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

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.