Credit Manager Sanctioning at Absa Bank Limited

\\Job Purpose.

A credit professional responsible for credit risk structuring of transactions and sanctioning covering multiple industry sectors. The role holder will have specific responsibilities for a range of Business Banking customers. Support the Wholesale Credit team in providing credit input to Absa Bank Kenya Plc, delivering a World-Class Credit service and contributing towards achievement of the team’s risk and business objectives. Ensuring the optimal quality of the credit portfolio by application of best practice in decision-making, to a maximum personal lending discretion.

Main accountabilities and approximate time split:

Accountability: Credit Risk Management - Time Split: 60-70%

Outputs:

• Ensure the highest standard of credit quality through the structure, sanctioning, monitoring and control of credit applications. Maintenance of these standards both personally and as part of the Wholesale Credit Team.
• Sole lending discretion, DG linked and set depending on personal experience/accreditation.
• Exercise judgement and discretion in the evaluation and approval/decline of higher risk classification credit proposals.
• Provide feeds into business and credit policy development, where appropriate.
• Provide feeds into credit process development, where appropriate.
• Implementation and ongoing delivery of business and credit policies and processes.
• Responsibility for personal adherence to governance, compliance and lending portfolio controls.  Ensuring own conformance to policy and procedures within the Wholesale Credit Function, including proactive management of agreed responsibilities for Data Integrity.
• Maintain interactive relationship with other risk functions and Conformance Team.
• Advise on risk reward and challenge pricing where appropriate.

Accountability:  Business Risk Partnership - Time Split: 20-30%

Outputs:

• Deliver service in line with agreed business needs.
• Work in partnership with Country colleagues and proactively anticipate, respond to and seek to exceed the expectations of customers. 
• Work with Country colleagues, providing post application-based coaching and discussion, where appropriate to ensure effective development and delivery of bespoke Risk solutions for customers.
• Proactively contribute to embedding agreed change management initiatives in support of process and quality improvements, cost reductions and development of people.
• Contribute towards the Team operating within cost budgets making recommendations for ‘working smarter’.

Accountability:  Staff Management - Time Split: 10-20%

Outputs:

• Support the Team Leaders in delivering effective performance development for individuals within the team.
• Drive proactive application of Absa Bank Kenya Plc Behaviors both personally and throughout the team and coach and support colleagues within the Team.

Technical skills / Competencies:

Technical Skills:

• Analytical and numerate.
• Technical Lending Analysis.
• Credit Risk Management skills with accreditation.
• Effective negotiation and influencing skills.

Competencies:

• Strong intellect balanced by practical and pragmatic approach.
• Decisive.
• Strong Stakeholder relationship management ability.
• Communications (written and oral) and presentations.

Knowledge, Expertise and Experience:

Knowledge and skills:

• Relating to specialist knowledge and expertise required to undertake the role. May include knowledge of the Bank’s products, services and policies.

Expertise and Experience:

Essential:

• Bachelors Degree
• Sound knowledge of credit risk mandatory procedures.
• Working knowledge of Group policies, pricing and strategies relative to the credit function.
• Good commercial awareness.
• Sound credit related product and services knowledge for Business Banking.
• Working knowledge of Absa structures and strategies.
• Previous experience of corporate market and or risk is desirable

Preferred:

• ACIB/Moody’s Accreditation/equivalent business experience/other appropriate qualification (Degree) is preferable.
• Previous sanctioning experience will be an advantage.