Head: Independent Contractor Channel

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time.

With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

Belonging at Absa

Absa is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. We are an equal opportunity employer and welcome applications from suitably qualified individuals from diverse backgrounds. In support of our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) commitments and Employment Equity objectives, preference may be given to candidates from underrepresented designated groups, including persons with disabilities. We encourage applicants who may require reasonable accommodation during the recruitment process to let us know so that appropriate support can be provided.

Job Summary

To lead the end-to-end ownership, growth and operational oversight of Independent Contractor and Introducer relationships across the full relationship lifecycle, from recruitment and onboarding through to business development, performance management, ongoing monitoring and exit. The role is accountable for building a sustainable and productive IC adviser network by driving adviser acquisition, practice growth, lead generation, sales productivity, retention and commercial performance while ensuring adherence to contractual, conduct, regulatory, risk and governance requirements.

The Head: Independent Contractor Relationships serves as the designated owner of Independent Contractor and Introducer relationships and is responsible for maintaining strong adviser engagement, supporting business development initiatives, enhancing adviser productivity, and enabling the growth of assets, revenue and client acquisition opportunities across the adviser channel. The role is accountable for ensuring that all required governance and monitoring activities are completed, evidence is maintained, commercial and conduct risks are identified and escalated timeously, and relationship outcomes align with the organisation's strategic and commercial objectives.Job Description

Relationship Ownership and Lifecycle Management

• Act as the named owner of the Introducer relationship throughout its lifecycle, from onboarding to exit.
• Provide day-to-day oversight of the Introducer relationship to ensure agreed expectations, services and obligations are clearly understood and managed.
• Maintain regular engagement with relevant internal stakeholders to support effective relationship governance and operational delivery.
• Ensure that the relationship remains aligned to business, risk, conduct and governance expectations.

Introducer Management Workbook and Documentation

• Ensure the Introducer Management Workbook is completed, maintained and periodically refreshed.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records relating to the Introducer relationship, including monitoring evidence, risk updates, contractual information and governance submissions.
• Ensure all required documentation is available to support reviews, audits, governance forums and management reporting.

Ongoing Monitoring and Risk Oversight

• Monitor the Introducer relationship on an ongoing basis, including services performed, adherence to contractual terms, and consistency of remuneration with agreed pricing arrangements.
• Ensure mandatory monitoring activities are performed and documented, including Introducer performance, changes in risk profile and conflict-of-interest attestations where applicable.
• Identify emerging risks, control gaps, conduct concerns or performance issues relating to the Introducer relationship.
• Escalate concerns appropriately and ensure agreed mitigation actions are tracked to resolution.

Governance, Escalation and Risk Mitigation

• Initiate risk mitigation actions where required, including escalation of concerns and lock-up or suspension of the Introducer pending committee approval, where applicable.
• Prepare or support submissions to relevant governance forums where decisions or approvals are required.
• Ensure that relationship decisions are supported by appropriate evidence, documented rationale and alignment to internal governance requirements.
• Work closely with Risk, Compliance, Legal, Sales, Operations and business stakeholders to ensure effective control and oversight.

Exit Management

• Manage approved exit actions end-to-end once approved by the relevant governance forums.
• Ensure exit activities are documented, coordinated and completed in line with agreed governance and operational requirements.
• Support business continuity and risk mitigation during the exit process.

Business Development Accountability

• Recruitment and Network Growth: The Head Independent Contractor Relationships is accountable for building and maintaining a productive adviser network by:
• Recruiting quality IC advisers.
• Onboarding advisers into the Absa IC model.
• Growing adviser footprint in targeted regions and market segments.
• Identifying succession and replacement opportunities where advisers exit.

Lead Generation and Pipeline Management

• Working with IC’s on activity planning and leads. The Head Independent Contractor Relationships therefore has accountability to:
• Generate and distribute qualified leads.
• Develop referral and introducer channels.
• Create prospecting opportunities for advisers.
• Monitor conversion of leads into business.

Revenue and Sales Growth

• While IC’s write the business, the Head Independent Contractor Relationships is accountable for creating an environment that drives:
• New business sales.
• Increased assets under management.
• Insurance premium growth.
• Cross-selling opportunities.
• Improved adviser productivity

IC Practice Development

• Facilitate business development strategies and practice management support by:
• Coaching IC on business planning.
• Improving prospecting disciplines.
• Supporting client segmentation strategies.
• Building sustainable books of business.
• Helping IC’s increase income and productivity.

Relationship and Stakeholder Management

• The Head Independent Contractor Relationships acts as the primary interface between the business and advisers by:
• Managing IC relationships.
• Resolving issues and escalations.
• Coordinating support across Operations, Risk, Compliance and Product teams.
• Ensuring advisers can focus on sales and client acquisition.

Commercial Governance

• Balance commercial objectives with governance and risk oversight and accountable for:
• Monitoring adviser conduct.
• Ensuring FAIS compliance.
• Managing introducer and adviser risks.
• Escalating issues early.

Protecting the sustainability of revenue streams.

Preferred Education:

• Relevant Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, Business Management, Finance, Risk Management, Law, Compliance, Economics, Financial Planning, or a related field.
• Fais Representative – RE5 qualification
• Postgraduate qualification or professional certification advantageous (e.g. CFP, CFA, PMP, CISA, ACCA).
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Preferred Experience:

• 15 years’ experience within financial services, banking, insurance, or wealth management, preferably in a sales, relationship management, governance, risk, compliance, business development and IC relationship management.
• Proven experience in managing third-party, intermediary, introducer, broker, adviser, partner or external business relationships.
• Strong understanding of sales environments within regulated financial services, including the need to balance commercial outcomes, conduct risk, governance and client protection.
• Experience in relationship lifecycle management, including onboarding, monitoring, performance review, risk escalation and exit management.