Finance Manager at Standard Chartered Bank Kenya

Role Responsibilities 

Finance Manager will be responsible for supporting the CEO, Agritech Kenya as well as the Agritech senior management team in developing the venture’s Financial Strategy, formulating business plans and budgets. The Finance Manager will be responsible for identifying and from budget articulating key Business Performance drivers on an ongoing basis, triggering the Business on any deviations for timely resolutions.

In so far as it relates to profitability improvement initiatives the Finance Manager will also be responsible for but not limited to Balance sheet optimization; Business/Cost Efficiencies; ROE & EVA; Performance Management & Tracking, Compliance & Financial controls.  

Finance Manager will be required to have an appreciation of the venture’s specific nuances and in particular: -

• The financial management from Agritech’s product offering its clients & other stakeholders.
• The ambitious growth strategies to be employed by the business particularly after the launch of Agritech platform and the real-time onboarding tools which are projected to see an exponential growth in client base.

Performance Reporting & Analysis

• Provide objective and analytical commentaries into Agritech’s performance, highlighting areas of risks and opportunities for the Business. Agree on action plan closing gaps and track status of action plan through to implementation.
• Provide Agritech CEO & Venture’s senior management support in understanding and analysing key drivers of the various cost lines vis-à-vis budgets. Track implementations of agreed action plans and follow through to closure.
• Support the delivery of the venture’s business scorecards
• Provide forecasts at monthly intervals to the Agritech business teams on revenues, costs, debt charge & balance sheet. Highlight risks to Agritech CEO on an ongoing basis. Ensure alignment of segment performance / initiatives with overall Business objectives.
• Collect and analyse market data and competitive trends likely to affect the Business budget, making recommendations to enhance products profitability.
• Co-ordinate development of a suitable and simple MIS for accurate and timely collation and dissemination of information to facilitate effective management of Business performance along product and segment lines.
• Provide Agritech CEO & Venture’s senior management support by actively participating in key strategic projects to build revenues, providing a financial perspective to systems and product design for new products and other initiatives/contracts.
• Be responsible for maintenance of accurate Profit Models for all Agritech’s products and customer segments.

Financial Controls and Compliance

• Ensuring adherence and support compliance to IAS along with Group Accounting Policies and other regulatory accounting guidelines to ensure strong corporate governance.
• Ensure new and existing Product Programmes have clear accounting entries and RIWAC guidelines.
• FTP policy review and implementation.

Operational Risk Management and Assurance Framework (ORMAF) & FCP

Assist in managing operational risk through:

• Controls: implementing appropriate controls within the unit such that both internal policy and regulatory requirements are adequately followed.
• Risk identification and assessment: identifying risk from KCSA exceptions, KRI indicators, audit points, operational losses, and near-misses, then assessing the risk and ensuring appropriate mitigating action is implemented and monitoring progress.
• Effective management of operational risk within the venture’s business unit including ensuring the proper functioning of the embedded and periodic controls.
• Timely identification and escalation of risk issues within the venture.
• Periodic self-assessment to be performed by different individuals.
• Review and approval of control checks as performed and submitted by relevant RP’s
• Review and timely approval of cost entries

People and Talent

• Lead through example and build the appropriate culture and values. Set appropriate tone and expectations from Risk and Governance Team and work in collaboration with risk and control partners.
• Promote and embed a culture of openness, trust and risk awareness, where ethical, legal, regulatory and policy compliant conduct is the norm.
• Stimulate an environment where forward planning, prioritisation, deadline management and streamlined workflows and collaborative, inclusive yet effective and efficient work practices are the norm.
• Set and monitor job descriptions and objectives for direct reports and provide feedback and rewards in line with their performance against those responsibilities and objectives.
• Ensure the provision of ongoing training and development in order that team members are competent, suitably skilled and qualified for their roles, ensuring that they have effective supervision in place to mitigate any risks.
• Review team structure/capacity plan to ensure an effective  and efficient risk management framework
• Employ, engage and retain high quality people, with succession planning for critical roles
• Provide feedback at business, function, country and individual level as appropriate, on Risk and Governance matters which should have a bearing on remuneration pools or individual bonuses (for senior staff).
• Ensure regular and documented management meetings with the senior management team on Cost and Financial Reviews.

Risk Management

• Identifying risk from KCSA exceptions, KRI indicators, audit points, operational losses, and near-misses, then assessing the risk and ensuring appropriate mitigating action is implemented and monitoring progress.
• Collaborate with the other ventures Senior Team Members to anticipate horizon risks that may have a significant financial impact on the Ventures and develop effective strategies to mitigate such horizon risks including global standards for conduct of business.
• Maintain oversight of risk acceptance and/or mitigating action plans relating to Agritech financials in Kenya
• Understand technical aspects of systems relevant to the Agritech Kenya
• Assess risks arising from products / segments / geographies / customers / transactions.
• Ensure global standards are understood and implemented across the region, with any identified exceptions, or need for more/less stringent standards escalated when appropriate.

Governance

• Attend relevant leadership meetings, and provide relevant reports to senior management and governance/risk fora.
• Ensure appropriate financial governance measures are in place so that cost & budget approval documents reflect all relevant requirements.
• Propose control effectiveness and efficiency improvements and simplifications where appropriate.
• Ensure the end-to-end life cycle of audit, assurance and regulatory reviews is managed appropriately, including tracking, remediation and preparing lessons learned from such reviews.

Regulatory & Business Conduct

• Display exemplary conduct and live by the Group’s Values and Code of Conduct.
• Effectively and collaboratively identify, escalate, mitigate, and resolve risks on financial matters.
• Support relevant stakeholders to respond to regulatory questions.
• Take personal responsibility for embedding the highest standards of ethics, including regulatory and business conduct, across Agritech Kenya. This includes understanding and ensuring compliance with, in letter and spirit, all applicable laws, regulations, guidelines and the Group Code of Conduct.

Key Stakeholders

• Venture Lead, CEO Agritech Kenya
• Agritech Business Leads
• SCV Financial Leads
• Relevant Regulators

Other Responsibilities

• Embed SC Venture’s brand and values in the Kenya’s Agritech Team
• Perform other responsibilities assigned under Group, Regional, Business or Functional policies and standards as may be relevant.

Our Ideal Candidate 

• University level qualifications in Finance, Banking or postgraduate (MBA) with Professional qualifications in Accounting and Finance e.g. CPA, ACCA or CIMA.
• Minimum of 5 years' experience in Finance.
• A sound knowledge of the Group Accounting practice and statutory requirements and all round banking experience.
• High level of experience in working with computerised Accounting/Banking systems.
• Ability to think creatively and develop innovative solutions.
• Broad knowledge of banking practices and management techniques.
• Good interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.
• Teamwork, analytical, forecasting and risk assessment skills.
• Ability to interact with senior management of the bank