Head of Corporate Credit Managers at Absa Bank Limited

Job Summary

• Facilitate the generation of revenue and assist the business strategic priorities in close working relationships with Retail & Business Banking stakeholders.
• Support the Credit leadership in the management of impairment and other losses to ensure these are within agreed budgets/forecasts.
• Improving the control and governance environment for risk activities. 
• A credit professional acting as a credit expert to the relationship team and the conduit to the Credit Risk function for sanctioning purposes.
• Improve and deepen understanding of our client's needs through joint client visits with the assigned portfolio Relationship Managers.
• Responsible for developing practical and appropriate credit solutions (i.e. lending structures) through understanding customers’ needs.
• Delivering high-quality and consistent, credit applications and making sound recommendations.
• Monitor and control accounts within designated portfolios to ensure early detection of signs of credit deterioration and take appropriate actions.
• Maintain the integrity of Commercial Credit Risk System (CCRS) data ensuring the customer is accurately updated.
• Regularly maintain and update Early Warning Status (EWL) and related strategy sheets for clients classified under these buckets.
• Responsible for championing Credit policy issues to the designated portfolio and relationship teams through attendance at industry and portfolio meetings.
• Responsible for efficient use of Bank capital by challenging pricing of facilities within their portfolio and ensuring borrowings to customers meet the minimum required return for the bank. 
• Ensuring Risk Key performance measures are captured correctly and in a timely manner to aid in performance management and decision-making.

Job Description

Main accountabilities and approximate time split

Understanding Credit/ Solutions Development: Time split 35%

• Assessment of credit proposals through analysis of Business and Credit risks associated with the provision of the bank’s products and services to the customer.
• Facilitate the generation of revenue and support business growth through the development of high-quality credit solutions aimed at obtaining fast credit approval from Sanctioning teams.
• Ability to undertake sector and industry analysis to guide the bank in strategy formulation and areas of focus for lending and application of the same within the designated portfolio.

The Credit Process: Time split 30%

• Preparation of Credit proposals using the CCRS with relevant supporting documentation and recommendations to Credit managers for Sanction.
• Liaise directly with the Absa Africa Credit Team (BACT) sanctioning office for all credits that are outside the local Risk Team discretion.
• Attend customer meetings with the Relationship Manager where credit-related issues are to be discussed/ resolved.
• Support the timely preparation of facility letters through the preparation of accurate Facility Letter Aide Memoirs (FLAM) and ensuring all proposed conditions of sanction, covenants, and internal risk triggers are correctly and accurately captured.
• Ensure efficient management of capital by ensuring. Where facility letters are not accepted within set timelines, facilities are canceled from CCRS.

Portfolio Management- Monitoring and Control: Time split 20%

• Responsible for reviewing and analyzing financial information produced by customers against set Credit triggers and financial covenants.
• Monitor and Control the quality of the portfolio using agreed triggers. Reviewing and engaging Sanctioners on deteriorating trends and trigger events if they give cause for concern, advising the Relationship Manager simultaneously.
• Recognize and control potential lending fraud risk through robust operational risk and control management.

People Management: Time Split 15%

• Resource, develop, and retain a motivated high performing team committed to achieving success through each other.
• Agree on challenging performance and development objectives for all direct reports providing regular feedback/coaching/support to ensure their maximum potential is achieved
• Foster a positive, prideful work environment with open communications, timely resolution of conflicts, and regulatory compliance
• Act as an escalation point for all issues emanating from the team
• Drive proactive application of Absa values both personally and throughout the team.
• Provide people management support to colleagues within the team across the entire employee life cycle

Technical skills / Competencies

Education and Experience Required 

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent and/or the ACIB
• Knowledge of credit analysis techniques
• Accreditation on the use of the Commercial Credit Risk system would be an added advantage

Knowledge, Expertise, and Experience

Mandatory

• A seasoned banker with proven networks, preferably not less than 7 years in the banking industry
• Proven experience in a Credit role as a Corporate Credit Manager (CCM) level gained within the banking industry
• Excellent understanding of credit and associated risks
• Experienced user of Commercial Credit Risk System (CCRS) or a similar system to analyze, monitor, and report on credit applications.
• Passionate, highly self–motivated, energetic, and enthusiastic team player who is change-oriented and customer focused
• Demonstrate an ability to build and manage relationships and influence various internal stakeholders in RBB, Credit etc to deliver business
• High networking skills with a high-level understanding of the financial sector needs for the different sectors of the economy
• Results-oriented and an excellent communicator both orally and in writing

Knowledge & Skills

• Knowledge of lending fundamentals, credit procedures, and processes as laid out in the Absa Africa Wholesale Credit Risk Standards.
• Products and services frequently used by customers 
• Knowledge of Commercial Credit Risk Systems and other relevant bank systems.
• Awareness of legislation affecting the Bank and customers having the highest regard for confidentiality.
• A fair understanding of current issues including macro and micro economic environment.

Competencies

• Analytical skills
• Communication and presentation skills
• Negotiation skills
• Inter-personal skills
• Report writing skills

Education

• Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required)