Manager Transaction Monitoring Governance & Controls at Sidian Bank

JOB PURPOSE

The Transaction Monitoring Manager provides tactical First Line leadership for the day-to-day running of transaction monitoring across the Bank’s channels, products and customer touchpoints, including branch, digital, cards, payments, agency and other operational channels. The role translates approved policies, procedures and risk priorities into clear daily work plans, queue actions, investigation standards and escalation routines for the Assistant Manager and Monitoring Analysts. The role ensures alerts and customer-activity exceptions are allocated, investigated, evidenced, quality-checked and closed within approved service levels, with timely hand-off of unusual, unresolved or potentially suspicious matters to Second Line Enterprise Risk Management and the MLRO through the prescribed channels.

KEY RESPONSIBILTIES

Transaction Monitoring & Surveillance

Oversee end-to-end monitoring across all Bank channels, products and customer touchpoints, ensuring alerts and exceptions are promptly captured, assigned, investigated, documented and closed within approved risk and service-level thresholds.

Monitor operational performance and queue health, including volumes, ageing, backlogs, productivity and closure quality, and initiate workload reallocation or recovery actions where service standards are at risk.

Ensure monitoring activities comply with the Bank’s policies and Kenya’s AML/CFT/CPF framework, including applicable Central Bank of Kenya requirements on ongoing monitoring, record retention and prevention of financial crime.

Compliance & Risk Management

Escalate suspicious, material, unresolved or control-sensitive matters to Enterprise Risk Management and the MLRO, and support independent assessment, remediation tracking and regulatory reporting through the Bank’s approved MLRO process.

Coordinate with Operations, Customer Service, Channels, KYC, Fraud, Technology, Data and business teams to resolve data, documentation, system and process issues affecting monitoring outcomes and control effectiveness.

Ensure compliance with AML, CTF, KYC, sanctions, and regulatory requirements.

Monitor adherence to internal policies and procedures.

Conduct periodic reviews of transaction monitoring controls and effectiveness.

Support regulatory examinations, audits, and compliance reviews.

Suspicious Activity Investigation

Enforce consistent application of approved investigation standards, ensuring analysts exercise sound judgement, maintain clear supporting evidence and escalate complex or high-risk matters promptly.

Review complex cases and approve First Line closures within delegated authority, ensuring decisions are evidence-based, consistent, defensible and supported by complete, audit-ready records.

Ensure complete and timely hand-off of qualifying exceptions to Second Line Enterprise Risk Management, supported by accurate case facts, channel context, customer and transaction information, evidence, risk rationale and the recommended First Line action.

Conduct First Line quality assurance and management reporting covering investigation quality, closure discipline, escalations, volumes, ageing, backlogs, service-level performance, control themes and remediation progress, using the findings to drive continuous improvement.

Team Leadership

Provide tactical leadership to the monitoring team by setting daily priorities, allocating workloads, monitoring performance, coaching staff and ensuring adherence to approved service standards.

Build a strong compliance culture within the team

Allocate workloads and monitor productivity.

Conduct performance management and succession planning

ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

University Degree in Bachelor of commerce (Finance or Accounting) or other relevant Business Degree.

Master’s degree will be an added advantage.

WORK EXPERIENCE

At least eight (8) to ten (10) years’ experience in banking, operations, compliance, AML/CFT, fraud risk, financial crime risk management or transaction monitoring, with demonstrable experience leading teams and managing operational risk controls.

At least five (5) years’ experience in AML transaction monitoring, alert management, customer risk review, investigations, quality assurance, regulatory reporting support or financial crime control within a regulated financial institution.

SKILLS & COMPETENCIES

Practical experience in use of relevant MS office applications, especially Excel, Word and PowerPoint.

Working knowledge of Kenyan banking regulation and AML/CFT/CPF requirements, including the Banking Act, CBK Prudential Guidelines, POCAMLA, related AML regulations, FRC reporting expectations and FATCA requirements.

Possess thorough knowledge of banking products and services and also a wider understanding of the general banking universe/Industry.

Excellent and demonstrated tactical leadership capacity, including the ability to coordinate daily execution, monitor operational performance, resolve workflow issues and report clearly on team delivery.

Strong organizational, administrative and analytical skills including oral and written communication skills.

Strong negotiation and interpersonal skills and ability to motivate, coach and mentor staff.

Good communication and engagement skills.

PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATION

Professional Banking qualification (AKIB) is an added advantage.

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