the Bank transformation goals.
• Compliance Risk Management & External Audit Readiness : Act as 2nd Line of Defence for skills development compliance. Decode new legislation and map impact to policy, process, system, and controls. Lead external and internal audits and manage engagements with verification agencies, SETAs, and regulators.
• Data, Insights & Budget Optimisation : Design and continually optimise analytics dashboards (in collaboration with Data & Analytics and Learning Solutions) that project target outcomes using live HRMIS (Workday), Finance ERM (SAP) and LMS (Cornerstone / Workday Learn) data. Model ROI across Skills Dev Categories A–G and guide CFOs, CPOs through Learning Leads in optimal budget decisions. Build capability across People Development and SDFs to apply data-led insights.
• Policy, Process & Systems Optimisation : Own and update the Group Skills Development standard(s) and continue review and recommend improvements to Group Learning Policy. Design control mechanisms that support compliance without constraining agility. Partner with Learning Operations to streamline data flows and integrate automation.
• Capability Building & Learning Culture Enablement : Mentor and coach Learning Leads, Skills Development Specialists / Facilitators, and People Partners in strategic compliance, stakeholder influencing, and data interpretation. Champion DSS culture transformation, embedding a growth mindset and skills-first approach.

Qualifications

Education : Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas : Education, Training and Development (Required).

Equal Opportunity

Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank. Absa Group Limited ("Absa Group") is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and is one of Africa"s largest diversified financial services groups. Absa Group offers an integrated set of products and services across personal and business banking, corporate and investment banking, wealth and investment management and insurance. Absa Group owns majority stakes in banks in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania (Absa Bank Tanzania and National Bank of Commerce), Uganda and Zambia and has insurance operations in Botswana, Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa and Zambia. Absa also has representative offices in China, Namibia, Nigeria and the United States, as well as securities entities in the United Kingdom and the United States, along with technology support colleagues in the Czech Republic.

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