Head of Central Operations
Central Operations – Nairobi, Nairobi
I&M Bank is a leading Commercial bank headquartered in Kenya with a growing regional presence. The Bank offers a wide range of commercial banking and financial products and services and prides itself on introducing innovative products and services based on the needs of its customers. We are seeking to recruit a competent and highly motivated individual with extensive experience and abilities to support business growth in the following position.
Job Purpose
The role holder is responsible for operational efficiency and ensuring processes conform to standard banking practice, rules and regulations with a view of avoiding reputational and financial risk to the organization.
Key Responsibilities
· Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management: Ensure all centralized operations comply with internal and external regulations. Maintain up-to-date procedures for key processes, including Customer Onboarding, SWIFT payments, Clearing, Deposits, Treasury Operations and Trade Operations.
· Operational Controls & Transaction Management: Implement strong controls to ensure efficient, accurate, and secure transaction handling, minimizing operational risks.
· Leadership of Central Operations: Oversee the Central Operations team responsible for Customer Onboarding, Treasury Operations, SWIFT payments, Central Clearing, Central Deposits, Trade Operations, and Customer Data Management/KYC Remediation.
· Performance Monitoring & KPI Management: Track and manage unit performance against budgets, resource allocations, and KPIs, ensuring operational targets are met.
· Service Delivery & SLA Management: Establish, monitor, and renegotiate SLAs with supported units to ensure consistent service delivery.
· Business Process Re-engineering (BPR) & Projects: Oversee BPR initiatives, ensuring processes are optimized and procedure manuals remain aligned with evolving business needs. Develop scalable, efficient central operations processes and coordinate system testing and rollouts.
· System Approvals & Service Reviews: Approve SWIFT users and critical Internet Banking service profiles for CBK and correspondent bank operations. Initiate or support service reviews with vendors and banking partners to enhance service quality.
· Strategic Initiatives & Project Support: Provide operational input into key strategic initiatives, new projects, and product rollouts.
· Stakeholder Collaboration: Work with external partners such as KBA, CBK, KRA, and vendors to ensure regulatory alignment, industry best practices, and operational efficiency.
· Escalation & Decision-Making: Escalation point, providing guidance and direction on central operations matters.
· Change Management & Process Improvement: Lead change management initiatives to drive process efficiency, cost reduction, and service quality improvement.
Financial Responsibility:
· Review of relevant policies and procedures
· Engagements with various 3rd parties; SWIFT & vendors
· Various system improvements
· Process changes
· Central Operations staff resourcing and other expenses
Person Specifications
Professional Qualifications / Membership to professional bodies/ Publication
· AKIB or other relevant professional training.
Academic Qualifications
· Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Banking or related field.
Work Experience.
· Over ten (10) years’ relevant experience with over four (4) years in a senior management role in a similar sized organization.
Competencies
· Planning & Organizational skills
· Analytical skills and attention to detail
· Strong oral and written communication skills
· Interpersonal skills to manage stakeholders at all levels
· Ethics and integrity
· Excellent judgment and analytical abilities and impeccable integrity.
· Strong commercial awareness and an ability to connect to business goals
If you believe you meet the above requirements log onto our website www.imbankgroup.com/ke and click on careers and apply for the position. Your application should reach us as soon as possible but not later than 17th March 2025.
