Head of Risk & Compliance

About the role

A leading investment bank in Kenya's capital markets sector, which offers investment banking, corporate finance, securities trading, fund management, treasury and advisory services, is looking for an experienced Head of Risk & Compliance. The role leads enterprise risk management and regulatory compliance, sets up and maintains an effective risk framework, and gives independent oversight of market, treasury, investment, operational, credit, liquidity, compliance and governance risks.

Key responsibilities

• Ensure compliance with the Capital Markets Act, CMA Regulations, NSE Rules, CDSC requirements, POCAMLA, AML/CFT legislation and the Data Protection Act, and act as the main liaison with regulators during inspections, audits and statutory submissions
• Develop, implement and improve the enterprise risk management framework, assess risks for new products and initiatives, and monitor key risk indicators
• Run the annual compliance monitoring program, review AML/CFT, KYC, market conduct and conflicts of interest, investigate breaches and strengthen internal controls
• Prepare and submit statutory returns and reports on time, and support internal and external audits
• Report risk and compliance trends to Executive Management and Board Committees, and give practical compliance advice to business leaders
• Deliver compliance and risk awareness training, including induction and refresher sessions on AML/CFT and governance

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Law, Finance, Business Administration, Economics, Risk Management, Accounting or a related discipline
• CMA Compliance Certification or another CMA-recognised compliance qualification is mandatory
• Professional qualifications such as ICA, ACAMS, CFA, ACCA, CPA (K) or FRM are an added advantage
• Minimum 4-6 years' experience in Risk and Compliance within an investment bank, stockbroker, fund manager, investment adviser or another CMA-licensed financial institution
• Experience managing regulatory relationships, compliance monitoring, statutory reporting and enterprise risk management, and developing internal controls and governance frameworks

Required skills

• Strong working knowledge of the Capital Markets Act, CMA Regulations, NSE Rules, CDSC requirements, POCAMLA, AML/CFT legislation and the Data Protection Act
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Experience with GRC systems is an added advantage