Assistant Manager Operational Risk

About Equity Bank Kenya

Equity Bank Kenya is the biggest subsidiary of Equity Group Holdings Plc. The bank is incorporated in Kenya under the Companies Act (Cap 486) and operates under a Banking Act (Chapter 488) licence. It offers retail banking, microfinance, and a wide range of related financial services. Its national network includes 212 branches, more than 42,600 agents, 27,300 merchants, over 1 million Pay with Equity (PWE) merchants, and 345 ATMs. The bank is listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange, reflecting its focus on openness and leadership in the market.

The Group’s business portfolio covers banking, insurance, technology, and social enterprise, allowing it to create integrated solutions that support inclusive growth. Its operating model is built around the Tri-Engine approach — Social, Economic, and Sustainability — which is designed to strengthen value chains, empower communities, and create lasting social and economic impact. Its purpose is to transform lives, restore dignity, and expand opportunities for wealth creation. The organisation’s vision is to become the champion of the socio-economic prosperity of people across Africa. Its culture is guided by professionalism, integrity, creativity and innovation, teamwork, unity of purpose, respect, and effective corporate governance (PICTURE). The Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan (ARRP) drives its growth and impact strategy as the blueprint for sustainable expansion and long-term value creation across the continent.

Job Purpose

This role is focused on strengthening the bank’s operational risk management structure. The Assistant Manager, Operational Risk will identify, evaluate, monitor, and help reduce risks that arise from people, processes, systems, and external events. The position also ensures compliance with regulatory expectations and accepted best practices so the bank is protected from financial and reputational harm.

Key Responsibilities

• Build, apply, and continuously improve the operational risk framework, policies, and procedures in line with regulatory standards and industry good practice.
• Track operational risk exposures and emerging trends, and report them to senior leadership and risk committees.
• Carry out operational risk reviews, including Risk Control Self-Assessments (RCSA) across business units.
• Define key risk indicators (KRIs) and keep operational exposure under ongoing review.
• Examine risk incidents and their underlying causes, then recommend actions that lower the likelihood and impact of future incidents.
• Set up and maintain a database for operational risk events and loss records.
• Review operational incidents and near misses, capture lessons learned, and suggest control improvements.
• Ensure adherence to regulatory expectations, including CBK requirements and Basel II/III operational risk guidance.
• Support the roll-out of business continuity plans (BCP) and disaster recovery arrangements.
• Contribute to crisis management planning to maintain resilience during operational disruptions.
• Deliver training and awareness sessions on operational risk management for employees.
• Encourage a strong risk-conscious culture through workshops, campaigns, and knowledge-sharing forums.
• Prepare and present operational risk updates to senior management, risk committees, and regulators.
• Monitor and follow through on corrective actions arising from assessments and incident reviews.

Qualifications and Experience

• A bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Risk Management, or a closely related field.
• Professional certifications such as CRISC, FRR, FRM, PRM, or ORM will be an added advantage.
• At least 3 to 5 years of experience in operational risk management, internal audit, or compliance.
• Working knowledge of risk frameworks such as Basel II/III, COSO, and ISO 31000.
• Hands-on experience with RCSA, incident handling, and business continuity planning.

Key Competencies and Skills

• Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving ability.
• Clear communication and effective stakeholder management.
• Ability to understand regulatory guidance and translate it into practical controls.
• Strong attention to detail and the capacity to perform well under pressure and tight timelines.

Additional Information

Organization: Equity Group Holdings

Employment Type: Regular

Job Level: Manager

Job Shift: Day Job