Manager – AML & KYC Advisory Job Equity Bank

Job description

Legal Jobs, Equity Bank Jobs. The Manager – AML & KYC Advisory provides AML/CFT/CPF advisory and reviews CDD/EDD assessments, requiring a Bachelor’s in Law/Finance/Banking, CAMS/ICA/CFE/CPA(K) certification, 7+ years AML/KYC experience, and 3+ years supervisory experience. Full-time role in Nairobi.

Job Purpose

• The Manager – AML & KYC Advisory is responsible for providing risk-based AML/CFT/CPF and KYC advisory opinions, independent review and challenge on customer onboarding, retention and high-risk relationships across the Bank.
• The role ensures that CDD, EDD and beneficial ownership assessments meet regulatory and policy requirements, that advisory decisions are documented and consistent, and that material customer financial crime risks are escalated in a timely manner.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide risk-based opinions on onboarding, customer retention, CDD, EDD and complex KYC exceptions.
• Review and challenge PEP assessments, adverse media, source of funds and wealth, high-risk sectors and proposed acceptance decisions.
• Analyse complex ownership and control arrangements, documentation sufficiency, trusts, nominees and layered entities.
• Advise on customer risk-rating overrides, event-driven reviews, periodic reviews and mitigation measures.
• Contribute to KYC policy development, digital onboarding and risk-rating system changes.
• Document advisory decisions, escalate material risks and support regulatory inspections.
• Review specialist opinions, supervise workload and coach analysts.

Key Accountabilities

• Deliver timely, documented and consistent advisory opinions within agreed service levels.
• Assess the adequacy of CDD and EDD performed by First Line and challenge gaps in information, verification or risk mitigation.
• Review PEP, adverse media, high-risk jurisdiction and high-risk sector cases and recommend acceptance, conditions or decline.
• Assess source of funds and source of wealth explanations and supporting evidence for plausibility and sufficiency.
• Analyse beneficial ownership and control structures and confirm documentation sufficiency in line with regulatory requirements.
• Review customer risk-rating overrides and recommend appropriate risk classification and mitigation measures.
• Advise on event-driven reviews triggered by monitoring, screening, adverse media or law enforcement requests.
• Maintain an advisory log and quality-assured case files to support audit and regulatory review.
• Identify recurring KYC deficiencies and control themes and report them for remediation by accountable owners.
• Provide technical input into KYC procedures, digital onboarding journeys, risk-rating tools and new product reviews.
• Escalate material customer financial crime risks to the Senior Manager – KYC Advisory and the MLRO.
• Support regulatory inspections, audits and correspondent bank due diligence requests.
• Supervise, review and coach analysts and maintain quality standards for advisory outputs.

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of AML/CFT/CPF laws, CBK Prudential Guidelines, FATF Standards and beneficial ownership requirements.
• Expertise in CDD, EDD, PEP assessment, adverse media and source of funds and wealth analysis.
• Ability to analyse complex corporate, trust and nominee structures.
• Strong understanding of banking products, customer segments and financial crime typologies.
• Strong analytical, investigative and risk assessment capabilities.
• Clear and concise written advisory and report writing skills.
• Effective stakeholder engagement and constructive challenge capability.
• Supervisory, coaching and team development skills.
• High integrity, independence, discretion and sound judgement.

Experience

• Minimum 7 years’ experience in AML/CFT/CPF, KYC, Financial Crime Compliance, Risk or Internal Audit within the financial services sector.
• At least 3 years’ experience in a supervisory or senior specialist role.
• Demonstrated experience in CDD, EDD, PEP and beneficial ownership assessments for complex customers.
• Experience supporting KYC remediation, regulatory inspections and correspondent bank due diligence.
• Prior experience in a Tier 1 bank and familiarity with CBK and FRC supervisory expectations will be an added advantage.

Academic & Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Law, Finance, Banking, Commerce, Accounting, Economics, Risk Management or a related field.
• Master’s degree in a relevant discipline will be an added advantage.
• Professional certifications such as CAMS, ICA Diploma in AML, ICA Certificate in KYC and CDD, CFE, CPA(K) or equivalent.
• Demonstrated commitment to continuous professional development in AML/CFT/CPF and customer due diligence.

How to Apply

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