Lead - Quality Assurance - ICMT - Captive Bank

Group Entity - Global Service Delivery

Role Title - Quality Assurance Lead, ICMT

Business/Function & Location - (Country/Department)

RBWM, International Customer Onboarding, Bangalore, Krakow, China, Mexico, Brazil, Saudi Arabia

Role Purpose (overall high level summary of the role)

The VP Compliance and Quality Assurance, will have functional responsibility for ICMT Site Leads, and provide guidance and support to the ICMT management teams, on Financial Crime Compliance and Quality Assurance framework. Quality Assurance Lead will manage the Site Leads in the development, deployment and continued oversight of globally consistent Compliance policies for the RBWM business units and ensure that all ICMT sites develop and maintain the highest compliance and quality standards by following both the letter and the spirit of the relevant regulatory requirements, Group Standards Manual, Fiduciary and Legal and Compliance FIMs and the Compliance Officers Handbook.

To lead the ICMT Quality Assurance team across GSD and to provide independent, consistent management of the Quality Assurance structure across all locations, managing quality, risk controls, training and providing SME input to process Change Management.

Key activities and decision making areas

Typical Targets and Measures

Impact on the Business/Function

- Manage ICMT Site Leads in the provision of clear, concise, consistent and constructive and customer conscious advice and strategic guidance to ICMT Team, other RBWM, RCOs LCOs and business colleagues.

- Work closely with the wider Global RBWM management team to offer seamless compliance coverage across the RBWM cross border account opening platform

- Partner with regional teams leveraging resources as needed to execute Compliance oversight and support of RBWM Business

- Liaise with relevant individuals within Group RBWM and elsewhere regarding new products and services and the development of standardised compliance procedures, monitoring and training.

- To observe the Group Compliance “Professional Standards and Guidelines for Compliance Officers”.

- To provide technical support to the Quality & Training function in the provision of training or, as the case may be, to provide training directly to business areas in the procedures and practices necessary to achieve compliance with relevant Regulations.

- To lead the definition and deployment of the ICMT Global Support Utility Quality Assurance model

- Preserve the independence of the QA structure to ensure it operates independently from operations, with no conflict of interest. Ensure a responsive structure exists within the QA process for providing constructive and consistent feedback/ mentoring to process operators.

- Undertake robust error analysis based on the standard quality monitoring methodology and lead the creation and delivery of appropriate training/refresher programs to improve process and service quality

- Regular engagement with stakeholders to report on and discuss quality (including sharing best practices)

- Manage ICMT Site Leads in the implementation of projects across ICMT Sites.

- Effectively support RBWM Compliance reviews and ensure that reviews are scoped and carried out within agreed deadlines

- Participation in global projects and systems development.

- Provide technical input to the FCC RBWM Compliance Plan and track the implementation of activities allocated to Wealth Management Compliance.

- Submission of materials / reports to various business and functional committees within deadlines

- Improvement witnessed in quality performance

Customers / Stakeholders

- Provide support and guidance to Regional Compliance Heads, LCOs as in deploying FCC policies to international account opening, to ensure consistency in direction and advice/guidance on RBWM matters

- Negotiate with conflicting key stakeholders to achieve solutions to complex high risk issues

- Participate or provide inputs to global process reviews, for the purpose of build and deployment of Global Minimum Standards in international account opening process

- Provide support to all ICMT sites & teams so that the benefits of utilising standardized QA procedures and systems are realized.

- Drive a customer service oriented culture, meeting or exceeding expected customer experience and quality goals without compromising regulatory imperatives

- Track / ensure timely completion of Compliance related FCC issues arising from internal audit reports.

- Regular programme of contact is maintained with key stakeholders in RBWM and compliance.

- Provide direction to ICMT management to ensure a consistency of approach in the creation, communication and implementation of FCC policies/plans

Leadership & Teamwork

- Lead by example, demonstrating core behaviours and values including teamwork, focus, drive and determination.

- Collaborate and foster good relations across RBWM

- Foster good relations with applicable regulatory bodies.

- Lead and maintain a team of QA Managers, process SMEs across all ICMT locations

- Ensure adequate development and training is provided to the team to develop skills and competency within ICMT GS utility.

- Be sensitive to cross cultural nuances and exhibit maturity and tolerance in managing the same

- Feedback from RBWM stakeholders, Country / Regional Compliance teams, and Banking Operations and ICMT Senior Management

Operational Effectiveness & Control

- Ensure ongoing maintenance of FCC elements of compliance procedures etc. across markets at the direction of Global RBWM Compliance

- To report up to Senior Management all material and significant breaches or potential breaches of Regulations and any significant cases of irreconcilable dispute with line management.

- Critically analyse the regulatory environment, identifying forward looking compliance and reputation risks, and driving the development of strategies to eliminate or minimise risks

- Engagement with all regulatory and compliance matters and the management of operational risk

- Ensure employees adhere to the established operational risk controls in accordance with HSBC or regulatory standards and policies, especially given the regulatory implications associated with international account opening.

- Ensure all actions take account of the likelihood of operational risk occurring and address any areas of concern in conjunction with operations management and/or the appropriate department.

