Mini MBA in Banking and Finance Training Course

Duration 10 days 19 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Branch Managers, Relationship Managers and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 9 Nov 2026 Course code SD-EPMM-002

Before you join: Participants should have at least two years of experience in banking, financial services, regulation, audit, finance, operations or a related corporate function.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Banks and financial institutions must grow income while controlling credit, market, liquidity, operational, conduct and financial-crime risks. Managers need to understand how customer propositions, balance-sheet choices, capital requirements, risk appetite, technology investment and regulatory obligations affect one another. Specialists moving into broader roles also need a practical business vocabulary that supports sound decisions across front office, operations, risk, finance and compliance.

This Mini MBA in Banking and Finance develops that business perspective through the core disciplines of bank management. Participants examine banking business models, financial statements, interest-rate economics, lending, treasury, asset-liability management, capital, profitability, risk governance, financial crime controls, customer management, operations, digital banking, strategy and change. They learn to interpret bank performance, assess business cases, challenge assumptions, communicate risk-return trade-offs and connect departmental decisions to enterprise priorities.

Instructor-led delivery combines short faculty briefings with bank cases, financial analysis, group discussions, decision simulations and application planning. Participants work progressively with a realistic bank scenario, building components of a management pack during the first week and refining their recommendations during the second. They leave with a completed banking strategy and performance plan containing financial analysis, risk controls, customer priorities, operating actions and an implementation roadmap.

The programme suits managers, senior specialists and high-potential professionals seeking broader commercial and managerial responsibility within banks, microfinance institutions, fintech firms, regulators and financial-services support functions.

What you will be able to do

  • Interpret bank financial statements using key profitability, liquidity, capital and efficiency ratios
  • Assess banking business models using value-chain, customer-segment and risk-return analysis
  • Build a 13-week liquidity forecast and explain asset-liability management decisions
  • Evaluate credit proposals using cash-flow analysis, collateral assessment and risk-rating criteria
  • Apply Basel III capital, liquidity and risk-governance requirements to management decisions
  • Design risk appetite statements, key risk indicators and escalation thresholds
  • Prepare a banking business case using NPV, sensitivity analysis and implementation milestones
  • Present an integrated bank performance and strategy plan to senior stakeholders

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Stronger ability to interpret bank results and challenge management assumptions
  • Practical credit, liquidity and capital vocabulary for cross-functional decision meetings
  • A credible basis for progression into branch, product, operations or risk leadership
  • Improved confidence presenting risk-return recommendations to senior banking stakeholders
  • A reusable bank strategy and performance plan for immediate workplace application

For your organisation

  • Managers who connect growth targets with capital, liquidity and risk constraints
  • Better quality credit, pricing and customer-profitability decisions
  • More consistent escalation of conduct, operational and financial-crime concerns
  • Cross-functional managers able to interpret shared banking performance measures
  • Actionable business plans linking customer outcomes, controls and financial results

Course modules

19 modules over 10 days

Participants can distinguish major banking business models and explain their sources of income, cost and risk.

  • Universal, retail, corporate and investment banking revenue-model distinctions
  • Customer segments mapped by needs, economics and relationship depth
  • Net interest income, fee income and trading income drivers
  • Bank value chain from acquisition through servicing and recovery
  • PESTLE and Porter's Five Forces applied to banking markets
  • Stakeholder expectations spanning customers, shareholders, regulators and communities

Participants can interpret bank financial statements and diagnose the principal drivers of performance.

  • Balance-sheet structure: assets, liabilities, equity and off-balance-sheet exposures
  • Income-statement analysis for margin, fees, impairments and operating expenses
  • Return on assets and return on equity calculations
  • Cost-to-income ratio analysis and operating-efficiency interpretation
  • Common-size statements used to compare peer bank performance
  • Management commentary tested against reported financial statement movements

Participants can explain how economic conditions and policy rates affect bank earnings and customer behaviour.

  • Interest-rate transmission from central-bank policy to lending and deposits
  • Yield curves interpreted for funding costs and investment decisions
  • Inflation, exchange rates and GDP indicators affecting borrower capacity
  • Net interest margin sensitivity under rising and falling rates
  • Scenario assumptions translated into lending, deposit and impairment forecasts
  • Economic briefing converted into management implications and decision priorities

Participants can assess customer propositions using segment economics, service needs and conduct requirements.

  • Customer lifetime value estimated from revenue, cost and retention
  • Segment propositions aligned with transaction, lending and savings needs
  • Product bundles assessed for value, suitability and profitability
  • Relationship plans structured around client objectives and decision makers
  • Voice-of-customer findings converted into service improvement priorities
  • Conduct-risk indicators embedded within sales and retention management

Participants can evaluate lending proposals using cash flow, security, risk ratings and repayment capacity.

