Head, Business & Commercial Banking - Credit at Standard Bank Group

Key Responsibilities

Development and implementation of BCB credit risk strategy and framework

• Develops and drives the BCB credit risk management framework which includes the risk management strategy, structure, processes, culture and technological infrastructure and translate strategic intent and vision into medium term objectives.
• Contributes to the development and improvement of the bank wide credit risk management strategy and framework by providing key insights on the factors that influence the risk profile. Act as a signatory on the final framework relating to BCB credit.
• Provides direction to the BCB credit team and sub-business lines in order to achieve the credit risk management strategy.
• Ensures effective execution of the BCB credit risk strategy and framework, aligned to then BCB business specific requirements and direction from BCB RoA centre, in line with the risk appetite statement and group policy.
• Critically evaluates the existing framework on an ongoing basis for relevance in line with emerging country risks and threats.
• Owns and drives the process of embedding the BCB credit risk frameworks throughout the business area by regularly engaging with all levels of leadership and management to help them understand the benefits of looking at their worlds through a credit risk management lens.
• Continuously evaluates the external environment and assesses the impact on the area's activities. Where required, discuss any changes which will result in an overall strategic impact with the Head of BCB and sub-business unit Heads and, thereafter make the agreed amendments to plans.
• Delivers a professional advice on risk pricing, risk management matters, including where appropriate the timely involvement of external specialists.
• Delivers high standards of credit quality for high-risk cases through the application of best practices to credit proposals.
• Challenges pricing in order to maximise value, and ensure a commercial balance between risk and Reward.
• Applies impairment policy, where appropriate, to ensure Impairments are raised or released in a timely and appropriate fashion. Ensure accurate and timely forecasting of impairments.

Measures:

• Approved BCB credit strategy and successful execution thereof
• Adherence to applicable policies
• Stakeholder feedback

Management of credit risk in line with risk management framework

• Ensures that the Bank’s need to provide adequate controls over the risks encountered in the post- Credit granting stage of the credit process are satisfied by ensuring the appropriateness, consistency, validity and enforceability of all collateral confirming that all collateral and legal documentation in respect of banking facilities and advances granted have been obtained are in legal order and properly housed.
• Implements credit procedures by maintaining a tight control over all aspects of advance administration to contain credit risk within acceptable parameters and ensuring that all risk and statutory returns and reports are produced in an accurate and timely manner.
• Ensures all identified credit control events and defaults are managed, in order to reduce the roll rate of non-performing loans into lock up portfolio by providing a prompt and orderly turnaround environment in which controls can be exercised to ensure that the Bank is not faced with avoidable losses.
• Ensures that timely and quality credit delivery and decisions are made within agreed Service Level Agreements (SLAs) within the entire credit chain.
• Actively monitors appropriate metrics across the credit life-cycle to ensure that the origination, evaluation, credit risk monitoring and rehabilitation and recoveries functions meet the highest standards in accordance with laid down policies and procedures and to guide and coach the respective teams on the best credit practices.

Measures:

• Minimised losses within budget.
• Decisions taken within agreed SLAs with business.
• Effective second line of defence as confirmed by credit risk Reviews.
• Internal stakeholders’ customer satisfaction survey rating.

Optimise the business unit's risk profile and risk appetite

• Sets and monitors the new business strategy within the agreed business unit’s growth and risk appetite objectives.
• Oversees the development of origination policies and the execution thereof.
• Develops and oversees the implementation of collections and recoveries strategies.
• Manages and reviews existing account management strategies.
• Drives in-depth analysis of customer value tests, campaign analysis, response propensity models, collections and bad debt performance etc.
• Detects and evaluates shifts or changes in key risk parameters and evaluates the implications of such changes on continued banking relationships.
• Reviews and sets appropriate BCB risk Appetite metrics with Business.
• Monitors and assesses portfolio performance metrics against risk Assessment triggers.
• Reviews and assesses credit criteria against portfolio performance.
• Delivers robust, transparent and predictable credit losses within an agreed total cost (‘budget’) and ‘cost of credit’ framework.
• Devises and implements a range of champion / challenger strategies to continually test and learn to reach the optimum set of tactics to generate value.
• Provides input into risk-based pricing and ensures that profit and ROE include appropriate credit risk and cost inputs.
• Devises and implements a range of champion / challenger strategies to continually test and learn to reach the optimum set of tactics to generate value.

Measures:

• Risk appetite document in place.
• Clear evidence of ongoing monitoring of risk Appetite.
• Clear remedial action taken to address breaches.

Governance, risk and compliance management within the clearly defined requirements.

• Interprets the BCB ROA strategy and derives/builds the in-country framework.
• Ensures compliance with country adopted standards, policies, mandates and procedures governing activities within the credit space.
• Actively chairs and participates in credit risk Management Committee meetings and watch list committee meetings and provides meaningful input into risk appetite discussions, portfolio management and collections strategies as well as detecting and evaluating shifts or changes in key risk parameters and the effects of such changes on portfolios and relationships.
• Attends the Country BCB Leadership council (always) and the Country Main Leadership council (sometimes) in order to represent BCB credit on all credit matters.

Measures:

• Satisfactory ratings from all internal and external audit and similar functions
• Satisfactory capabilities assessment and review from Head Office (CART reviews)
• Policies and procedures are adhered to.

Management and reporting of the BCB credit portfolio

• Accountable for determining the tasks, selecting the resources needed for the successful implementation of business (Credit) related projects.
• Ensures that all project personnel receive an appropriate orientation on the project.
• Monitors the progress of the project and make adjustments as necessary to ensure the successful completion of the project.
• Ensures that the project deliverables are on time, within budget and at the required level of quality.
• Derives the full cost of credit for the BCB credit function and puts in place cost containment measures.
• Ensures that all internal and external reporting is completed accurately, on time and that appropriate value adding insights into the portfolio are provided so that both internal and external users of information have a deep and appropriate insight into the quality of the portfolio and the appropriateness of the processes.
• Produces reports on the portfolio performance on a regular basis as per business requirements. Ensure reports are on the level suitable to the audience.
• Identifies and analyses portfolio risks proactively; and forecasts the credit loss provision and engage with business accordingly.
• Manages the internal and external audit interactions.

Measures:

• Implementation of credit projects within set timelines to achieve defined business outcomes.
• Cost of credit target not exceeded.
• Accurate and Timeous reporting at all times.

Stakeholder engagement and efficient cost management

• Manages costs within agreed budgets for the BCB credit Department.
• Build and maintain credible relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including management, internal and external audit, non-executives, regulator as well as peers in local and international banks.
• Manage relationships in a complex matrix structure, across a multi-disciplinary environment with cross functional stakeholders at all levels of the origination.

Measures:

• Capex and Opex budgets not to be exceeded.
• Favourable stakeholder feedback within agreed benchmarks.

Qualifications

Education

• First Degree Qualification: BCom, Business Finance, Engineering, Risk Management, Business Administration.
• Post graduate qualification Mathematics, Business Finance, Financial Accounting, Accounting, Financial Management Science, and Mathematics.

Other Qualifications

• Professional Qualification CA, CFA, CIMA, ACCSI, Honour’s Degree in Business Finance,
• Accounting, Business related program

Experience

• 10 years’ experience, including 2-5 years as a credit operations or portfolio manager in high-volume Retail Credit. Prior experience with credit workflow management tools and automated decisioning technology essential.
• An in-depth experience in BCB credit risk Management and Originating deals and building and maintaining internal stakeholder relationships with the aim of driving Business Strategy.