Senior Compliance Officer

• PositionSenior Compliance Officer
• CompanyYako Bank Uganda
• LocationKampala, Uganda
• Job TypeFull-Time
• CategoryBanking Jobs in Uganda
• IndustryBanking
• DepartmentCompliance
• DeadlineMonday, 12 October 2026

Yako Bank Uganda Limited evolved from Yako Microfinance Uganda Ltd, a deposit-taking microfinance institution that began operations in 2015. The Bank of Uganda upgraded the institution to a Tier II Credit Institution in 2020, when it adopted the Yako Bank Uganda Limited name.

The bank’s official information places its head office in Kampala and describes a branch network serving Kampala and Jinja. Yako Bank provides savings, term deposits, collateralised and non-collateralised lending, and mobile banking services to SMEs, salaried individuals, micro-entrepreneurs and smallholder farmers. Its stated vision is to become the most trusted financial institution in East Africa, with a mission centred on affordable financial services, innovation and professional staff.

The Senior Compliance Officer will identify, assess, monitor and report compliance risk across Yako Bank’s current and proposed activities. Reporting to the Manager Compliance from Head Office, the role supports business objectives while maintaining adherence to applicable laws, Bank of Uganda regulations, AML/CFT/CPF requirements and internal policies, procedures and guidelines.

The position combines compliance risk assessment, policy review, monitoring, control design, staff education and exception closure. It includes oversight of compliance checks across the Bank and agent network, maintenance of risk-monitoring tools and maps, centralisation of compliance issues, and escalation of gaps or breaches. The officer will also coordinate and oversee the Compliance Officer, Monitoring, while maintaining the integrity and disciplined conduct expected in a regulated financial institution. The advert describes an attractive salary and benefits package without publishing a salary figure.

• Identify and assess compliance risk associated with the Bank’s current and proposed future business activities, including new products, new business relationships and any extension of operations on a network or international level.
• Identify and maintain an inventory, available to all staff, of essential laws and regulations pertinent to the Bank.
• Develop and implement policies, systems, mechanisms and procedures that enable staff to report failed controls or violations of laid-down policies and procedures.
• Assess the appropriateness of internal policies, procedures and guidelines; follow up identified deficiencies; recommend amendments where necessary; and supervise corrective measures.
• Monitor compliance with internal policies, procedures and guidelines by performing regular and comprehensive compliance risk assessments and testing.
• Develop and maintain an effective support mechanism to enable closure of all compliance-related exceptions raised within the Bank.
• Comply with AML/CFT/CPF policies and procedures, with non-compliance addressed through the Bank’s disciplinary processes.
• Centralise information on compliance-related issues, including regulatory breaches, non-respect of the Code of Conduct, policy and procedure breaches, and conflicts of interest.
• Educate and train all staff on compliance with applicable laws, rules and standards.
• Establish or supervise appropriate compliance checks and controls across the Bank, including the agent network.
• Implement risk and compliance monitoring tools and maps covering activities, triggers, probability and actions.
• Spearhead implementation of internal controls and ensure that they are adhered to at all times.
• Coordinate and oversee the activities of the Compliance Officer, Monitoring, and perform any other duties assigned from time to time.

Required Education

• Honours Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance or a related field from a recognised university.
• Professional qualification in Governance, Compliance and Conduct, AML/CFT, Financial Crime Risk and Regulation, Fraud Examination or another related discipline is an added advantage.

Work Experience

• Minimum of three years’ experience in a similar or related role in Compliance, Financial Crime, Auditing, Fraud and Investigations, preferably in a busy commercial banking environment.

Additional Requirements

• Thorough understanding of the financial services sector, regulatory framework, and Bank policies and procedures.
• Self-monitoring and ability to travel.
• Team player and high performer with a proven track record.
• Not undergoing any disciplinary action.
• High level of integrity.

Technical Skills

• Compliance risk assessment: Can assess products, relationships, processes and proposed activities against legal and regulatory requirements.
• AML/CFT/CPF controls: Understands financial crime controls, monitoring, escalation and disciplinary processes.
• Policy and control testing: Can review policies, conduct compliance testing, maintain risk maps and track corrective actions.

Soft Skills

• Analysis and attention to detail: Identifies compliance gaps, breaches and emerging risks accurately.
• Communication and training: Listens, communicates clearly and educates staff on applicable standards.
• Leadership and teamwork: Coordinates monitoring work, collaborates across the Bank and maintains a high-performance approach.

The advert states that the position carries an attractive salary and benefits package, but no salary amount or individual benefits are disclosed. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The bank also notes that, under its procedures, no job offers are made online.

• Lead compliance risk work in the Head Office of a Bank of Uganda-regulated institution.
• Work across current and proposed products, business relationships and operating channels.
• Build senior-level experience in AML/CFT/CPF, financial crime and regulatory compliance.
• Influence policies, procedures, controls and corrective-action mechanisms.
• Support compliance checks across branches and the agent network.
• Train staff on laws, rules, standards and internal requirements.
• Coordinate the work of the Compliance Officer, Monitoring.

Address your application to the Head, Human Resource, Yako Bank and email it to hr@yakobank.com. Include photocopies of academic testimonials and a CV with telephone contacts and email addresses for three referees, one of whom should be your most recent employer. Submit by Monday, 12 October 2026; the advert does not specify a submission time.

• Use “Senior Compliance Officer” as the position reference in your application.
• Show experience in compliance, financial crime, auditing, fraud or investigations.
• Highlight commercial banking, financial-services regulation and Bank policy knowledge.
• Give examples of AML/CFT/CPF monitoring, compliance testing or corrective action.
• Explain your ability to train staff and communicate regulatory requirements.
• Mention experience with agent-network controls, risk maps or compliance monitoring tools.
• Include academic testimonials and three referee contacts, including your most recent employer.