Credit Manager- Operational Risk Control at Equity Bank Kenya

Job Purpose: 

The job holder will be responsible for effective management of operational risk of the end-to-end processes across all Credit Department Units (i.e. Credit Underwriting, Credit Administration, Credit Monitoring and Control, Early Collections, and Debt Recovery Unit). This include;

• To ensure Credit policies, processes and procedures are up to date and are effectively adhered to in all Credit departments.
• To ensure operational risk sub-types are proactively identified, assessed, controlled and reported in a timely manner to the Department’s senior management and Operational Risk Function.
• To assist in coordinating, facilitating and promoting understanding of the Operational Risk Management Framework (ORMF) and in implementation and management of operational risk within Credit.
• To ensure that operational risks are properly assessed, that risk / return and control cost / benefit decisions are made transparently on the basis of this proper assessment and are controlled in accordance with the Group’s Standards and its Risk Appetite.

Main Duties & Responsibilities

Operational Risk Governance

• Align the Bank’s operational risk management approach to the Risk Management Framework and oversee its effective application.
• To ensure Operational Risk Management Framework is effectively embedded and communicated in the Department.
• Coordinate monthly Departmental Operational Risk Committee meetings to discuss non-financial risks and perform secretarial duties.

Risk Appetite

• Liaise with the Business Units to establish and periodically update the Department’s operational risk appetite.
• Periodically assess the Department’s operational risk profile.

Operational Risk Ownership

• Provide a focal point of control over the aggregate level of operational risk in the Department that arises from end to end processes.
• Ensure that the Business Unit Team Leaders and all staff in the Department understand and accept their risk management responsibilities in relation to operational risk.
• Design, maintain and effectively communicate operational risk control parameters across the Department.
• Roll out the operational risk management process in the Department: risk identification, assessment, control, monitoring and reporting.

Risk identification, assessment, control and monitoring

• Liaise with Unit Team Leaders to identify key risks and controls in all processes and sub-processes in the Unit’s activities.
• Establish and on a continuous basis update the Departmental Risk Register.
• Design and implement Risk Control Self-Assessment (RCSA) in Credit Department.
• To undertake periodic testing of key controls to assess the proper functioning and adequacy of the controls.
• Ensure adequacy of the risk assessment process and prioritise risk issues to be controlled to within risk appetite.
• To report risks and losses in Credit departments to the Department’s Team Leaders and Operational Risk Function using standard templates.
• To assist Business Units within Credit in developing and updating processes, controls and monitoring plans.
• To identify and report all exceptions on non-compliance with standard controls.
• To identify and report all weaknesses inherent in the standard controls
• To maintain proper record keeping on all RCSA related activities
• To complete monthly Key Risk Indicator (KRI) reports and submit to Operational Risk Function
• To collate and timely report operational risk incidences in Credit.
• To monitor and analyse risks in customer complaints in Credit departments.
• Periodically review operational risk assessments to ensure these appropriately reflect changes in environment, mitigating controls and the progress of treatment plans.
• Systematically monitor process control effectiveness where there are material risks of process control failure.
• Work with Operational Risk Function and review control and risk metrics in order to monitor KRIs

Risk Acceptance

• Liaise with Unit Team Leaders in preparation of risk acceptance proposals to the relevant risk committees for approval.

Essential

Desirable

• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• A master’s degree in business related field
• Credit related certifications
• Operational risk certification
• Work Experience & Skills

Essential

Desirable

• Relevant business/function experience of over 5 years (Exposure in Credit Risk processes preferred).
• A clear understanding of the Bank’s approach to the management of operational risk, or equivalent experience gained in other organisations.
• Ability to work in a matrix organisation, leveraging resources across the organisation to complete deliverables.
• The sound judgement and courage necessary to perform a control role and maintain effective working relationships.

Closing: Feb 7, 2023