Head - Controls & Governance

About the role

KCB Bank Kenya is looking for a Head of Controls & Governance to oversee operational controls, reconciliation, audit follow-up and quality assurance across the bank and its subsidiaries. The role covers monitoring of settlement and suspense accounts, operational risk oversight and assurance that controls are designed, implemented and effective.

Key responsibilities

• Monitor adherence to group standards on reconciliation of Nostro, other asset and liability suspense accounts, and ensure accuracy and integrity of accounts.
• Monitor, escalate and ensure correction of outstanding items in reconciled accounts for KCB Kenya and its subsidiaries.
• Monitor all settlement accounts against statement and ledger balances, and oversee automation and centralisation of reconciliation for new products.
• Review compliance continuously, validate first-level controls and work with Internal Audit to identify key risk parameters, resolve audit exceptions within agreed timeframes and manage the division's Quality Assurance.
• Identify and mitigate events exposing the bank to risk from inadequate processes, people or systems, and oversee risk reporting, DORCCO and escalation to GORCCO.
• Apply test processes and tools to measure the effectiveness of operational risk controls, and maintain continuous transaction verification and monitoring.
• Manage assurance arrangements so that controls are adequately designed, implemented and effective.
• Coordinate CMT and run reviews of Operational Business Continuity Management testing, Business Impact Analysis and plans.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, Risk Management or a related field; a Master's is an added advantage.
• Professional qualification such as CPA(K), ACCA, CIA or CISA is an added advantage.
• At least 10 years in banking operations, shared services, finance, controls, governance or risk management, including at least 6 years in a senior management role.
• Proven experience building governance, risk and internal control frameworks in a complex banking environment, and leading audit engagements and regulatory reviews.
• Experience driving process improvement, reconciliation automation and transformation across multi-entity operations.
• Ability to lead large teams, manage performance, develop talent and influence stakeholders across Operations, Finance, Technology, Risk, Compliance and subsidiaries.

Required skills

• Understanding of banking law, prudential guidelines, Central Bank regulations and operational risk management frameworks.
• Operational risk identification, control testing, issue remediation, loss prevention and regulatory compliance.
• Knowledge of banking operations, payment systems, business continuity management and operational resilience.