About the Role
The Risk & Compliance Officer will be responsible for ensuring that the organization complies with all applicable regulatory requirements, implementing enterprise risk management frameworks, and monitoring internal controls to improve governance and operational effectiveness.
Duties and Responsibilities
Regulatory Compliance & Regulatory Engagement
- Ensure the organization complies with all applicable regulatory requirements, including the Capital Markets Act, CMA Regulations, NSE Rules, CDSC requirements, POCAMLA, AML/CFT legislation, and the Data Protection Act.
- Act as the primary liaison between the organization and regulatory authorities during inspections, licensing activities, statutory submissions, audits, and regulatory correspondence.
- Monitor regulatory developments and advise management on legislative changes that may affect the organisation's operations, products, and strategic initiatives.
- Prepare, review, and submit statutory returns, regulatory reports, and disclosures within prescribed timelines.
- Maintain accurate compliance registers, regulatory records, and documentation to support internal and external audits.
Enterprise Risk Management
- Develop, implement, and continuously improve the organisation's enterprise risk management framework.
- Identify, assess, monitor, and report operational, regulatory, financial, market, and reputational risks across all business functions.
- Conduct risk assessments for new products, services, business initiatives, and strategic projects before implementation.
- Recommend practical risk mitigation strategies that support commercial objectives while maintaining an appropriate risk appetite.
- Monitor key risk indicators and recommend corrective action where risk exposure exceeds approved thresholds.
Compliance Monitoring & Internal Controls
- Develop and implement the annual compliance monitoring program across all business functions.
- Conduct compliance reviews covering AML/CFT, Know Your Customer (KYC), market conduct, conflicts of interest, and regulatory obligations.
- Investigate compliance breaches, determine root causes, recommend corrective actions, and monitor implementation.
- Review and strengthen internal controls to improve governance, operational effectiveness, and regulatory compliance.
- Support internal and external audit engagements by providing accurate documentation and implementing agreed recommendations.
Governance, Advisory & Reporting
- Prepare periodic risk and compliance reports for Executive Management, Board Committees, and regulatory authorities.
- Present risk exposures, compliance trends, and emerging regulatory developments to senior management.
- Provide commercially practical compliance advice to business leaders during product development, transaction reviews, and strategic initiatives.
- Support the development, review, and implementation of organizational policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.
- Participate in governance committees and contribute to the continuous improvement of organizational risk management practices.
Training & Risk Awareness
- Develop and deliver compliance and risk awareness programs across the organization.
- Facilitate induction and refresher training on regulatory compliance, AML/CFT requirements, ethical conduct, and governance.
- Promote a proactive risk culture by increasing awareness of regulatory obligations and organizational policies.
- Support business leaders in embedding risk management and compliance responsibilities within their respective teams.
Measurable Outcomes
- Achieve 100% on-time submission of all statutory returns and regulatory reports.
- Maintain compliance with all applicable regulatory requirements and minimize regulatory findings, penalties, or sanctions.
- Complete the annual compliance monitoring program within approved timelines.
- Maintain current enterprise risk registers and key risk indicators across all business functions.
- Improve the effectiveness of internal controls through timely implementation of agreed corrective actions.
- Deliver accurate and timely risk and compliance reports to Executive Management and Board Committees.
- Complete enterprise risk assessments for all new products, strategic initiatives, and material business changes before implementation.
- Deliver annual compliance and risk awareness training to all relevant employees.
Qualifications & Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Law, Finance, Business Administration, Economics, Risk Management, Accounting, or a related discipline.
- CMA Compliance Certification or another CMA-recognised compliance qualification is mandatory.
- Professional qualifications such as ICA, ACAMS, CFA, ACCA, CPA (K), or FRM will be an added advantage.
- Minimum of 4–6 years' experience in Risk and Compliance within an investment bank, stockbroker, fund manager, investment adviser, or another CMA-licensed financial institution.
- Strong working knowledge of the Capital Markets Act, CMA Regulations, NSE Rules, CDSC requirements, POCAMLA, AML/CFT legislation, and the Data Protection Act.
- Demonstrated experience managing regulatory relationships, compliance monitoring programs, statutory reporting, and enterprise risk management frameworks.
- Experience developing internal controls, governance frameworks, and organizational policies.
- Strong analytical, stakeholder management, report writing, and decision-making skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications. Experience using Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) systems will be an added advantage.
