Virtual Assets Compliance Lead at Safaricom Kenya

Responsibilities
Health and Safety


Uphold the company code of conduct, policies and procedures, ensuring integrity and accountability in every aspect of your work.
All employees have a responsibility to adhere to safety, health, and wellbeing policies, guidelines and procedures in all actions and decisions.


Compliance Management


Support engagement with CBK, CMA mandated bodies, and the Financial Reporting Centre on virtual assets regulatory compliance, reporting obligations, and emerging policy developments.
Monitor and interpret evolving virtual assets regulations, translating requirements into actionable compliance programmes across the business.
Support risk assessments and due diligence for onboarding virtual assets partnerships.
Ensure timely and accurate submission of Suspicious Activity Reports (SARs) and Suspicious Transaction Reports (STRs) related to virtual assets activity.
Serve as the reporting lead for virtual assets under applicable AML/CFT/CPF frameworks regulations for virtual assets.


Compliance by Design & Product Advisory


Embed AML/CFT controls at the design and build stage of all virtual assets products, features, and third-party integrations — ensuring compliance is built in, not bolted on.
Act as the trusted compliance advisor to product, technology, and business teams, providing regulatory guidance throughout the Agile delivery lifecycle.
Review and approve new virtual assets product propositions, partnerships, and integrations against applicable regulatory standards before launch.
Champion a compliance-by-design culture across all teams involved in virtual assets development and deployment.


Enhanced Due Diligence & Risk Management


Own and continuously enhance the due diligence framework governing virtual asset partnerships, service providers, and customers.
Ensure robust risk assessment processes are in place for onboarding and ongoing monitoring of virtual assets counterparties, with clear escalation pathways for high-risk relationships.
Conduct and oversee periodic financial crime risk assessments specific to the virtual assets portfolio, ensuring Safaricom's exposure is well-understood and well-managed.
Maintain a current and comprehensive understanding of the virtual assets risk landscape, including emerging threats, typologies, and industry best practice.


Stakeholder Engagement & Industry Leadership


Represent Safaricom in regulatory forums, industry working groups, and policy consultations related to virtual assets financial crime compliance.
Build and maintain strong relationships with regulators, law enforcement, and industry peers to facilitate intelligence sharing and proactive regulatory engagement.
Provide regular reporting and briefings to senior leadership on the virtual assets regulatory environment, compliance programme performance, and emerging risks.


Core competencies, knowledge and experience:
Customer Obsession


Deepen team connection to our customers and communities.
Foster authentic relationships with customers and partners that build trust.
Explicitly take customer-centric decisions and take personal ownership to achieve results.
Simplify processes through digitalization and promote a digital mindset and digital first customer experience.
Stay focused on the big priorities, know when to make meaningful trade-offs and demonstrate brilliant execution.



Purpose


Create an inspiring vision for your team to drive strategy and performance.
Show ambition and courage, empowering others to go beyond the plan.
Bold and challenge teams to reimagine how things are done.
Prompt new thinking and ideas by asking "what if" questions.
Use knowledge of the external environment (customers, partners, competition, external bodies) to identify and act on opportunities for growth at pace.


Innovation


Create psychological safety so everyone can have an impact.
Fuel innovative ideas from others and test them to enable growth.
Explore successes and failures with curiosity and resilience; fearlessly recognizing lessons learned.
Share your ongoing learning and personal purpose with others.
Learn fast from digital adoption, using learnings to drive simplicity, scale and efficiency.


Collaboration


Articulate your team's role in making our strategy happen, prioritizing and aligning resources with current and future needs.
Actively collaborate to break silos and hold stakeholders accountable to do the same.
Develop others to make the most of their talents and coach them to take ownership to get things done.
Create an inclusive environment ensuring the safety and wellbeing of others.
Live our Purpose and demonstrate the highest Standard of integrity.


Qualifications


Bachelor's degree in Finance, Risk Management, Law, Business, Statistics, IT or a related discipline.
Minimum 6 years experience in financial crime compliance with demonstrated exposure to virtual assets/VASP regulatory frameworks, fintech product compliance, or digital payments.
Professional certification in AML/CFT/CPF Compliance (e.g. CAMS, CAMS Crypto, ICA or equivalent).
Strong knowledge of virtual assets regulatory frameworks including FATF guidance, CBK and CMA regulations, and global best practice.
Certification in Chainalysis Certifications e.g. Chainalysis Reactor Certification, Crypto Investigator/ Compliance courses will be an added advantage.
Proven track record advising product/ technology teams in a compliance-by-design capacity.