homechoice
Head of Fraud Strategy
Cape Town, Western Cape
Permanent
Posted: 28 January 2026 | Closing Date: 28 February 2026
Job Details
Division: Decision Science
Business Unit: Fraud
Minimum Experience: Mid–Senior
Industry: Retail
Job Functional Area: Financial Analysis / Fraud Risk
About homechoice
homechoice is a leading South African homeware retailer. For over 40 years, we have helped customers create beautiful homes they love through an innovative range of quality products at affordable prices.
Role Overview
- We are seeking a dynamic and highly motivated Head of Fraud Strategy to lead our Fraud function.
- This senior role is accountable for end-to-end fraud risk management, including prevention, detection, investigation, and recovery.
- The successful candidate will own fraud strategy across operations, technology, analytics, and governance—ensuring the business remains ahead of evolving threats while minimising customer friction and financial loss.
What You’ll Love Doing in This Role
Strategic Leadership
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Develop and execute a comprehensive, data-driven fraud strategy aligned to business objectives, risk appetite, and regulatory requirements
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Act as the subject matter expert on emerging fraud trends, threat actors, and attack vectors
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Lead the Fraud Risk Committee and present monthly insights to the Executive Leadership Team
Fraud Detection & Prevention
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Oversee the design and implementation of real-time and batch fraud detection systems using rule-based engines, machine learning models, and behavioural analytics
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Embed fraud controls across all customer touchpoints, including onboarding, transactions, account management, and customer service
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Define fraud loss thresholds, recovery protocols, and chargeback management processes
Advanced Analytics & AI / Machine Learning
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Partner with Data Science and Engineering teams to develop, validate, and deploy predictive fraud models
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Champion the use of alternative data sources to improve detection accuracy
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Implement model governance, explainability (XAI), and continuous monitoring to manage bias and reduce false positives
Cross-Functional Collaboration
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Work closely with Product, Engineering, Compliance, Legal, and Customer Experience teams to embed fraud prevention by design
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Negotiate and manage relationships with third-party fraud solution providers
Team Leadership & Capability Building
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Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing fraud strategy team, including analysts, data scientists, and investigators
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Foster a culture of innovation, ethical decision-making, and psychological safety
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Manage budgets, vendor contracts, and ROI for fraud technology investments
What You’ll Need to Succeed
Qualifications
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Bachelor’s degree in a numerate discipline (e.g. Statistics, Mathematics, or similar)
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Honours degree is advantageous
Experience & Skills
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10+ years’ experience in fraud risk management, with at least 5 years in a leadership role
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Background in financial services, fintech, e-commerce, or payments environments
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Proven success in reducing fraud loss rates by 30% or more through strategy and technology
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Hands-on experience with fraud platforms and big data tools (SQL, Python/R, Spark)
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Strong understanding of fraud risk controls and early warning indicators in credit portfolios
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Experience in collections and recoveries is advantageous
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Excellent reporting, presentation, and executive-level influencing skills
What We Love About You
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A strong results-driven mindset with energy, resilience, and initiative
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An innovative problem-solver who enjoys tackling complex challenges
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Exceptional stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills
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Strong attention to detail balanced with strategic thinking
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A collaborative leader who develops talent while driving accountability
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Adaptable, curious, and committed to continuous improvement
Our Core Behaviours
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Wow my customer
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Walk in my customers’ shoes
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Deliver on my promises
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Provide insight-led solutions
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Treat the business as my own
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Take accountability
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Be curious, creative, and explore opportunities
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Do it right and at the right time
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Play as a team
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Be helpful and inclusive
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Find the fun