Legal Counsel, Risk & Compliance

Role Overview

This position sits at the point where legislation meets day-to-day banking, translating statutes, bills, gazette notices and court rulings into practical controls the Bank can actually follow. The holder monitors the legal and regulatory landscape, tests whether the Bank's policies and procedures still hold up against it, and works with business teams to close any gaps before they become exposures. Alongside that advisory work, the role owns two operationally sensitive registers — Powers of Attorney and incoming court orders — where accuracy and speed of interpretation matter to the Bank's ability to act and to defend itself.

Key Responsibilities

• Track and interpret legislation, proposed bills, judicial decisions, regulatory guidance and market developments affecting the Bank, and recommend corresponding changes to internal policies and procedures.
• Analyse the compliance obligations created by existing, new or amended laws and regulations, and advise business units on how those obligations apply to their activities.
• Conduct internal legal compliance audits and examinations to confirm adherence to legislative requirements, and report on findings.
• Engage the relevant business area wherever a legal risk has been identified, agree mitigating measures and follow through on remedial action.
• Keep legal compliance checklists and matrices current so that review work reflects the latest legislative position.
• Provide legal research, drafting and review support for Bank policies, product terms and conditions.
• Handle Power of Attorney administration for the Kenya operations — preparation, registration, revocation and maintenance of the associated records.
• Verify court orders served on the Bank and give legal guidance on their implementation and execution.
• Maintain the department's legal reference holdings, including subscriptions to the Kenya Gazette, Legal Notices and Bills, and ensure the Bank's sets of the Laws of Kenya are updated regularly.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) degree.
• Diploma in Law.
• Admission as an Advocate of the High Court.
• Minimum of four years' post-admission experience, covering legal drafting, corporate and commercial law, dispute resolution and legal risk management.
• Strong drafting ability and the confidence to present and defend a legal position.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain statutory requirements clearly to non-lawyers.