Head, CHNW Credit at Standard Bank Group

Job Purpose

• To build maintain and manage the end-to-end credit operation for Consumer & High Net Worth(C&HNW) Credit incorporating all aspects of the credit life cycle. Responsible for day-to-day management of C&HNW Credit processes and people.
• Deliver a professional service against specific process measures aligned to the credit risk management KRAs and agreed SLA with all Business units.
• Developing an efficient and effective recovery strategy for the C&HNW portfolio.

Key Deliverables 

• To lead and guide a team responsible for the execution of the standard processes for Originations & Evaluation and any other team assigned from time to time.
• To ensure that laid down policies, procedures are implemented and adhered to.
• Deploy and maintain standard people structures to deliver the approved C&HNW credit strategy and processes.
• To provide input into the development, roll out, monitor and agile adjustment digital lending strategies and transformation.
• Approval of credit within delegated authority.
• To actively participate in Credit risk management committee meetings and watch list committee meetings and to provide 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.
• Deploy capacity planning models to ensure adequate staffing to support growth and ‘business-as-usual operations.’ Where changes to capacity are required to improve adherence to credit policy / improve customer experience / etc, take appropriate action.
• Evaluating credit capabilities within the team and recruit, retain develop and deploy people with energy passion and the appropriate technical competencies and skills.
• To actively monitor 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.
• To ensure 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.
• Understand the full cost of credit for the C&HNW credit function
• Deliver robust, transparent and predictable credit losses within an agreed total cost (‘budget’) and ‘cost of credit’ framework.
• Regularly review process effectiveness and efficiency and provide feedback to in-country management on a regular basis.
• Responsible for the implementation and adoption within the Business Unit of all

Key Performance Measures

• Deliver portfolio results on key measures (Non-performing loans; pre-NPLs; Credit Loss Ratio)
• Digitisation of all standard lending decision for existing consumer base
• Efficient delivery of core credit processes (origination & evaluation – both scored and intuitive; account & collateral management; rehabilitation & recoveries)
• Deliver key operational efficiency and effectiveness outcomes.
• Clean audits by Internal and External auditors as well as by the Central Bank.

Key Dimensions Of The Job

• Responsible for the performance of the Country’s C&HNW Credit “factory.” Performance is measured on both an “input” basis (efficiency) and an “output” basis (effectiveness).
• Formulate and deliver new scored lending strategies and solution in line with banks expansion / platform objectives
• Planning range – medium-term planning (e.g. 12 months) to deliver the C&HNW Credit operating model, as well as practical short-term tactics to address day-to-day issues within the business.
• Has a multi-functional team who collectively are responsible for executing all C&HNW Credit functions within the Country’s credit process.
• Influences and is influenced by multiple stakeholders – Head office Credit team, C&HNW business line, BB& Commercial Credit Head and the Regional Head of Credit.
• When required, sits on the Country C&HNW Leadership council and the Country’s CRMC.
• Reports functionally and operationally to the Chief Risk Officer.

Problem Solving

• The ability to identify and understand business needs and existing credit strategies and then to interpret and convert these into operational reality.
• The incumbent will need to be able to constantly challenge established thinking and to facilitate constructive discussions that lead to continuous improvement in operating processes.
• The ability to balance competing business needs with risk mitigation requirements.
• The ability to apply appropriate risk mitigation techniques to improve the bankability of marginal proposals.
• The ability to assess innovative proposals to restore poor performing proposals to regular status.

Planning

• Planning is required annually for risk appetite discussion, expected loss calculations, team structure, budgeting and resources.
• Required to interpret, analyse, evaluate and formulate plans based on the agreed strategic direction of the bank using information from a number of sources.
• Take a medium to long-term perspective with regard to strategic business planning.
• Adjustment of the plan following unforeseen changes to the environment and business, ensuring that they remain practical and in line with business objectives.

Project Management 

• Accountable for determining the tasks, selecting the resources needed for the successful implementation of business-related projects.
• Able to consider all the facts, options and possible outcomes prior to making decisions, or prior to referring options to decision maker(s).
• Quick to act upon potential opportunities and take the initiative within limits of authority.

Key Skills, Knowledge & Experience 

Skills

• Ability to identify and negotiate with key stakeholders to ensure the necessary buy-in and commitment to the success of the operating model.
• Ability to ensure that broader Business Unit and business strategy is taken into account and consensus with all stakeholders is reached on new developments.
• Ability to accurately read situations/the audience and appropriately adapt style in line with business needs.
• Ability to understand in-depth data analysis, trends, forecasts and reporting for use in setting the operational direction for the unit.
• Ability to coach, develop credit capability in country by providing on-going feedback, appraisal, and counselling.
• The ability to maximise performance of people within the team by appropriate people management skills.
• To identify and manage both key performers as well as to manage poor performance within the team is a gateway competency for this role.

Knoweldge

• A thorough knowledge and understanding of credit facilities and loan advances, lending criteria, credit policies, risk and financial analysis, credit control and the application thereof in developing markets.
• Credit analysis and risk management.
• Working knowledge of the banks operating system.
• Portfolio analysis and management.
• Credit Collections ,Recoveries & Rehabilitation
• Understanding of collateral and Country law and business practices and to apply this knowledge without compromising group standards or policies.
• Understanding of rehabilitation and recoveries and the value extraction advantage of maintaining actual credit to less than expected credit losses.
• “Three C’s of Intuitive Lending” + Scored Lending fundamentals + Account Management Practices + Rehabilitations & Recoveries Practices.

Experience

• 8 - 12 years’ experience, including 2-5 years as a credit operations or portfolio manager in high-volume personal (e.g. retail) credit.
• Prior experience with credit workflow management tools and automated decisioning technology essential.
• Use of internal and non-traditional data credit automated decisioning
• Prior experience is credit rehabilitation & recoveries