  • Five Cs of Credit applied to borrower assessment
  • Cash conversion cycle analysed for working-capital lending decisions
  • Debt-service coverage ratio calculated from forecast operating cash flows
  • Collateral valuation, enforceability and margin requirements examined
  • Credit memoranda structured around risks, mitigants and recommendation
  • Covenants designed to monitor borrower performance after drawdown

Participants can monitor credit portfolio quality and explain impairment drivers using IFRS 9 concepts.

  • Portfolio concentration measured by sector, geography, product and obligor
  • Probability of default, loss given default and exposure at default
  • IFRS 9 staging assessed through significant increase in credit risk
  • Early-warning indicators used to identify deteriorating borrower accounts
  • Watchlist governance, restructuring options and recovery actions reviewed
  • Vintage analysis used to compare portfolio performance cohorts

Participants can analyse liquidity positions and recommend asset-liability management actions.

  • 13-week rolling cash forecast built from inflows and outflows
  • Liquidity coverage ratio interpreted against stressed cash requirements
  • Funding concentration assessed by depositor, tenor and funding source
  • Gap analysis compares interest-sensitive assets and liabilities
  • Funds transfer pricing allocates liquidity and interest-rate costs
  • Contingency funding plans triggered by defined liquidity stress indicators

Participants can connect capital requirements, risk-weighted assets and profitability targets.

  • Basel III capital tiers and qualifying instruments distinguished
  • Risk-weighted assets linked to credit, market and operational exposures
  • Capital adequacy ratios calculated against regulatory minimum requirements
  • RAROC compares customer returns with economic capital consumption
  • Product pricing incorporates funding, capital, operating and expected-loss costs
  • Capital planning scenarios test growth, losses and dividend assumptions

Participants can build risk appetite measures and escalation arrangements for a banking business unit.

  • Risk taxonomy distinguishes credit, market, liquidity, operational and conduct risks
  • Risk appetite statements set boundaries for growth and control decisions
  • Key risk indicators defined with thresholds, owners and reporting frequency
  • Three Lines Model clarifies management, oversight and assurance responsibilities
  • Risk-control self-assessments identify control gaps and treatment actions
  • Risk registers link inherent risk, residual risk and mitigations

Participants can identify market and operational risk exposures and select proportionate control responses.

  • Value at Risk concepts interpreted for trading-book exposure reporting
  • Stress testing models severe movements in rates, currencies and prices
  • Operational-risk events classified by Basel event-type categories
  • Root cause analysis separates process failure from human error
  • Business impact analysis prioritises critical services and recovery targets
  • Scenario analysis estimates losses from plausible operational disruptions

Participants can recognise financial-crime and conduct risks and strengthen control escalation.

  • Customer due diligence verifies identity, ownership and purpose
  • Risk-based approach assigns due-diligence depth using customer risk factors
  • Transaction-monitoring alerts investigated through documented case-management steps
  • Sanctions screening distinguishes true matches from false positives
  • Suspicious activity reports supported by clear evidence and chronology
  • Conduct-risk assessments test incentives, disclosures, suitability and customer outcomes

Participants can improve banking processes using service, control and efficiency measures.

  • SIPOC mapping defines suppliers, inputs, process steps and customers
  • Process bottlenecks identified through cycle-time and queue analysis
  • Key control points assigned within account-opening and payment workflows
  • Segregation of duties reduces fraud and processing-error exposure
  • Service-level agreements tracked through timeliness, accuracy and resolution measures
  • Lean waste categories applied to repetitive back-office processes

Participants can evaluate digital banking initiatives against customer value, risk and operating requirements.

  • Digital customer journeys mapped across onboarding, payments and servicing
  • API banking models assessed for partner value and control requirements
  • Data-quality dimensions measured for accuracy, completeness and timeliness
  • Cybersecurity controls organised using the NIST Cybersecurity Framework
  • Fraud analytics use behavioural patterns, rules and alert prioritisation
  • Technology business cases compare adoption, cost, risk and revenue effects

Participants can formulate banking growth priorities using market evidence, competitive choices and financial targets.

  • Strategic objectives translated into customer, financial and risk measures
  • Porter's generic strategies tested against bank capabilities and market economics
  • Growth options compared through Ansoff Matrix risk-return considerations
  • Competitor benchmarking examines products, pricing, channels and service levels
  • Balanced Scorecard links strategic themes to measurable management objectives
  • Strategic choices tested against capital, liquidity and risk appetite

Participants can prepare a banking business case with financial assumptions, risks and implementation actions.

