Head of Communications at Standard Chartered Bank Kenya

Role Responsibilities

Please also specify the Prescribed Responsibilities delegated to this role.

Strategy

• Development and implementation of an internal and external communications strategy consistent with the business strategy.
• Provide key strategic communications advice to CEOs and business leaders in country.
• The role holder is required to develop and implement strategies to build and protect the reputation of the Bank both externally and internally. This is achieved via a programme of media relations, internal communications, government relations, corporate responsibility, community relations and investor relations.
• Manage internal and external communications resources to budget.

Business

• Coordinate internal and external communication plans across all channels, press, thought leadership, web, audio calls, videos.
• Identify and coordinate opportunities for senior management to act as "trusted counsel" to Governments and other actors on key policy issues.
• Collaborate with colleagues across Corporate Affairs to ensure continuous best practice sharing and improvement in the function.

Processes

• Develop and maintain a network of key press contacts with knowledge of the Bank's strategies and capabilities.
• Manage resources to execute internal and external communications plan across the country.
• Ensure appropriate training for spokespeople and ensure access to press is controlled.
• Develop an effective system for timely and high-quality reporting and intelligence on politics and policy change.

People and Talent

• Lead through example and build the appropriate culture and values. Set appropriate tone and expectations from the team and work in collaboration with risk and control partners.
• Ensure the provision of ongoing training and development of people and ensure that the team is suitably skilled and qualified for their roles.
• 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.
• Assess and measure the team's activities to ensure alignment with plans, forecasts, and capacity models.

Risk Management

• Demonstrate shift towards anticipation of risk.
• Provide leadership and coordination of issues and crisis communications to the functions at cluster and country level.

Governance

• Ensure adherence to the risk management framework, Group Code of Conduct and various policies, procedures, and Guidelines of the bank by the regional Corporate Affairs and Brand & Marketing Teams.
• For Corporate Affairs, be the Reputational Risk Control Owner's representative, enforcing the associated policies and procedures across the bank.

Regulatory & Business conduct

• Display exemplary conduct and live by the Group's Values and Code of Conduct.
• Take personal responsibility for embedding the highest standards of ethics, including regulatory and business conduct, across Standard Chartered Bank. This includes understanding and ensuring compliance with, in letter and spirit, all applicable laws, regulations, guidelines and the Group Code of Conduct.
• Support the CABM team to achieve the outcomes set out in the Bank's Conduct Principles: The Right Environment.
• Effectively and collaboratively identify, escalate, mitigate, and resolve risk, conduct and compliance matters.
• Embed the Group's Values and Group Code of Conduct to ensure adherence with the highest standards of ethics. Comply with relevant policies, processes, and regulations, as part of the culture. Lead by example by displaying exemplary conduct behaviours and take personal responsibility for:
• The conduct of individuals in internal, external Communications and Public Affairs, ensuring behaviours set out in the Group Code of Conduct are followed.
• Internal, external Communications and Public Affairs achieving the outcomes set out in the Conduct Principals and Pillars.
• Direct managers are individually accountable to proactively communicate, collaborate, and agree on the conduct ratings of employees.

Key Stakeholders

Internal - functional

• Country Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand & Marketing
• Regional Head of Corporate Affairs and Brand & Marketing
• Head of Communications, AME

Internal - regional and country level

• Country CEO
• Country Client Business Heads
• Country Functions Heads
• Country CABM team

External

• Media agencies
• Online partners
• Vendors and suppliers
• Editors and journalists
• Network with peers in the industry and other sectors via various strategic business / PR bodies in the country.

Other Responsibilities

• Embed Here for good and Group's brand and values in the CABM team.
• Perform other responsibilities assigned under Group, Country, Business or Functional policies and procedures.

Our Ideal Candidate

• University degree in Business, Communications, Public Relations or Finance discipline.
• In-depth knowledge of the local business and political environment
• Digital marketing flair with the ability to do digital PR
• Strategic advocacy and communications planning
• A proven track record for managing teams to get results. Strong track record in a reputable organisation - preferably an international organisation
• Strong FMCG, banking, financial services and / or technology pedigree desired
• Uses knowledge, communication and relationship skills to positively influence key decisions
• Excellent networking skills
• Strong networks with the media
• Government relations
• Forms effective relationships with key stakeholders across the matrix
• Ability to stand up for what is right, in the face of adversity
• Excellent communications: clear oral and written skills, effective questioning, and active learning
• Superior inter-personal and presentation skills
• Cultural sensitivity and awareness