Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

Our client, Health Research Operations Kenya Limited (HROKL), the operating entity for the KEMRI Wellcome Trust Research Programme, a world class health research Programme based in Kenya, conducting multi-disciplinary research that spans infectious diseases, vaccines, maternal child and neonatal health, health systems, and emerging health threats. The Programme’s research leverages an integrated platform that includes bioscience laboratories, a clinical trials facility and clinical team, the clinical information network, the Kilifi demographic and health surveillance site, and robust community engagement, generating evidence that informs local and global health policy. HROKL is looking to recruit an organized and reliable Senior Risk Manager to accountable for overseeing and managing the organization’s risk function.

Responsibilities or duties

JOB PURPOSE:

The Senior Risk Manager is accountable for overseeing and managing the organization’s risk function. This role leads the development and implementation of comprehensive processes, tools, and systems to identify, assess, quantify, mitigate, monitor, and communicate risks effectively. The Senior Risk Manager ensures that risk management practices are embedded across the organization and provides timely, actionable insights to the Executive Management, Finance Committee, and Board.

KEY ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the development, implementation, and periodic review of a comprehensive risk management framework and policies, ensuring risk is embedded into organizational planning, decision-making, and management activities in collaboration with the COO and Finance Committee.
• Promote a strong risk culture and awareness across the organization by conducting operational and fraud risk training, aligning risk responses with organizational capacity, and acting as the primary advocate and champion for effective risk management.
• Identify, assess, monitor, and escalate key organizational, operational, and shared risks, including fraud risks, ensuring timely mitigation in collaboration with management.
• Oversee the implementation of risk management action plans, ensuring all agreed actions are executed effectively and in a timely manner.
• Lead the development, maintenance, and testing of Business Continuity Plans (BCP) and Disaster Recovery Plans (DRP) across the organization.
• Conduct regular risk assessments and maintain up-to-date risk registers, ensuring timely reporting and enhancing the quality, design, and value of risk reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Develop and document methodologies for fraud risk assessments and conduct assessments for all new projects to proactively identify vulnerabilities.
• Integrate risk management, compliance, and control measures into organizational policies and procedures, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and donor/grant obligations.
• Collaborate with Operations, Finance, and HR to ensure staff awareness of compliance obligations, including mechanisms for periodic confirmation and understanding of grant terms and conditions.
• Provide technical guidance and advisory support on risk management and compliance to staff, management, and other stakeholders, recommending updates to policies and procedures as needed.
• Support tracking, implementation, and reporting of audit actions to ensure accountability and timely closure of findings.
• Research and recommend innovations, emerging risk management approaches, and best practices to continuously strengthen the organization’s risk management capabilities

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

EDUCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS,CAREER EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS:

• MBA or MSC in Business, Finance, Economics, and other relevant fields.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, economics, and other relevant fields.
• Proven understanding and experience of risk management methodologies.
• Proven ability to identify, interpret, and document compliance requirements related to legal, contractual, regulatory, and financial matters.
• Appreciation for enterprise risk management and the ability to champion it across the business.
• Professional certification risk management, internal audit, or fraud.
• Experience with any Risk and Compliance software.
• Experience with the development and delivery of risk and compliance training

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrate high levels of integrity and confidentiality
• Excellent interpersonal, written, presentation, and communication skills
• Good analytical, problem-solving solving and critical thinking skills;
• Teamwork and ability to work with diverse teams
• Strong Flexibility, adaptability, multi-tasking, and attention to detail
• Strong team coordination and Supervisory skills.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities, demonstrating good organizational skills in order to meet deadlines.
• Ability to develop new framework and implement
• Conversant to Risk management framework

Experience needed

Minimum Eight (8) years overall experience Four (4) years of which were at Managerial level developing and implementing a risk management framework, preferably in research institutions or non-governmental organizations.

Any other provided details (e.g., benefits, work environment, team info, or additional notes)

All applicants are advised to adhere to the application guidelines for consideration. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

NB: Flexi Personnel does not charge candidates for job placement.

• Lead the development, implementation, and periodic review of a comprehensive risk management framework and policies, ensuring risk is embedded into organizational planning, decision-making, and management activities in collaboration with the COO and Finance Committee.
• Promote a strong risk culture and awareness across the organization by conducting operational and fraud risk training, aligning risk responses with organizational capacity, and acting as the primary advocate and champion for effective risk management.
• Identify, assess, monitor, and escalate key organizational, operational, and shared risks, including fraud risks, ensuring timely mitigation in collaboration with management.
• Oversee the implementation of risk management action plans, ensuring all agreed actions are executed effectively and in a timely manner.
• Lead the development, maintenance, and testing of Business Continuity Plans (BCP) and Disaster Recovery Plans (DRP) across the organization.
• Conduct regular risk assessments and maintain up-to-date risk registers, ensuring timely reporting and enhancing the quality, design, and value of risk reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Develop and document methodologies for fraud risk assessments and conduct assessments for all new projects to proactively identify vulnerabilities.
• Integrate risk management, compliance, and control measures into organizational policies and procedures, ensuring alignment with regulatory requirements and donor/grant obligations.
• Collaborate with Operations, Finance, and HR to ensure staff awareness of compliance obligations, including mechanisms for periodic confirmation and understanding of grant terms and conditions.
• Provide technical guidance and advisory support on risk management and compliance to staff, management, and other stakeholders, recommending updates to policies and procedures as needed.
• Support tracking, implementation, and reporting of audit actions to ensure accountability and timely closure of findings.
• Research and recommend innovations, emerging risk management approaches, and best practices to continuously strengthen the organization’s risk management capabilities

• Demonstrate high levels of integrity and confidentiality
• Excellent interpersonal, written, presentation, and communication skills
• Good analytical, problem-solving solving and critical thinking skills;
• Teamwork and ability to work with diverse teams
• Strong Flexibility, adaptability, multi-tasking, and attention to detail
• Strong team coordination and Supervisory skills.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities, demonstrating good organizational skills in order to meet deadlines.
• Ability to develop new framework and implement
• Conversant to Risk management framework

• MBA or MSC in Business, Finance, Economics, and other relevant fields.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, economics, and other relevant fields.
• Proven understanding and experience of risk management methodologies.
• Proven ability to identify, interpret, and document compliance requirements related to legal, contractual, regulatory, and financial matters.
• Appreciation for enterprise risk management and the ability to champion it across the business.
• Professional certification risk management, internal audit, or fraud.
• Experience with any Risk and Compliance software.
• Experience with the development and delivery of risk and compliance training