Benefits Manager

Equity Bank Limited is a financial institution founded in 1984, operating in the banking and financial services sector.

The Benefits Manager will strategically lead and operationally oversee staff benefits and payroll administration for all Equity Group entities across Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan, and DRC Congo. This involves effectively managing HR costs, benefits programs, supporting payroll accuracy, ensuring statutory compliance, performing account reconciliations, tracking productivity metrics, and upholding service delivery standards. The role is crucial for optimizing employee cost structures, managing various schemes like Group Life, Medical, GPA, Pension, and Benevolent, and automating key reward processes. It also entails strengthening internal controls, maintaining audit-ready documentation, and ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements across multiple jurisdictions to achieve consistency, accuracy, and operational excellence in Total Rewards execution.

1. Manage HR benefits structures and lead staff cost leadership initiatives, ensuring benefit terms align with Group policies.
2. Oversee multi-country payroll support functions, ensuring adherence to Service Level Agreements (SLAs), reduced error rates, and timely completion of annual review exercises.
3. Maintain accurate benefits administration processes, including Group Life updates, GPA claims, medical membership management, and pension administration.
4. Support monthly reconciliations of HR-related financial accounts, such as Oracle disbursements, and ensure 100% accuracy of medical database and pension trustee accounts.
5. Assist in automation initiatives for benevolent benefit management processes and other benefits-related workflows, collaborating with key stakeholders.
6. Ensure compliance with statutory obligations across all operating countries to achieve zero penalties and operational losses.
7. Maintain comprehensive, audit-ready documentation and support all internal and external audit processes.
8. Drive risk awareness, strengthen internal controls, and maintain an updated risk log for benefits.
9. Provide continuous staff education on benefits, conducting at least two sensitization sessions per quarter.
10. Ensure timely service delivery on benefits SLAs and work closely with the medical team to ensure complete staff coverage on medical benefits and prompt resolution of staff queries.
11. Achieve zero penalties and operational losses through robust compliance and financial controls.
12. Ensure accurate reconciliations of all HR benefits accounts by the 5th of each month.
13. Maintain accurate General Ledger postings, financial schedules, and audit-ready documentation for benefits.
14. Enhance the capability of benefits teams across subsidiaries through training, coaching, and technical guidance.
15. Conduct regular staff education sessions on Benefits programs (minimum two sessions quarterly).
16. Promote engagement, transparency, and service excellence in responding to employee and stakeholder queries.
17. Ensure full adherence to Group benefits and payroll-related SLAs.
18. Drive automation, standardization, and digitization to reduce manual work and improve accuracy.
19. Maintain updated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), process documentation, and benefits governance frameworks.
20. Manage periodic internal control self-assessments and process effectiveness reviews.

1. Minimum seven years of HR experience with direct exposure to Compensation & Benefits and multi-country payroll/benefits processes.
2. Demonstrated expertise in HR systems, HR processes, pay legislation, and benefit regulations across Kenya and the Group’s regional markets.
3. Strong background in financial reconciliations, statutory reporting, and internal control frameworks.
4. Proven ability to manage Group Life, Medical, GPA, Pension, and other benefits schemes.
5. Experience with SLA-driven service environments and accurate reporting structures.
6. Strong documentation rigor, process discipline, and proactive issue resolution skills.
7. Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, or a related field.
8. CPA (K) or ACCA certification.
9. Human Resource Certificate/Diploma is desired.
10. Strong technical skills in Compensation & Benefits Administration, Multi-country Payroll & Statutory Compliance, Benefits Accounting & Financial Reconciliations, HRIS/ERP Systems (Payroll, Medical, Pension systems), Group Life, Medical, GPA & Pension Scheme Management, Risk Management & Internal Controls, Data Accuracy, Reporting & Analytics, and SLA Management & Service Delivery Governance.
11. Strong leadership competencies including Analytical Thinking & Problem Solving, Stakeholder Management & Communication, Capacity Building & Coaching, Change Management & Process Transformation, Integrity, Confidentiality & Professional Conduct, and Decision-making & Accountability.