Head of Operations/Support Services, SOLV Kenya at Standard Chartered Bank Kenya

The Role Responsibilities

Support all the Commercial Leads to plan, manage, lead and direct the business focus of the various product offerings on Solv Kenya. Develop the customer segment by positioning the brand via structured marketing campaigns and creatively packaging the product set to stimulate relationship growth and market share. Maximize efficiencies in the business to better deliver products and services to customers, at a profitable cost and deliver the above within the annual marketing budget.

Business and Strategy:

• Establish minimum standards for service levels and evaluate impact to operations
• Handle Facility Management & Vendor Management, Vendor Onboarding, Negotiation, Contract management and Order Fulfilment
• Manage day-to-day office duties like Managing filing system, recording information as needed and Updating paperwork, maintaining documents and word processing, contract renewal.
• Coordination of meetings/ Agenda development/ preparing documentation and letter.
• Follow through on tasks from concept to completion, managing deadlines and monitoring progress.
• Building good working relationships with external and internal partners
• Benchmark service standards & compare pan-industry
• Reviews service level agreement metrics on turnaround and accuracy
• Effective stakeholder engagement to understand and fulfil the needs of internal and external clients
• Uses metrics to drive decisions around service delivery improvements
• Maintains and improve service levels & customer Expectations
• Improve efficiency, productivity , service quality.
• Identify and implement process improvements to improve productivity and reduce errors

Processes

• Participates in the initial agreement of service standards with stakeholders and evaluate impact to operations
• Participates in customer/stakeholders’ meetings, help structure deals and review/attain/benchmark service standards & maintain cross border relationships
• Maintain service level agreement metrics on turnaround and accuracy for all operational activities on SOLV Kenya Platform
• Work on one SOLV Kenya agenda to deliver superior service to the customers/stakeholders.
• Ensures adequate documentation and training on all new systems, processes, policies, procedures and controls
• Understands & practices methods to sustain change.
• Builds an agile organizational structure, enabling timely adaption to changing market conditions
•  Be a Champions and leads programmes till successful implementation

People and Talent

• Lead through example and build the appropriate culture and values. Set appropriate tone and expectations in the Operations Team for SOLV Kenya and work in collaboration with the rest of the Senior Management Team.
• 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, target achievement, creating good customer relations and loyalty and streamlined workflows and collaborative, inclusive yet effective and efficient work practices are the norm.
• Set and monitor job descriptions and objectives for the Operations Team 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 Operations Team and the rest of the team are competent, suitably skilled and qualified for their roles, ensuring that they have effective supervision in place to mitigate any risks.
• Provide feedback at business, function, country and individual level as appropriate, on Operational Performance  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 the performance of the Operations Unit on SOLV Kenya.
• Continuously raise employee engagement levels in the Ops Team
• Creates a harmonious cross culture work environment
• Identify & nurture talent by ensuring adequate succession planning in the Ops Team.
• Accelerate the next generation of leaders
• Strengthen Performance culture through clear job description and objectives and tracking mechanism of the same
• Ensures a “healthy” level of attrition
• Working with the Training Manager, ensure the Ops team member are continuously trained and the same reflected on the efficiencies and effectiveness achieved.
•  Proven succession plans

Risk Management

• In accordance with the Ventures Enterprise Risk Management Framework, act as first line Risk Owner for all Operations on SOLV Platform together with the COO to address appropriate and relevant Venture processes.
• Collaborate with the Risk and Compliance Team Members to anticipate horizon risks that may have a significant impact on the Ventures Operations Products and develop effective strategies to mitigate such horizon risks including global standards for conduct of business.
• Collaborate with Risk and Compliance Team and senior managers to support a programme for conduct, financial crime and compliance monitoring, surveillance and/or assurance for the Operations on the Solv business in Kenya
• In the event of serious Operational regulatory breaches, or where risk tolerances have been breached, working with Risk and Governance, Commercial Leads, ensure senior management in the Venture and relevant regulators are informed and that actions are taken quickly to remediate and/or activities are ceased.
• Working with the Risk and Compliance Officer and Commercial Leads ensure proactive and timely identification, assessment, advice and dissemination of evolving regulatory changes/practices and associated risks, and proactive engagement in regulatory reform relating to Operations.
• Liaise with the internal audit function to ensure that any weakness identified by the internal audit function relating to the SOLV Operations in Kenya are appropriately followed up and closed in a timely manner.
• Together with the Risk Team, Commercial Leads, assess risks arising from products / segments / geographies / customers / transactions related to Solv business.
• Ensure any Operational related global standards are understood and implemented across the area of responsibility, with any identified exceptions, or need for more/less stringent standards escalated when appropriate.

• Ensures a no surprises culture – no failed audits
• No repeat findings and Nil High Risk Findings
• Establishes key control standard parameters
• Understands market practices, awareness of local regulations, group and business policies, business standard procedures and best practices
• Establishes a performance culture around Risk Management using root cause analysis and corrective action planning as key elements of operational risk management
• Proactively identifies, assesses and mitigates risk issues
• Keeps a centralized information management portfolio on fraud incidents and risk training materials for the countries.
• Timely escalation of all incidents to appropriate authorities as per reporting framework
• Uses internal/ external audit findings to further improve service excellence
• Owns the control culture and environment proactively Inculcating a speak up culture across teams

Governance

• Attend relevant leadership meetings, and provide relevant reports to senior management and governance/risk committees for the area of responsibility.
• Working with the Risk Team, Commercial Leads, Identify and escalate potential risks and issues to senior management through appropriate governance channels and the Quality Assurance framework.
• Ensure appropriate Product governance measures are in place so that product approval documents reflect all relevant requirements.
• Propose control effectiveness and efficiency improvements and simplifications where appropriate.

Regulatory & Business Conduct

• Display exemplary conduct and live by Solv’s Values and Code of Conduct.
• Take personal responsibility for embedding the highest standards of ethics, including regulatory and business conduct, across Solv Kenya. This includes understanding and ensuring compliance with, in letter and spirit, all applicable laws, regulations, guidelines and the Group Code of Conduct.
• Lead the SOLV Products Mandate set out in the Bank’s Conduct Principles
• Effectively and collaboratively identify, escalate, mitigate and resolve risk, conduct and compliance matters.
• Exercise authorities delegated by the Board of Directors and act in accordance with Articles of Association

Key Stakeholders

• Venture Lead, SOLV Kenya
• Commercial Leads, SOLV Kenya
• Risk and Compliance SOLV Kenya
• COO, SOLV Kenya
• Training Manager, SOLV Kenya

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Graduate from any stream preferred with post-graduation or master’s degree
• 10-12 years’ experience In Operations – Corporate and ALM back office Operations and who can manage larger teams
• Able to manage costs, timelines & deliver projects
• Able to analyse and Manage risks
• Be a mentor and be able to drive and motivate the Operation teams