Background

SBM Bank Kenya is a leading and trusted financial institution with an international footprint, headquartered in Mauritius and positioned to offer an unprecedented banking experience in Kenya to niche Retail, SME and corporate clients. 

Job Purpose

The Manager, Core Systems will be responsible for managing, supporting, and optimizing Business Applications. This role requires a deep understanding of banking products, hands-on technical expertise, and a strong ability to drive system enhancements that align with business needs. The ideal candidate will work closely with various stakeholders, including IT, operations, vendors, and business teams, to ensure seamless application performance and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Application Management and Support — 30%
• System Enhancements and Optimization — 20%
• Security and Compliance — 10%
• Technical Expertise and Development — 20%
• Project Management and Stakeholder Management — 20%

Education, Knowledge, Skills, and Experience Requirements

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
• At least five years of experience managing business applications, preferably in the banking or financial services sector.

Technical Knowledge and Skills

• Strong knowledge of banking systems, middleware solutions, and digital banking applications.
• Proficiency in SQL, Oracle database management, APIs, and system integrations.
• Hands-on experience working with Oracle FLEXCUBE banking applications.
• Hands-on experience working with payments and money transfer applications.
• Hands-on experience with IT service management frameworks, particularly ITIL, is an added advantage

Banking and Operational Knowledge

• Good knowledge of financial and accounting principles.
• Good understanding of banking operations.

Personal and Professional Requirements

• Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple priorities, and meet tight deadlines.
• Fluency in spoken and written English.
• High integrity, a positive attitude, helpfulness, strong commitment, competence, and motivation.

Competencies Required for the Role

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Proactive, detail-oriented, and highly organized.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.

• Ensure 24/7 availability and optimal performance of all business applications, including core banking and payments systems, in alignment with IT policies and the bank’s strategic objectives.
• Oversee and manage business applications, ensuring stability, security, and efficiency.
• Troubleshoot and resolve application issues, minimizing downtime and ensuring quick incident resolution.
• Coordinate with vendors and internal teams to resolve issues and manage patch updates and version upgrades.
• Identify opportunities to improve banking applications, enhance user experience, and increase operational efficiency.
• Implement system enhancements based on business and regulatory requirements.
• Perform performance tuning, system optimization, and automation of manual processes.
• Ensure all applications adhere to security best practices and comply with regulatory requirements.
• Participate in IT risk assessments and security audits, ensuring appropriate controls are in place.
• Ensure seamless integration of banking applications with other enterprise systems.
• Conduct root cause analysis and proactively address potential issues before they affect business operations.
• Support the development and testing of new features, APIs, and interfaces for banking solutions.
• Collaborate with business units, IT teams, and third-party vendors to manage project lifecycles.
• Participate in business requirements gathering and ensure timely execution of projects.
• Assist with regulatory and audit compliance relating to banking applications.

• SQL
• Oracle database management
• APIs
• System integrations
• Oracle FLEXCUBE banking applications
• Payments and money transfer applications
• IT service management frameworks
• ITIL
• Financial and accounting principles
• Banking operations
• Analytical skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Communication skills
• Stakeholder management skills

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
• At least five years of experience managing business applications, preferably in the banking or financial services sector.