Head of Audit, Risk & Compliance

Position

Head of Risk Audit and Compliance

Department

Risk Audit and Compliance

Job Level

Head of Department (HOD)

Reporting To

Board of Directors or Managing Director as determined by the Companys governance structure

Direct Reports

Risk Internal Audit and Compliance personnel as determined by the approved organisational structure

Geographical Scope

Company-wide - Head Office and all branches

Employment Type

Full-time

The Company is seeking a strategic analytical and execution-oriented Head of Risk Audit & Compliance to strengthen enterprise-wide risk management internal audit regulatory compliance and governance across the organisation.

The role holder will provide leadership in identifying and managing material business risks independently assessing the effectiveness of internal controls monitoring compliance with applicable legal and regulatory requirements and providing assurance to Management and the Board on the Companys governance and control environment.

The position will cover all business functions departments systems and branches including operational financial strategic regulatory technology fraud reputational and other enterprise risks. It is not limited to credit risk credit assessment loan approvals or credit compliance.

A key priority will be to establish a proactive and disciplined control environment in which risks are identified early accountability is clearly assigned audit findings are addressed within agreed timelines and compliance obligations are consistently met.

• Develop implement and maintain the Companys enterprise risk management framework policies procedures and risk assessment methodologies.

• Identify assess and monitor strategic operational financial regulatory legal fraud reputational technology cybersecurity data privacy business continuity and third-party risks across Head Office and all branches.

• Maintain a comprehensive enterprise risk register ensuring material risks have defined owners assessments mitigation plans monitoring mechanisms and escalation thresholds.

• Establish risk appetite measures key risk indicators risk-rating criteria and escalation protocols for approval through the appropriate governance channels.

• Conduct periodic enterprise-wide risk assessments and risk and control self-assessments to identify material exposures control gaps and emerging risks.

• Monitor changes in the business environment products processes systems regulatory requirements and operating model that may introduce new or increased risks.

• Advise Management on the risk implications of significant business decisions strategic initiatives new products material contracts and operational changes.

• Monitor risk mitigation plans and hold business owners accountable to agreed actions and deadlines.

• Coordinate business continuity and disaster recovery risk assessments with the relevant functional owners.

• Develop risk dashboards and management reports highlighting material exposures emerging trends overdue mitigations and matters requiring escalation.

• Promote risk ownership across the organisation ensuring that HODs and branch managers remain accountable for risks arising within their respective areas.

• Provide practical recommendations that strengthen controls without creating unnecessary operational bottlenecks or compromising customer service.

• Develop and maintain a risk-based internal audit plan covering the Companys material business functions processes systems and branches.

• Submit the annual internal audit plan and material changes to the appropriate Board or designated committee for approval in line with the Companys governance arrangements.

• Conduct or oversee independent audits operational reviews and control assessments to evaluate the effectiveness of governance risk management and internal controls.

• Execute scheduled and surprise audits of branches Head Office departments business processes financial transactions records and systems based on approved audit priorities.

• Review the adequacy of controls over procurement expenditure payroll assets reconciliations approvals records management system access and other material business processes.

• Assess adherence to approved policies delegated authorities operational procedures contractual obligations and applicable legal and regulatory requirements.

• Evaluate the reliability completeness and integrity of financial and operational records management reports and supporting documentation.

• Monitor recurring findings overdue actions and unresolved material weaknesses escalating persistent non-compliance to the appropriate governance level.

• Maintain adequate audit working papers evidence and documentation in accordance with applicable professional standards and Company requirements.

• Protect the independence and objectivity of Internal Audit ensuring that the function does not audit its own work or assume operational responsibility for the controls it assesses.

• Establish and maintain a company-wide compliance framework covering applicable legal statutory regulatory licensing and internal policy obligations.

• Maintain a compliance obligations register and regulatory calendar with clear accountability for submissions renewals reporting deadlines and other required deliverables.

• Monitor applicable local laws regulations regulatory guidance and licence conditions relevant to the Companys business and regulatory status.

• Coordinate compliance assessments across Head Office and branches and monitor the implementation of required controls.

• Advise Management and relevant functional leaders on regulatory changes compliance risks and required corrective actions.

• Oversee compliance monitoring relating to applicable data protection customer protection anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing anti-bribery and corruption record retention and other relevant obligations.

• Coordinate regulatory inspections reviews information requests and submissions working with the relevant internal functions and professional advisers as necessary.

• Maintain records of regulatory correspondence findings commitments remediation plans and supporting evidence.

• Review Company policies procedures and internal governance standards periodically to identify gaps inconsistencies or outdated requirements.

• Monitor adherence to the Companys Code of Conduct conflict-of-interest requirements whistleblowing arrangements and other applicable governance standards.

• Promote employee and management awareness of relevant compliance obligations through appropriate communication and training initiatives.

• Escalate actual or potential material regulatory breaches promptly through the approved reporting channels.

• Monitor the closure of compliance gaps and validate that corrective actions address the underlying causes.

• Establish and maintain appropriate arrangements for identifying reporting assessing and responding to suspected fraud theft corruption misconduct and material control breaches.

• Coordinate or oversee investigations into reported irregularities in accordance with approved investigation procedures and appropriate independence requirements.

