Country Credit Head, Wealth & Retail Bank Risk, Kenya at Standard Chartered Bank Kenya

Job Description

Job Summary

Uphold the integrity of the Group’s risk/ return decisions for Wealth & Retail Bank (WRB) Kenya by ensuring credit risks arising from Retail Banking are properly assessed, transparently decided and controlled in line with Group standards and risk appetite.

Ensure the Risk Management Framework, credit policies, governance routines and related reporting processes are effectively communicated, implemented and embedded across the Kenya Credit function.

Exercise credit risk approval authority for the Retail Clients business and lead end-to-end WRB risk management for Kenya, including portfolio oversight, controls, stakeholder engagement and regulatory conduct.

Credit Risk Strategy and Governance

• Inform business planning through cost and impairment forecasts, balanced assessment of the external environment, and advice that supports disciplined growth within risk appetite.
• Design, maintain and communicate credit risk control parameters, including policies, control standards, exposure limits and other levers that keep the Retail Banking risk profile aligned to Group appetite.
• Ensure material risk exposures, emerging issues and management responses are escalated to the appropriate governance forums and committees.
• Business, Processes and Risk Management
• Supervise relevant first-line-owned processes within the Credit function and ensure operational risks are effectively managed in compliance with internal policies, laws and regulations.
• Assess the credit risk profile of the Retail Banking business, initiate stress testing and scenario analysis, and ensure management response plans are in place for extreme but plausible events.
• Exercise assigned credit authorities with sound judgement, considering concentration risk across sectors, geographies and markets, and assign risk authorities to suitably skilled individuals.
• Maintain effective relationships with regulators and key external stakeholders, ensuring credit risk management expectations are understood and reflected in internal processes.

People and Talent

• Set direction and drive high performance by translating strategy into clear direction, aligning individual goals to team outcomes and providing regular, constructive feedback.
• Develop talent and capability through coaching and career conversations that build critical skills, stretch potential and prepare individuals for future opportunities.
• Lead by example by role-modelling the Bank’s valued behaviours, upholding strong risk and conduct standards, exercising sound judgment, and creating an inclusive team culture that supports wellbeing, values diverse perspectives, and drives accountability.
• Stakeholder, Conduct and Regulatory Responsibilities
• Partner with country, regional and Group stakeholders including the Country CEO, Country WRB Head, Retail Banking leadership, Credit Initiation, Risk Operations, Fraud Risk, Group Internal Audit and policy teams.
• Display exemplary conduct, live the Group’s Values and Code of Conduct, and lead the Kenya Credit unit to deliver the Bank’s Conduct Principles.
• Identify, escalate, mitigate and resolve risk, conduct and compliance matters collaboratively and in a timely manner.
• Motivations
• Creating strong, well-controlled credit outcomes that balance client needs, business growth and prudent risk management.
• Leading and developing high-performing teams, building future leaders and strengthening risk capability across the Kenya Credit and Collections function.
• Solving complex credit, conduct and governance challenges through collaboration with senior internal stakeholders, regulators and external partners.

Skill Requirements

• Sound knowledge of Risk – Retail and PB Credit Risk; Retail Operational Risk; Retail Reputational Risk
• Leading Across Cultures and People Management skills
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Knowledge of Collection Strategy
• Communication and Influencing skills
• WRB Product Knowledge 

Key Experiences    

• Senior credit risk leadership experience within Retail Banking, including portfolio risk oversight, credit decisioning, risk appetite management and governance.
• Experience leading people and building credit risk capability across teams, including direct management of managers/specialists and development of future leaders.
• Strong stakeholder management experience with country, regional and Group leadership, regulators, credit bureaus, auditors and governance committees.
• Demonstrated experience embedding risk management frameworks, operational risk controls, policy compliance and conduct standards.

Certifications / Qualifications

• CCRC, Risk Leaders Bootcamp and ACRM.
• Trainer experience for Collections and Credit Risk Management.

Languages

• English; local language capability relevant to Kenya market engagement is beneficial.