Group Head -SME Credit Origination support at Equity Bank Kenya

Description

• Equity Bank is one of the region’s leading banks whose purpose is to transform the lives and livelihoods of the people of Africa socially and economically by availing them modern and inclusive financial services that maximize their opportunities. With a strong footprint in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan and DRC Congo, Equity Bank is now home to over 12 million customers - the largest customer base in Africa. Currently the Bank is seeking additional talent to serve in the role outlined below.

Overall, Job Purpose 

• The Credit Origination Lead is responsible for supporting Group MSME banking Business segment in promptly structuring credit deals by evaluating the creditworthiness of a borrower and ensure the proposed credit risk is profitable, beneficial to the client and is within the relevant policies and regulations. The job holder will have overall responsibility for the quality of all credit requests prepared by the team, they will also be expected to prepare sound, prudent and judicious credit request proposals in line with the Bank’s credit policy and approved product offering. The job holder will also provide advice and techniques to mitigate risks for credits that are considered bankable.

Roles and Responsibilities;

Relationship Management

• Provide the interface between Subsidiaries SME teams and Group Credit EXCO.
• Give quality feedback to the Subsidiaries teams on the quality of applications and the areas of improvement.
• Support the Subsidiaries SME teams in serving their customers in a timely manner customer by giving prompt feedback.
• Give Subsidiaries SME teams reports on loans processed and decline to help in decision-making.
• Supporting Subsidiaries SME teams in packaging credit proposals to ensure clarity for faster approval and adoption.

Credit Proposal Reviews

• To ensure appraisal of quality profitable loans and identified risks properly mitigated by recommending for further review to Credit Risk Proposals through:
• Confirming borrower’s credit worthiness as presented by Subsidiary SME RMs
• Confirm thorough analysis of financial statements and assessment of credit requests.
• Confirming suitability of collateral offered.
• Ensuring credit risks and breaches are identified & mitigation measures proposed.
• Reviewing if proposed facility pricing in credit is in line with the set pricing policies.
• Recommending the credit proposals for further review or returning the proposal to Subsidiary SME RMs to highlight critical missing information and documents.
• Review prevailing economic trends, and risk ratings, and applying the same in the appraisal process.
• Bring out policy exceptions and breaches, recommend adequate Mitigants, and seek necessary approvals.
• To ensure approved loans are progressed whilst the risks are still well mitigated for approved loans requiring minor amendments to underwriting standards by recommending for further review.
• Following up on various action points as per credit committee meeting deliberations.
• Presenting summaries of Credit Analysis unit decisions for further deliberations.
• Monitoring Credit Analysis turnaround time and number of files returned to Subsidiary SME RMs for rework/ review.
• Ensure compliance with regulations and loan approval covenants.
• Review status of borrower’s compliance with matters that may lead to Environment & Social Risks.
• Reviewing independently progress of borrower’s project financed by the Bank.
• Ensure approval covenants are documented and met by performing other reviews and engaging the Relevant stakeholders.
• Team Management: To Guide, Motivate, and provide leadership to the team members to enable them to achieve individual results and ultimately organizational objectives.

Operations 

• Ensure compliance with all credit policy guidelines.
• Follow through with transactions to the end.
• Training teams one on one to reduce on back and forth.
• Work with Subsidiary SME leads to ensure parity in skills possessed by all stakeholders in the credit process though identification of credit skills gap among credit analysts and branches and recommending appropriate training by:
• Periodic reviews of credit skill gaps of stakeholders in the credit process.
• Organizing and training various stakeholders to sharpen their credit skills.
• Recommending appropriate external training where necessary.
• Develop various templates to guide the credit process.
• Handle audit queries emanating from the credit process.
• Monitor turnaround time on requests. 

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications, Knowledge and Experience

• University Degree preferably in Business related field such as Economics, Finance & Accounting from recognized institution by Commission for University Education. Masters’ degree will be an added advantage.
• Credit Management, Accounting or Banking Qualification (AKIB).
• CPA / ACCA qualification.
• Minimum of 7 years’ experience in banking and financial analysis, 2 of which must be credit department or credit related area.
• Good track record of credit analysis and understanding of financial policies, procedures, and external regulations. Has demonstrated over the span of the career credit and financial analysis skills required to effectively perform credit analysis and portfolio maintenance activities/tasks in a manner that consistently achieves high quality standards or benchmarks.
• Demonstrated expertise and in-depth knowledge of the local banking industry, banking services, credit process and banking products.
• Evidenced knowledge and understanding of the current banking and financial services operating environment, trends, and practice, related regulatory and governance guidelines and requirement, and applicable laws.
• Sound working knowledge and understanding of general commercial regulations and practices.

Key Competencies and Skills

• Corporate Competence: Working knowledge of the Bank’s products, the Bank’s Credit policy and CBK prudential guidelines.
• Financial analysis Skills: Ability to analyze and/or interpret financial statements, and advice accordingly.
• Analytical business and investment appraisal Skills: Keen to detail and able to conceptualize financial investment proposals and provide viable solutions.