Head of Compliance Job in Kenya

The Head of Compliance provides strategic leadership and oversight of compliance across all company functions and services. The role is responsible for ensuring full adherence to legal, regulatory, contractual, and industry requirements. It includes building and maintaining a robust compliance management system, developing and implementing policies and procedures, and fostering a culture of ethical conduct, risk awareness, and continuous improvement. The Head of Compliance also ensures that operational practices, security personnel, and client-facing services consistently meet the company’s compliance and governance objectives.

Main Responsibilities

Lead all aspects of implementing, maintaining, and monitoring company-wide compliance across operations and support functions, ensuring adherence to both existing and newly adopted standards.
Own and manage the company’s compliance framework, including the compliance charter, code of conduct, anti-bribery & corruption policy, whistleblowing policy, privacy & data protection policy, use-of-force policy, firearms handling procedures, and third-party due diligence processes.
Ensure continuous compliance with relevant legislation, regulatory directives, and licensing requirements, including personnel vetting, training, and operational insignia.
Oversee data protection and privacy compliance, including registrations, assessments, and monitoring of surveillance, access control, and information management systems.
Plan, lead, and manage internal audits across all departments and operations, as well as coordinate external audits and certifications as required.
Develop and maintain audit checklists, evidence controls, and corrective & preventive action (CAPA) processes, and report audit outcomes with remediation timelines to the CEO and Board of Directors.
Lead documentation management and updates for all operational practices, ensuring alignment with compliance requirements and effective change management.
Monitor, interpret, and communicate regulatory and industry changes, advising senior management on necessary policy and procedural updates.
Maintain and manage the company’s risk register, covering regulatory, contractual, operational, human rights, data privacy, cybersecurity, anti-bribery, third-party, environmental, health & safety, and business continuity risks.
Coordinate investigations into compliance breaches, misconduct, human rights complaints, data incidents, and near-misses, working closely with HR on disciplinary actions.
Support emergency response planning, including scenario testing, post-incident reviews, and lessons-learned documentation.
Oversee community engagement for sensitive deployments, ensuring grievance mechanisms for communities and clients are accessible, documented, and resolved.
Develop and implement compliance training programs, including on boarding, annual refreshers, and specialist modules for operational and managerial staff.
Certify managers, supervisors, and site staff in core compliance SOPs, maintaining auditable training records.
Collaborate with marketing and internal communications teams to promote compliance awareness, whistleblowing initiatives, and ethical conduct campaigns.
Review contracts, RFPs, MSAs, SLAs, and other agreements for compliance obligations, ensuring operational readiness and audit evidence management for clients.
Provide compliance input to bid teams and participate in client review meetings.
Audit subcontractors and vendors against compliance requirements and enforce corrective actions where necessary.
Produce monthly and quarterly compliance dashboards and board-level reports for senior management.

Minimum Requirements and Competencies

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills including the ability to handle difficult conversations in a professional manner.
Exceptional problem solving skills using sound judgment and the ability to analyze and interpret different situations accurately.
Bachelor’s degree in Law, Security Management, Risk, Business, or related field .
8–12+ years in compliance, risk, audit, or legal within security services, defense, logistics, or regulated industries Proven Computer skills.
Demonstrable experience implementing and maintaining ISO 18788/9001/27001/45001/14001/22301.
Strong knowledge of PSRA 2016, Data Protection Act 2019, employment law, firearms regulations etc.
Professional certifications preferred: ISO Lead Auditor
Excellent stakeholder management, investigation skills, and board-level reporting.