  • Driver-based budgets connect volumes, pricing, costs and headcount
  • NPV and IRR assess branch, technology and product investments
  • Sensitivity analysis tests volume, margin, cost and loss assumptions
  • Benefits-realisation plans define measures, owners and review dates
  • Business-case risks recorded with mitigations, contingencies and decision gates
  • Implementation roadmaps sequence workstreams, dependencies and governance forums

Participants can lead banking teams through accountable decisions, constructive challenge and clear governance.

  • RACI matrices assign accountable, responsible, consulted and informed roles
  • Delegated authorities aligned with credit, expenditure and risk limits
  • Management information packs prioritise exceptions, trends and decisions required
  • Decision logs record rationale, evidence, owners and follow-up actions
  • Constructive challenge tests assumptions, conflicts and control implications
  • Meeting cadences align business performance, risk review and action tracking

Participants can plan banking change initiatives with stakeholder actions, controls and adoption measures.

  • Kotter's eight-step process applied to banking transformation initiatives
  • Stakeholder mapping identifies influence, concerns and engagement actions
  • Change-impact assessments identify process, role, system and control effects
  • Communication plans match messages, channels, timing and audience needs
  • Training needs analysis defines knowledge, skill and behaviour requirements
  • Adoption metrics track usage, compliance, service quality and benefits

Participants can incorporate environmental, social and governance considerations into banking decisions.

  • ESG risk factors assessed within lending and investment decisions
  • Climate scenario analysis considers physical and transition risk exposures
  • Green-finance eligibility reviewed against recognised use-of-proceeds categories
  • Equator Principles considered for project-finance environmental and social assessment
  • Financial inclusion metrics monitor access, affordability and underserved customer outcomes
  • Sustainability disclosures aligned with material risks and governance accountability

Participants can build, review and present a complete banking strategy and performance plan for senior management.

  • Business-model diagnosis summarises customers, revenues, costs and competitive position
  • Financial forecast integrates margin, fees, expenses, impairments and capital
  • Risk appetite dashboard sets measures, thresholds, owners and escalation actions
  • Customer and operations plan prioritises service, process and digital improvements
  • Implementation roadmap sequences initiatives, resources, dependencies and governance decisions
  • Executive presentation defends recommendations against stakeholder challenge and scenarios

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Bank performance analysis template
  2. Credit assessment memorandum template
  3. 13-week liquidity forecast model
  4. Risk appetite dashboard
  5. Banking business-case template
  6. Integrated banking strategy and performance plan

Who should attend

  • Branch Managers — need stronger commercial, risk and financial management judgement
  • Relationship Managers — need to connect client opportunities with credit and profitability decisions
  • Operations Managers — need to improve control, cost, service and process performance
  • Risk and Compliance Managers — need broader insight into business and balance-sheet decisions
  • Finance Managers — need to explain bank results and planning choices to non-finance leaders
  • High-Potential Banking Professionals — need cross-functional preparation for management roles

Skills and tools covered

Bank performance analysisCredit risk assessmentLiquidity managementRisk governanceFinancial crime controlsBanking strategy execution

Tools and standards

Basel III, IFRS 9, COSO Internal Control Framework, NIST Cybersecurity Framework

How the course runs

Training methodology

The programme uses short instructor briefings to establish banking concepts, followed by bank cases, financial-report interpretation, facilitated group work and decision simulations. Participants analyse lending, liquidity, profitability, conduct and operational scenarios using realistic management information. Faculty challenge assumptions through structured review discussions and connect each subject to the evolving bank scenario. Individual application planning helps participants translate methods into actions for their own function. The final capstone requires participants to assemble, review and present an integrated banking management plan.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have at least two years of experience in banking, financial services, regulation, audit, finance, operations or a related corporate function. They should be comfortable reading basic income statements, balance sheets and management reports, although advanced accounting knowledge is not assumed. Familiarity with lending, deposits, payments, treasury or customer service is useful but not essential. No prior MBA, professional banking qualification, programming skill or advanced financial-modelling experience is required. Participants should bring current examples of business, customer, risk or operational issues they want to address.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

You should understand basic business reports and have some professional exposure to banking, finance or a related function. Advanced accounting, financial modelling and prior MBA study are not required.

Bring a laptop, calculator and examples of current business, customer, risk or operational issues from your workplace. Course materials and case data are provided by the instructor.

It is designed for managers, senior specialists and high-potential professionals in banks and financial-services institutions. It is particularly useful for people moving from a functional role into broader management responsibility.

Specialist courses focus deeply on one discipline, such as credit analysis or operational risk. This programme connects those disciplines with strategy, finance, treasury, customer management, operations and leadership.

Participants use their own business issues when developing action plans and management recommendations. The final plan can be adapted for a branch, product line, customer segment, operations unit or risk function.

Each training day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours. The first week establishes core banking and finance methods, while the second week applies them to strategy, leadership, change and the capstone plan.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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