- Maintains HSBC internal control standards, including timely implementation of internal and external audit points together with any issues raised by external regulators

- Provide regular reporting of significant regulatory changes impacting FCC RBWM

- Provide regular reporting of quality attainment, analysis of improvement areas and actions to address

Major Challenges (The challenges inherent in the role that require a continual test of the role holder’s abilities)


- RBWM FCC operates in an increasingly regulated and complex global regulatory environment, often with little consistency between laws and regulations in different jurisdictions. Regulators are also taking a far more intensive and intrusive approach to ensuring compliance with their requirements and are imposing increasingly stringent sanctions for breaches

- Support delivery of FCC projects at the direction of Global and Regional Compliance teams, in order to create a globally consistent FCC strategy for international account opening

- Foster and maintain an attitude of ‘can do’ compliance working with RCOs and LCOs to ensure that the appropriate level of support is provided to the business

- Maintain and improve standards of quality and compliance in a rapidly changing business environment

- Quality attainment and continuous improvement in a major change environment, operational model changes

Role Context (The environment and operating conditions of the role including the extent of guidance and authority)

- The jobholder is required to work with autonomy, dealing with issues for which there is no clear cut solution, whilst still being able to provide excellent judgement and clear direction

- Exercise any/all delegated authorities with due care and diligence.

Management of Risk (Operational Risk / FIM requirements)

The jobholder will also continually reassess the operational risks associated with the role and inherent in the business, taking account of changing economic or market conditions, legal and regulatory requirements, operating procedures and practices, management restructurings, and the impact of new technology.

This will be achieved by ensuring all actions take account of the likelihood of operational risk occurring.

Also by addressing any areas of concern in conjunction with line management and/or the appropriate department.

Is aware of the Operational Risk scenario associated with the role and acts in a manner that takes account of operational risk considerations.

Observation of Internal Controls (Compliance Policy / FIM requirements)

The jobholder will also adhere to and be able to demonstrate adherence to internal controls. This will be achieved by adherence to all relevant procedures, keeping appropriate records and, where appropriate, by the timely implementation of internal and external audit points, including issues raised by external regulators.

The jobholder will implement the Group compliance policy containing compliance risk in liaison with Global Compliance Officer, Regional Compliance Officer, Area Compliance Officer or Local Compliance Officer. The term ‘compliance’ embraces all relevant financial services laws, rules and codes with which the business has to comply.

This will be achieved by adhering to all relevant processes/procedures and by liaising with Compliance department about new business initiatives at the earliest opportunity. Also and when applicable, by ensuring adequate resources are in place and training is provided, fostering a compliance culture and optimising relations with regulators.

Is aware of the Operational Risk scenario associated with the role and acts in a manner that takes account of operational risk considerations.

Maintains HSBC internal control standards, including timely implementation of internal and external audit points together with any issues raised by external regulators.

Understands, follows and demonstrates compliance with all relevant internal and external rules, regulations and procedures that apply to the conduct of the business in which the jobholder is involved, specifically Internal Controls and any Compliance policy including, inter alia, the Group Compliance policy.

Role Dimensions (e.g. balance sheet size, lending/expenditure limits, size/volume of transactions, budget)

- This role is part of the build out of the Quality Function within Global Support Utility for international account opening. The jobholder’s responsibility covers all of the Group’s international account opening operations

- Role initially will not have any direct entity headcount. Functional reporting across multiple sites spanning GSCs and onshore locations.

Knowledge & Experience / Qualifications (For the role – not the role holder. Minimum requirements of the role.)

- Relevant professional qualification or graduate preferred.

- Thorough understanding of global cross-border retail banking & wealth management business.

- Practical knowledge of broad range of RBWM products and services.

- Experience of working in an international or global compliance function.

- Experience of managing cross border projects and undertaking functional reviews.

- Confidence to interact with the influential senior management within RBWM Head Office and the regional and local businesses.

- Excellent oral, written communication and presentation skills, inter-personal skills and dealing with executives at all levels.

- Ability to develop practical and cost effective solutions to complex global issues. Strong leadership skills to influence and motivate Compliance staff supporting RBWM business globally.

- Ability to apply technical knowledge to enhance the commercial success of RBWM as well as to educate the business appropriately.

- Possess the ability and drive to raise standards and make an impact on the RBWM business culture.

- Ability to operate with clear vision under stress in crisis management situations and operate effectively against uncertain and on unfamiliar ground.

- 10+ years’ experience in Quality Assurance, Audit including strong operational control capabilities, sound knowledge of QC and certain Production Management tools, Planning & Project management skills and a proven track record in delivery

- Strong interest and commitment to growing a Business Service through building people capability

- Ability to maintain control, direction and motivation in an ever-changing environment

- Ability to analyse large amounts of data efficiently, draw conclusions on what the data means and actions required

- Strong relationship management skills with the ability to manage & engage multiple stakeholders, meet their expectations , negotiate in situations of conflicting interests and influence key decision makers in a positive manner

- Highly effective in working with all levels of management and staff and able to work and influence decision making in a matrix environment