Manager Transaction Monitoring Governance & Controls

Sidian Bank Limited is a financial institution founded in 1984, operating in the Banking & Financial Services sector in Nairobi, Kenya.

The Transaction Monitoring Manager at Sidian Bank is responsible for leading the First Line transaction monitoring operations across various banking channels including branch, digital, cards, payments, and agency. This involves converting approved policies and risk priorities into actionable daily work plans, defining investigation standards, and establishing escalation routines for the monitoring team. The manager ensures that all alerts and customer activity exceptions are properly allocated, investigated, documented, quality-checked, and resolved within established service levels. A key aspect of the role is the timely escalation of unusual, unresolved, or potentially suspicious activities to the Second Line Enterprise Risk Management and the Money Laundering Reporting Officer (MLRO) through official channels.

1. Oversee comprehensive transaction monitoring across all bank channels, ensuring alerts are captured, assigned, investigated, documented, and closed within risk and service-level thresholds.
2. Monitor operational performance, queue health, volumes, ageing, backlogs, and productivity, initiating recovery actions when service standards are at risk.
3. Ensure monitoring activities adhere to the Bank’s policies and Kenya’s AML/CFT/CPF framework, including Central Bank of Kenya requirements.
4. Escalate suspicious, material, unresolved, or control-sensitive matters to Enterprise Risk Management and the MLRO, supporting independent assessment and regulatory reporting.
5. Collaborate with various departments like Operations, Customer Service, and Technology to resolve data, documentation, system, and process issues impacting monitoring outcomes.
6. Ensure compliance with AML, CTF, KYC, sanctions, and regulatory requirements, and monitor adherence to internal policies.
7. Conduct periodic reviews of transaction monitoring controls and effectiveness, and support regulatory examinations, audits, and compliance reviews.
8. Enforce consistent application of investigation standards, ensuring analysts use sound judgment, maintain clear evidence, and promptly escalate complex cases.
9. Review complex cases and approve First Line closures within delegated authority, ensuring decisions are evidence-based and supported by complete records.
10. Ensure complete and timely hand-off of qualifying exceptions to Second Line Enterprise Risk Management with accurate case facts and recommended actions.
11. Conduct First Line quality assurance and management reporting on investigation quality, closure discipline, escalations, volumes, and service-level performance to drive continuous improvement.
12. Provide tactical leadership to the monitoring team by setting daily priorities, allocating workloads, monitoring performance, coaching staff, and ensuring adherence to service standards.
13. Foster a strong compliance culture within the team, manage performance, and plan for succession.

1. Hold a University Degree in Bachelor of Commerce (Finance or Accounting) or another relevant Business Degree.
2. A Master’s degree is an added advantage.
3. Possess at least 8 to 10 years of experience in banking, operations, compliance, AML/CFT, fraud risk, financial crime risk management, or transaction monitoring, with proven experience in leading teams and managing operational risk controls.
4. Have at least 5 years of experience specifically in AML transaction monitoring, alert management, customer risk review, investigations, quality assurance, or regulatory reporting support within a regulated financial institution.
5. Practical experience using MS Office applications, particularly Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
6. Working knowledge of Kenyan banking regulations and AML/CFT/CPF requirements, including the Banking Act, CBK Prudential Guidelines, POCAMLA, related AML regulations, FRC reporting expectations, and FATCA requirements.
7. Thorough knowledge of banking products and services and a broader understanding of the general banking industry.
8. Excellent demonstrated tactical leadership capacity, including coordinating daily execution, monitoring operational performance, resolving workflow issues, and clear reporting.
9. Strong organizational, administrative, and analytical skills, including oral and written communication.
10. Strong negotiation and interpersonal skills, with the ability to motivate, coach, and mentor staff.
11. Good communication and engagement skills.
12. Professional Banking qualification (AKIB) is an added advantage.