Gulf African Bank, a licensed commercial bank operating within Kenya’s dynamic financial services sector, invites applications for the position of Sustainability Officer. This opportunity is suited to professionals with a strong interest in sustainability, environmental stewardship, and responsible banking practices within a regulated financial environment. As sustainability and environmental, social, and governance considerations continue to shape the future of financial services globally and locally, the bank seeks to strengthen its institutional capacity by appointing a dedicated professional to lead and coordinate sustainability and ESG-related initiatives.
The Sustainability Officer role is designed to support the bank’s strategic ambition of embedding responsible practices across its operations, decision-making processes, and stakeholder engagements. The successful candidate will play a central role in ensuring that sustainability principles are integrated into corporate strategy, operational frameworks, and reporting obligations. This position is based in Nairobi and reports directly to the Head of Strategy. It is offered on permanent terms of employment.
This advert is intended for publication on a third-party job board and is structured to provide a comprehensive overview of the role, its purpose, responsibilities, reporting relationships, employment terms, and application timelines. Interested candidates are encouraged to review the details carefully to understand the scope of the role and the expectations attached to it.
Position Overview
Advert Number: 6199/2026
Position/Vacancy Name: Sustainability Officer
Advertised By: Gulf African Bank
Number of Vacancies: 1
Occupation: Environmental Science / Sustainability / ESG
Workplace Location: Nairobi
Reporting To: Head of Strategy
Employment Type: Job
Terms of Employment: Permanent
Advert Date: 08 January 2026
Advert Closing Date: 16 January 2026
The Sustainability Officer position is a strategic and operational role within the bank. It focuses on the development, coordination, implementation, and continuous improvement of sustainability and ESG initiatives across the organization. The role requires close collaboration with multiple internal functions, including Risk, Finance, Operations, and Business Units, as well as engagement with external stakeholders such as regulators, auditors, industry partners, and customers.
The successful candidate will be expected to operate within a structured corporate environment, adhere to regulatory requirements, and contribute to positioning the bank as a responsible and sustainable financial institution within the Kenyan market and beyond.
Job Purpose
The primary purpose of the Sustainability Officer role is to undertake the development and execution of the bank’s sustainability and ESG strategy. This involves embedding responsible and sustainable practices across all areas of the bank’s operations and ensuring alignment with the overall corporate strategy.
The role is responsible for strengthening the bank’s ESG performance by supporting regulatory compliance, improving sustainability reporting, and driving initiatives that enhance environmental and social outcomes while maintaining sound governance standards. Through these efforts, the Sustainability Officer will contribute to the bank’s long-term resilience, reputation, and competitiveness.
In carrying out this purpose, the role supports management and decision-makers by providing data-driven insights, strategic guidance, and practical tools to integrate sustainability considerations into strategic, operational, and commercial decisions.
Detailed Job Description and Responsibilities
The Sustainability Officer will be responsible for a broad range of duties grouped into several key functional areas. These responsibilities are outlined below to provide clarity on the scope and depth of the role.
Sustainability Strategy and Implementation
The Sustainability Officer will lead the development, implementation, and continuous refinement of the bank’s sustainability and ESG strategy. This responsibility requires alignment with the bank’s overall corporate strategy, business objectives, and regulatory environment.
Key duties under this area include developing structured sustainability frameworks and roadmaps that define the bank’s priorities, targets, and initiatives in relation to environmental, social, and governance performance. The role involves translating high-level strategic objectives into practical and actionable initiatives that can be implemented across different business units.
The officer will lead sustainability-related strategic initiatives, working closely with senior management and functional leaders to integrate ESG principles into core banking activities. This includes identifying and promoting opportunities for innovation in green finance, sustainable operations, and responsible banking practices that are relevant to the bank’s market and customer base.
Another important aspect of this responsibility is supporting management in integrating sustainability considerations into strategic planning and commercial decision-making. This may involve providing analysis, scenario assessments, or advisory input on sustainability risks and opportunities associated with new products, services, partnerships, or investments.
The Sustainability Officer will also be expected to review and update sustainability strategies regularly to ensure they remain relevant in light of emerging risks, regulatory developments, market trends, and stakeholder expectations.
ESG Reporting and Compliance
A central responsibility of the role is coordinating the preparation of sustainability and ESG reports, disclosures, and internal dashboards. This includes ensuring that reporting is accurate, timely, and aligned with applicable standards and frameworks.
The Sustainability Officer will ensure compliance with local and international ESG-related regulations, frameworks, and standards. These may include, but are not limited to, IFRS Sustainability Standards, Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines, as applicable to the bank’s operations.
The role requires monitoring emerging sustainability regulations, guidelines, and best practices at both local and international levels. The Sustainability Officer will analyze these developments and advise the business on their potential implications, risks, and required actions.
In addition, the officer will work with internal stakeholders to ensure that ESG disclosures are consistent with the bank’s overall reporting, risk management, and governance processes. This includes contributing to regulatory submissions, annual reports, and other public or internal disclosures where sustainability information is required.
