Head, Economic & Market Research

About the role

The Head of Economic & Market Research will lead KCB Bank’s research department, setting strategic direction and delivering economic insights that guide business decisions. This senior position combines macro‑economic forecasting, market intelligence, and stakeholder engagement to support both retail and corporate banking strategies.

Key responsibilities

• Set the strategic direction for the research function and embed research into business planning cycles.
• Develop and maintain econometric models to forecast GDP, inflation, interest rates and foreign exchange.
• Provide consumer and market intelligence on health metrics, financial health frameworks and emerging trends.
• Conduct deep‑dive sector analysis for agriculture, manufacturing, energy and other priority industries.
• Build scenario narratives and risk assessments for internal committees such as ALCO and Credit Committees.
• Tailor research outputs for executive management, retail banking pricing, and corporate banking market‑entry decisions.
• Act as a public spokesperson with media, policy think tanks and international bodies (IMF, World Bank).
• Collaborate across group subsidiaries to ensure research supports institutional and retail investors.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Economics or Financial Economics; a Master’s degree is an advantage.
• At least 8 years of experience in economic research and macro‑economics analysis.
• Minimum 6 years of progressive people‑management and leadership experience.
• Proven experience in company and macro modelling, including valuation methodologies.
• Experience presenting at economic fora and managing diverse stakeholder groups.

Required skills

• Proficiency with econometric or statistical software such as STATA, R or Python.
• Data visualization tools like Power BI or Tableau.