Job Description

Reporting to the Head Group Technology Audit, the Manager, Automation & Digital Internal Audit is responsible for leading the digital transformation of the Group Internal Audit function by embedding automation, advanced analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI (GenAI), data-driven assurance and emerging technologies across the audit lifecycle.

The role drives the development and execution of a digital-first audit strategy that enhances audit quality, improves operational efficiency, strengthens risk coverage and delivers greater insight through intelligent, technology-enabled assurance. Through the adoption of automation, AI and digital innovation, the role is accountable for transforming audit delivery by reducing manual effort, accelerating audit execution, enhancing the quality and consistency of audit outcomes, and enabling auditors to focus on higher-value, risk-based assurance activities.

As the product owner for the Internal Audit digital ecosystem, the Manager is accountable for defining and implementing the digital audit roadmap, overseeing audit technologies, intelligent automation, AI-enabled audit capabilities, continuous auditing, continuous controls monitoring and digital workflow optimisation. The role ensures that Internal Audit remains at the forefront of innovation by leveraging leading technologies to transform audit planning, risk assessment, fieldwork, reporting, stakeholder engagement and continuous assurance.

The role is a key enabler of audit excellence and is responsible for improving the efficiency, effectiveness and overall maturity of the Internal Audit function. This includes driving standardization, enhancing audit methodologies, embedding data-driven decision-making, improving audit turnaround times, increasing audit coverage, strengthening the consistency and quality of audit outputs, and delivering a more seamless and value-adding experience for audit stakeholders and service recipients.

The Manager champions innovation by fostering an AI-augmented audit operating model, building digital capabilities across the audit function, and promoting the responsible adoption of emerging technologies in line with governance, risk and regulatory requirements. Working closely with Group Technology, Data & AI, Cyber Security, Risk, Compliance and business stakeholders, the role enables Internal Audit to provide proactive, continuous and insight-driven assurance that supports strategic decision-making, strengthens organizational resilience and protects enterprise value.

The role is responsible for establishing a world-class, AI-augmented, digital-first Internal Audit function that leverages data, automation and intelligent technologies to deliver faster, smarter and higher-quality assurance services. Success in the role is measured not only by the successful implementation of digital capabilities, but by demonstrable improvements in audit efficiency, audit effectiveness, stakeholder satisfaction, audit quality, and the value delivered to management, the Executive Committee, the Audit Committee and the Board.

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.

Digital Internal Audit Strategy & Transformation

• Design and execute continuous evolution of the Group Internal Audit Digital Transformation Strategy and roadmap, aligning digital capabilities with the Internal Audit Strategy and Safaricom Group's technology vision.
• Drive the digitalization of the end-to-end audit lifecycle by embedding intelligent technologies, automation, analytics and AI-enabled solutions across audit planning, execution, reporting, quality management and stakeholder engagement.
• Identify, assess and adopt emerging technologies that enhance audit effectiveness, operational efficiency and stakeholder experience.
• Evaluate digital trends and leading practices to continuously modernize Internal Audit operating models, methodologies and service delivery.
• Champion digital-first ways of working and foster a culture of innovation, experimentation and continuous improvement across the Internal Audit function.
• Develop business cases for digital investments and measure the value realized from audit technology initiatives.

Intelligent Automation & Process Optimization

• Identification, prioritization and delivery of intelligent automation opportunities across Internal Audit operations.
• Design and implement automated audit workflows, digital process orchestration and workflow optimisation to improve audit productivity and quality.
• Develop and manage Robotic Process Automation (RPA), low-code/no-code solutions and intelligent workflow automation supporting audit activities.
• Streamline repetitive and manual audit activities through automation while improving consistency, scalability and audit quality.
• Continuously optimize audit processes through process mining, workflow analytics and automation performance monitoring.
• Establish and enforce compliance with automation standards, governance and controls to ensure sustainable and secure digital operations.

AI-enabled Internal Audit

• Implementation of the Group Internal Audit Artificial Intelligence strategy and AI-enabled assurance capabilities.
• Evaluate, implement and optimize Generative AI, Agentic AI and intelligent assistants to enhance audit planning, risk assessment, testing, reporting, knowledge management and stakeholder engagement.
• Establish governance frameworks for the responsible, secure and ethical use of Artificial Intelligence within Internal Audit.
• Identify and develop AI use cases that improve audit productivity, decision support, predictive risk identification and assurance quality.
• Monitor emerging AI technologies and assess their applicability to Internal Audit.
• Build organizational capability in AI-enabled auditing through training, experimentation and knowledge sharing.
• Implement the application of advanced analytics, statistical modelling, machine learning and AI techniques across the audit lifecycle to improve audit quality and risk coverage.
• Design and develop reusable audit algorithms, anomaly detection models, predictive risk models and advanced visualizations that enhance assurance outcomes.

