Risk & Compliance Officer

Job Grade: NA
Line Manager: MD & The Board
Supervises: NA Department: Strategy Duty Station: Kampala
Company Background: SIMSUN Financial Services was founded with a clear vision to bridge the financial gaps that hold back hardworking entrepreneurs, educational institutions and society across Uganda. Born from the recognition that access to timely and flexible capital is often the missing link between ambition and achievement, Simsun emerged as a modern, agile financial partner dedicated to the unique needs of Ugandas dynamic economy. At Simsun, we believe Finance should empower you, not complicate your journey. We are proud to serve Ugandan entrepreneurs, educators and society, helping turn challenges into opportunities for a brighter and more prosperous future. We operate under Uganda's Tier 4 microfinance regulatory framework UMRA and aim to deliver fast, transparent, and responsible financing using technology-enabled processes, strong field operations and rigorous controls.
Job Purpose: To develop, implement, and monitor robust risk management frameworks and compliance programs that protect Simsun Financial Services from financial, operational, credit, regulatory, and reputational risks. The role ensures adherence to UMRA Tier 4 regulations, Anti-Money Laundering requirements under the Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA), Bank of Uganda guidelines, internal policies, and international best practices. This position is critical in a lending environment to safeguard asset quality, support sustainable growth across the core products, and maintain regulatory licensing and stakeholder confidence.
Key Duties: 1. Risk Management Framework

• Develop, update, and maintain the enterprise risk management (ERM) framework, including policies for credit risk, operational risk, liquidity risk, market risk, and product-specific risks like stock diversion in Stock Financing, debtor default in Invoice Discounting, and seasonal repayment in School Fees Financing.
• Conduct regular risk assessments and identify emerging risks across operations, products, and processes.
• Maintain a comprehensive risk register and recommend mitigation strategies, controls, and monitoring mechanisms.
• Support credit risk processes by reviewing underwriting guidelines, collateral valuation, and provisioning methodologies like expected credit loss.

2. Compliance Program & Regulatory Adherence

• Ensure full compliance with UMRA Tier 4 regulations, AML laws, data protection requirements, consumer protection guidelines, and other applicable statutes.
• Act as the Money Laundering Control Officer and support the function to implement KYC/CDD/EDD procedures, monitor suspicious transactions, and maintain compliance manuals.
• Review and approve policies, procedures, and contracts for regulatory alignment.
• Coordinate licensing renewals, statutory returns, and regulatory inspections and audits.

3. Monitoring, Auditing & Reporting

• Perform periodic compliance reviews, internal risk audits, and spot checks on key processes such as loan origination, disbursements, collections, stock audits, and invoice verification.
• Monitor portfolio quality indicators PAR>30 days, NPLs, concentration risks, and trigger early warning alerts.
• Prepare timely risk and compliance reports, dashboards, and risk appetite statements for management, the Operations Manager, and the Board.
• Track and remediate audit findings, breaches, or incidents with root-cause analysis and corrective action plans.

4. Training, Awareness & Culture

• Design and deliver risk and compliance training programs for staff, especially Credit Officers, Operations, and Collections teams on AML, KYC, ethical lending, fraud prevention, and product-specific risks.
• Promote a high-risk and compliance culture through awareness campaigns and advisory support to departments.

5. Product-Specific Risk Oversight

• Stock Financing: Assess inventory and collateral risks, monitor stock audits, and prevent diversion and valuation issues.
• School Fees Financing: Evaluate household affordability risks, guarantor reliability, and term-based repayment seasonality.
• Invoice Discounting: Manage debtor credit risk, invoice authenticity and verification, concentration and dilution risks.

6. Stakeholder Coordination & Continuous Improvement

• Liaise with external regulators (UMRA, FIA), auditors, and partners on compliance matters.
• Collaborate with Credit, Finance, Operations, and administrative teams to embed risk controls into daily workflows.
• Recommend process improvements, technology tools for automated KYC or risk scoring, and policy enhancements as the company grows.

Qualifications & Experience

• A bachelor's degree in finance, Accounting, Risk Management, Law, Economics, or a related field master's or professional certifications such as CRISC, CISA, CIA, or AML specialization is a strong advantage.
• Minimum 3–5 years of relevant experience in risk management and compliance within a microfinance institution, non-bank financial company, or bank in Uganda or East Africa.
• Hands-on knowledge of UMRA Tier 4 regulations, AML obligations, including credit risk assessment, and portfolio monitoring.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel for risk modeling and dashboards, loan management systems, and basic data analytics.
• Strong analytical, investigative, report-writing, and communication skills with high integrity and independence.
• Ability to conduct field visits and work in a fast-paced startup environment.

Key KPI’s reviewed quarterly and linked to performance incentives KPI Target Measurement method Weight Regulatory & Internal compliance score 99%, zero major findings in audit Audit reports, UMRA 
Feedback and compliance checklists 20%
Timely submission of statutory returns & reports 100% on or before due dates Submission log & regulator acknowledgment 10%
Risk register updates 100% of high/medium risks & mitigation actions closed reviewed quarterly and >90% mitigation actions completed on time Risk register & action tracking 15%
Contribution to overall PAR>30days <2% of disbursed value Monthly portfolio risk reports 15%
New NPLs attributable to weak controls 100% of applications with full due diligence filed within regulatory timelines Credit risk & NPL aging reports 10%
KYC completion rate & filing timelines >95% of staff trained annually and post-training assessment score >85% Transaction monitoring logs & FIA reports 10%
Staff training coverage & effectiveness >5 minor findings per audit and 100% resolved within 30days Training records 10%
Internal Audit findings & breach resolution time 100% on time submissions with zero compliance issues Audit reports & mediation tracker 10%



How to Apply:All applications will be received and reviewed through the BrighterMonday Portal by clicking on the 'Apply Here' section