Senior Manager – KYC Advisory

Equity Bank (Kenya) Limited is a leading Financial Services Institution operating in Kenya. Our diversified business spans banking, insurance, technology and social enterprise, enabling us to deliver integrated solutions that drive inclusive growth at scale. Our business model is anchored on a distinctive Tri-Engine framework — Social, Economic and Sustainability, which systematically strengthens value-chains, empowers communities and delivers long-term social and economic impact.

Our purpose, “Transforming lives, giving dignity, and expanding opportunities for wealth creation,” guides every our strategic decision. We are driven by a bold vision “to be the champion of the socio-economic prosperity of the people of Africa,” and this ambition is embedded in our culture through our core values of professionalism, integrity, creativity and innovation, teamwork, unity of purpose, respect and effective corporate governance (PICTURE).

Our growth and impact agenda is clearly defined and operationalized through the Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan (ARRP), which serves as the strategic blueprint for sustainable expansion and long-term value creation across the continent.

JOB PURPOSE

The Senior Manager – KYC Advisory is responsible for providing expert, risk-based Know Your Customer (KYC), Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) advisory, independent challenge and customer financial crime risk oversight across the Bank.

The role ensures that complex and high-risk customer relationships are appropriately assessed, that beneficial ownership and customer risk-rating standards are robust, and that customer financial crime risks are managed within the Bank’s risk appetite, while First Line retains ownership of due diligence execution.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

· Lead independent specialist advice on complex customer onboarding, retention, high-risk relationships and financial crime risk acceptance.

· Challenge First Line due diligence for PEPs, high-risk jurisdictions, adverse media, source of funds and wealth, and complex customer structures.

· Advise on beneficial ownership and control tests, trusts, nominees, layered structures and escalation of opaque arrangements.

· Oversee the customer risk-rating methodology, risk factors, overrides and alignment with the Business-Wide Risk Assessment (BWRA) and risk appetite.

· Oversee periodic and event-driven review standards, KYC deficiencies and escalation arrangements.

· Provide technical input into KYC policies, digital onboarding, risk-rating tools, UBO capture and remediation programmes.

· Report material customer risks and advisory themes to Management and governance forums.

Lead, develop and allocate resources across the KYC Advisory team.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

· Provide timely, documented and risk-based advisory opinions on complex and high-risk customer relationships.

· Ensure CDD and EDD standards for PEPs, high-risk jurisdictions, high-risk sectors, correspondent relationships and complex structures are robust and consistently applied.

· Challenge the adequacy of source of funds and source of wealth assessments, adverse media analysis and risk mitigation measures.

· Ensure beneficial ownership is identified and verified in line with the Companies Act, POCAMLA and CBK requirements, and escalate opaque arrangements.

· Oversee the customer risk-rating methodology, including risk factors, weightings, overrides and alignment with the BWRA.

· Provide Second Line input into high-risk customer acceptance and exit decisions within delegated authority.

· Oversee periodic and event-driven review standards and monitor the status of overdue reviews and KYC deficiencies.

· Provide technical input into KYC policies, procedures, digital onboarding journeys and new product approvals.

· Support KYC remediation programmes and validate the adequacy of remediation standards.

· Identify recurring KYC control weaknesses and themes, and ensure remediation is owned by accountable First Line functions.

· Escalate material customer financial crime risks and unresolved disagreements to the MLRO and Senior Management.

· Prepare MI on advisory volumes, high-risk customer populations, KYC deficiencies and emerging risk themes.

· Support regulatory inspections, audits and correspondent bank due diligence requests.

· Lead, mentor and develop the team, including performance management, capability building and succession planning.

Equity Bank (Kenya) Limited is a leading Financial Services Institution operating in Kenya. Our diversified business spans banking, insurance, technology and social enterprise, enabling us to deliver integrated solutions that drive inclusive growth at scale. Our business model is anchored on a distinctive Tri-Engine framework — Social, Economic and Sustainability, which systematically strengthens value-chains, empowers communities and delivers long-term social and economic impact.

Our purpose, “Transforming lives, giving dignity, and expanding opportunities for wealth creation,” guides every our strategic decision. We are driven by a bold vision “to be the champion of the socio-economic prosperity of the people of Africa,” and this ambition is embedded in our culture through our core values of professionalism, integrity, creativity and innovation, teamwork, unity of purpose, respect and effective corporate governance (PICTURE).

Our growth and impact agenda is clearly defined and operationalized through the Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan (ARRP), which serves as the strategic blueprint for sustainable expansion and long-term value creation across the continent.

JOB PURPOSE

The Senior Manager – KYC Advisory is responsible for providing expert, risk-based Know Your Customer (KYC), Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and Enhanced Due Diligence (EDD) advisory, independent challenge and customer financial crime risk oversight across the Bank.

The role ensures that complex and high-risk customer relationships are appropriately assessed, that beneficial ownership and customer risk-rating standards are robust, and that customer financial crime risks are managed within the Bank’s risk appetite, while First Line retains ownership of due diligence execution.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

· Lead independent specialist advice on complex customer onboarding, retention, high-risk relationships and financial crime risk acceptance.