Audit Technology Ecosystem Management

• Own and continuously enhance the Group Internal Audit technology ecosystem, ensuring audit platforms effectively support the audit methodology, operational processes and the Global Internal Audit Standards.
• Serve as Product Owner for audit technologies, managing the technology roadmap, platform enhancements, integrations and user adoption.
• Lead implementation, configuration and optimization of audit management systems, GRC platforms, workflow solutions and collaboration technologies.
• Ensure seamless integration of audit technologies with enterprise data sources, analytics platforms and automation capabilities.
• Manage relationships with technology vendors and oversee platform performance, service levels, licensing and technology lifecycle management.
• Evaluate new audit technologies that enhance audit efficiency, collaboration and assurance effectiveness.

Digital Innovation & Capability Development

• Establish and lead a culture of digital innovation across the Internal Audit function by identifying, evaluating and piloting emerging technologies that improve assurance delivery.
• Develop the digital capability roadmap for Internal Audit, ensuring auditors possess the skills required to leverage AI, automation, analytics and modern audit technologies.
• Design and coordinate technology enablement programmes, digital learning initiatives and innovation workshops.
• Promote collaboration with Technology, Data & AI teams to leverage enterprise capabilities and accelerate innovation.
• Drive continuous improvement through adoption of digital tools, agile delivery practices and technology-enabled operating models.
• Monitor digital maturity and recommend initiatives that position Internal Audit as a leading technology-enabled assurance function.

Core competencies, knowledge and experience:

Customer Obsession

• Deepen team connection to our customers and communities.
• Foster authentic relationships with customers and partners 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 your team 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.
• Bachelor’s degree in data science, Computer Science, Information Systems, Statistics, Mathematics, Finance, Engineering or related discipline.
• Minimum 6 years’ experience in audit analytics, business intelligence, data analytics or technology assurance.
• Experience developing enterprise dashboards.
• Experience implementing enterprise technology platforms.
• Experience with workflow automation.
• Experience managing audit technologies.
• Experience implementing AI solutions.
• Experience using Power BI, SQL, Python, R or equivalent analytics tools.
• Experience applying AI and analytics within assurance environments.
• Knowledge of enterprise risk management and internal control frameworks.
• Professional Certifications of (CIA), (CISA), Microsoft Power BI, Tableau or equivalent Certified Data Analyst certifications; Python/R certifications and /or CRISC or CISM advantageous.
• Strong analytical, stakeholder management, and report-writing skills.
• Experience in agile delivery environments and transformation programmes is an added advantage.
• Knowledge of continuous auditing and data-driven assurance methodologies is desirable.

How to apply If you feel that you are up to the challenge and possess the necessary qualification and experience, kindly click on the apply button. Remember to attach your resume

Safaricom is the leading technology company in East Africa. Our purpose is to transform lives by connecting people to people, people to opportunities and people to information. We keep over 60 million customers connected across Kenya and Ethiopia, and play a critical role in the society, supporting over 1.13 million jobs both directly and indirectly while our total economic value was estimated at KES 1.1 trillion ($ 8.5 billion) for the 12 months through March 2025.

Listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange and with annual revenues of close to KES 388 billion as at March 2025, Safaricom provides connectivity through wide range of technology. Our 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G network in aggregate covers over 99% of Kenya’s population.

We run the world’s largest mobile payment system and Africa’s largest Fintech, M-PESA, the world’s first mobile money transfer system. By empowering millions of customers to transact, save or borrow money through their mobile phone, M-PESA has driven financial inclusion in Kenya to 84.8% of the adult population in 2024, from a low of 26.7% in 2006, and generated over KES 161 billion in revenue as at FY25.

Our subsidiary, Safaricom Telecommunications Ethiopia, has deployed world class network and services to contribute to Ethiopia’s digital transformation.

Safaricom is an equal opportunity employer, actively recruiting staff from different backgrounds reflecting the communities that we serve. We are committed to equal gender representation at all levels.

As part of our ongoing commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), we continue to work towards improving energy and resource efficiency in our network and facilities to reduce carbon emissions and our fuel consumption. We remain committed to becoming a Net Zero carbon-emitting company by 2050.