• Ensure investigations are conducted objectively confidentially and on the basis of verifiable evidence.

• Coordinate the preservation and review of relevant documents transaction records system logs access records and other evidence.

• Prepare investigation reports setting out verified facts findings potential exposure root causes control weaknesses and recommended actions.

• Escalate material incidents and suspected misconduct promptly to the appropriate Management or Board authority.

• Work with Human Resources Legal Finance IT and relevant business leaders where investigations require cross-functional support.

• Maintain a central register of incidents investigations outcomes recoveries and preventive or corrective actions.

• Identify recurring incident patterns and recommend improvements to processes supervision access controls approvals and employee awareness.

• Monitor implementation of agreed preventive measures and assess whether they reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

• Ensure investigations support fair and evidence-based decision-making without prejudging disciplinary employment legal or other outcomes reserved for authorised decision-makers.

• Evaluate the design and operating effectiveness of internal controls across all material business functions and branches.

• Review segregation of duties maker-checker arrangements approval limits reconciliations access rights exception handling and supervisory controls.

• Assess whether approved policies procedures and delegated authorities are consistently implemented across the organisation.

• Identify control gaps process inefficiencies unauthorised workarounds and weaknesses that expose the Company to financial loss non-compliance or operational disruption.

• Review controls over procurement expenditure payroll asset management vendor engagements records management and other material processes.

• Assess controls over information systems cybersecurity data access information handling and technology-enabled business processes in collaboration with the relevant technical owners.

• Evaluate the adequacy of controls over outsourced services third-party engagements and other external dependencies.

• Recommend practical improvements that strengthen accountability protect Company resources and improve operational efficiency.

• Work with process owners to clarify control requirements responsibilities documentation standards and evidence of compliance.

• Independently verify that implemented corrective actions address identified root causes and improve control effectiveness.

• Maintain clear boundaries between independent assurance and operational ownership of business processes.

• Prepare periodic enterprise risk reports highlighting material exposures risk trends incidents mitigation progress and matters requiring Management attention.

• Present internal audit results significant findings recurring weaknesses and overdue corrective actions to the appropriate Management and Board forums.

• Prepare compliance reports showing the status of applicable obligations outstanding deliverables identified breaches regulatory engagements and remediation actions.

• Provide timely notification of critical incidents suspected material fraud significant compliance breaches and critical control failures.

• Translate technical findings into clear business implications potential financial exposure operational consequences and recommended management actions.

• Maintain accurate and current risk registers audit trackers compliance records and investigation documentation.

• Develop dashboards that support monitoring of risk exposure audit coverage compliance performance and closure of corrective actions.

• Provide quarterly and annual summaries of the Companys risk profile audit results compliance status and control environment or at the frequency approved by the relevant governance forum.

• Ensure that reports are supported by reliable evidence clearly identify accountability and distinguish confirmed findings from matters still under investigation.

• Monitor the timely implementation of Management and Board decisions relating to material risk audit and compliance matters.

• Provide independent risk and control advice to Management on business initiatives new products material operational changes and strategic decisions.

• Assess enterprise-level risks arising from business growth branch expansion changes in customer channels new technology and third-party arrangements.

• Monitor relevant credit-related exposures from an enterprise risk perspective without assuming responsibility for day-to-day credit assessment approvals credit administration or collections.

• Work with functional leaders to assess operational risks affecting customer service business continuity data integrity financial performance and regulatory standing.

• Coordinate relevant engagement with regulators and other oversight bodies within the scope of the role and the Companys approved governance arrangements.

• Support the preparation of accurate and timely responses to regulatory requests inspections and compliance reviews.

• Coordinate with external auditors independent assurance providers and professional advisers on matters relating to risk audit and compliance.

• Track external audit findings regulatory observations and agreed remediation commitments ensuring accountability and timely follow-up.

• Maintain appropriate records of regulatory correspondence external assurance reports and management responses.

• Ensure that regulatory and external assurance issues are escalated to the appropriate internal authorities.

• Collaborate with Legal and relevant subject-matter experts when specialist interpretation or advice is required.

• Maintain professional relationships with external stakeholders while protecting the Companys confidentiality interests and governance requirements.

• Bachelors degree in Risk Management Accounting Finance Auditing Business Administration Law or a related field.

• A relevant postgraduate qualification in Risk Management Finance Business Administration Governance or a related discipline will be an added advantage.

• Professional qualifications in internal audit risk management accounting compliance or related disciplines will be an advantage.

• At least 8-10 years of relevant progressive experience in enterprise risk management internal audit regulatory compliance governance or assurance.

• Demonstrated experience in a senior management or leadership role with responsibility for risk oversight audit delivery compliance monitoring or internal controls.

• Experience developing and implementing enterprise risk frameworks risk registers risk-based audit plans compliance programmes and management reporting arrangements.

• Demonstrated capability in conducting or overseeing branch audits operational reviews control assessments and investigations.

• Strong understanding of applicable legal and regulatory requirements relevant to the Companys business and regulatory status.

• Experience in microfinance microcredit digital lending financial services or another regulated multi-branch business will be strongly preferred.

• Demonstrated experience improving internal controls addressing recurring audit findings and strengthening accountability across business functions.

• Experience leading and developing multidisciplinary teams and managing competing operational and assurance priorities.