Data Management and Analytics
The Sustainability Officer will establish and maintain ESG data collection, verification, and reporting systems. This involves defining data requirements, coordinating data collection across departments, and ensuring data quality and consistency.
The role includes tracking and analyzing key sustainability performance indicators, identifying trends, gaps, and areas for improvement. Based on this analysis, the officer will recommend actions and initiatives to enhance the bank’s ESG performance.
The Sustainability Officer will work closely with Risk, Finance, and Operations teams to integrate ESG metrics into business decisions and performance management processes. This may involve supporting the inclusion of ESG considerations in risk assessments, credit processes, operational reviews, or strategic evaluations.
Another important responsibility is supporting the development and use of ESG dashboards and analytical tools that enable management to monitor performance and make informed decisions. This requires both technical understanding of data systems and the ability to translate data into clear and meaningful insights.
Stakeholder Engagement
The Sustainability Officer will engage with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders on sustainability-related matters. Internally, this includes working with management, staff, and cross-functional teams to promote understanding and implementation of sustainability initiatives.
Externally, the role involves engaging with regulators, auditors, industry partners, development partners, and customers as required. This may include responding to sustainability-related queries, participating in assessments or audits, and supporting external reporting and communication.
The officer will support sustainability-related communication and awareness initiatives within the bank. This includes contributing to internal communications, presentations, and campaigns that promote sustainability objectives and encourage staff engagement.
The Sustainability Officer may also represent the bank in sustainability forums, industry working groups, or partnerships. In this capacity, the role involves sharing the bank’s experience, learning from peers, and contributing to industry-wide discussions on responsible banking and sustainable finance.
Capacity Building and Culture
A key responsibility of the role is building internal ESG capability across the bank. This involves developing and delivering training sessions, guidance materials, and practical tools that support staff in understanding and applying sustainability principles in their roles.
The Sustainability Officer will champion a sustainability mindset and culture within the organization. This includes encouraging ownership of sustainability initiatives at different levels of the bank and supporting leadership in embedding sustainability into everyday practices and decision-making.
The role also involves identifying capacity gaps and working with relevant departments to address them through training, process improvements, or resource allocation.
Academic Qualifications, Professional Skills, and Expertise
The position requires a combination of academic qualifications, professional experience, and technical competencies relevant to sustainability and ESG within a financial services context.
Qualifications and Experience
The Sustainability Officer role requires a bachelor’s degree in Sustainability, Environmental Science, Economics, Finance, Business, or a related field. This academic background supports the analytical and interdisciplinary nature of the role.
A master’s degree or professional certification in sustainability or ESG, such as CFA ESG, GRI Certification, or Sustainability Management, is considered an added advantage. Such qualifications provide additional depth in sustainability frameworks, reporting standards, and strategic integration.
The role requires a minimum of three to five years of experience in sustainability, ESG, environmental management, corporate strategy, risk management, or related fields. Experience within the financial services sector is preferred, given the regulatory and operational context of the role.
Job-Specific Competencies
The Sustainability Officer is expected to demonstrate strong analytical, research, and problem-solving skills. These competencies are essential for assessing sustainability risks and opportunities, interpreting data, and developing effective strategies and recommendations.
The role requires excellent written and verbal communication skills, particularly in relation to reporting, stakeholder engagement, and internal communication. The ability to present complex sustainability concepts clearly and concisely is important.
Proven ability to manage cross-functional initiatives and influence diverse stakeholders is required. The Sustainability Officer will work across departments and levels, often without direct authority, and must be able to build consensus and drive progress.
The role requires a strategic mindset combined with strong attention to detail and execution discipline. The officer must be able to balance long-term strategic objectives with practical implementation and monitoring.
A solid understanding of ESG risks and opportunities, and their implications for the financial sector, is essential. This includes knowledge of environmental and social risks, governance considerations, and emerging regulatory expectations.
Proficiency in ESG data analysis, reporting tools, and dashboards is required to support effective monitoring, reporting, and decision-making.
Work Environment and Reporting Structure
The Sustainability Officer will be based at the bank’s offices in Nairobi. The role reports to the Head of Strategy and works closely with senior management and functional teams across the organization.
The position operates within a professional and regulated banking environment, requiring adherence to internal policies, regulatory requirements, and ethical standards. The role involves both independent work and collaboration, with expectations for proactive engagement and continuous improvement.
Employment Terms
The Sustainability Officer position is offered on permanent terms of employment. The role is a full-time position with responsibilities aligned to the bank’s strategic and operational needs.
The advert does not specify a fixed employment period, and the role is intended to support the bank’s long-term sustainability objectives.
Application Information
This position is open to qualified candidates who meet the requirements outlined above and are interested in contributing to sustainability and responsible banking within the financial services sector.
The advert was published on 08 January 2026, and the closing date for applications is 16 January 2026. Interested candidates are advised to submit their applications before the closing date to ensure consideration.
