Equity Bank Limited (The “Bank”) is incorporated, registered under the Kenyan Companies Act Cap 486 and domiciled in Kenya. The address of the Bank’s registered office is 9th Floor, Equity Centre, P.O. Box 75104 – 00200 Nairobi. The Bank is licensed under the Kenya Banking Act (Chapter 488), and continues to offer retail banking, microfinance and related services. The Bank has subsidiaries in Kenya, Uganda, South Sudan, Rwanda and Tanzania. Its shares are listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange and Uganda Securities Exchange. Equity Bank was founded as Equity Building Society (EBS) in October 1984 and was originally a provider of mortgage financing for the majority of customers who fell into the low income population. The society’s logo, a modest house with a brown roof, resonates with its target market and their determination to make small but steady gains toward a better life, seeking security and advancement of their dreams.

Key Responsibilities

Governance

• Responsible for managing the Governance, Assurance programs, Systems, Reporting and Capacity Building/Training requirements of the Group with respect to ESG.
• Support company-wide collaborative sustainability initiatives through project management, technical support and coordinating functions and engagement for meetings, calls, workshops, trainings, presentations and events.
• Support the management in driving the education, communication, training, and implementation of the ESMS across the company in all operational areas, including its associated business activities, sub-contractors and supply chain.
• Monitor and respond to emerging ESG issues relevant to the company’s operations and reputation.
• Leading on all other ESG governance requirements as defined within the Group policies and procedures including the Enterprise Risk Management Framework.

Systems Support 

• Lead ESG reporting systems development, integration and support for the Group department.
• Development, maintenance and update of automated dashboards for tracking ESG related metrics and performance.
• Contributing to the wider organization automation tools development and implementation.

External Reporting

• Leading on all external reporting and disclosure requirements as defined by regulations, contractual obligations and other key stakeholder management requirements.
• Identify, provide advisory and implement new ESG reporting, and disclosure methods based on a complete understanding of regulatory, standard-setting, and lending needs, among others.
• Manage the review and development of sustainability/ESG programs and related reporting, such as materiality assessments, benchmarking, stakeholder engagement, gap analysis and metric/KPI identification.

Internal Reporting

• Supporting the Group Director in managing the responsibilities as secretary to the Group Board Sustainability Committee and lead for the Group Management Sustainability Committee.
• Oversee the ESG data gathering process for operational and reporting purposes whilst ensuring that ESG information is consistent, accurate and timely.
• Effectively, supports relevant functions in the bank with ESG performance information and development of sustainability initiatives and projects that contribute to the company’s ESG goals.
• Internal point of contact for internal inquiries regarding annual ESG performance data and information.
• Collating and preparing all internal ESG reporting deliverables as required for effective management and decision-making.

Internal Controls

• Continuously works toward development of robust processes and audit-proof internal controls in collaboration with team members, functions and business units.
• Coordinating with commercial and own operations working groups to ensure issues raised are followed up and closed in a timeous manner.
• Monitor the efficacy of the relevant ESMS policies and procedures in execution and provide for their updating in response to changes in laws, regulations, and corporate directives.
• Monitor industry trends, best practices, and regulatory developments related to ESG and recommend appropriate changes to company policies and practices.
• Monitoring compliance with applicable laws and regulations; Group policies and procedures; and contractual obligations.

Minimum Qualifications, Background and Skills

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Environmental Management, Sustainability, Business Administration/management, Finance, or related fields.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills to assess and address ESG risks and opportunities.
• Solid understanding of ESG reporting and disclosure requirements (legal/standards) and trends.
• Professional qualifications in areas such as GRI considered as a strong advantage.
• Over 8 years’ experience working in similar roles two of which were in performing ESG reporting and/or advisory work with frameworks (e.g., GRI, TCFD) in an internal function within a company or as a consultant or financial services industry organization.
• Experience in helping organizations enhance their systems, procedures, controls and reporting.
• Experience in engaging with investors, rating agencies, and other external stakeholders on ESG matters is desirable.
• Strong understanding of environmental and social issues, sustainable business practices, and corporate governance.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to convey complex ESG concepts to diverse audiences; other languages an asset (e.g., French)
• Broad understanding of sustainability matters in a financial institution.