Head - Trade and Working Capital at Absa Bank Limited

Job Summary

• Support in articulation, ownership, and execution of the Trade Strategy for the bank.
• To lead and manage senior level client interaction and sales.
• Manage and deliver Trade business objectives through the coverage team and TB Sales.
• Manage and grow Trade business each year across the CIB clients.
• Manage the returns while employing sound risk management discipline.

Job Description

Key accountabilities/ Deliverables/Outcomes

Trade and Working Capital Sales:50%

• Accountable for the delivery of Trade revenues from CIB clients in Kenya.
• Develop and execute the Trade sales strategy to deliver the revenue ambition through a portfolio of existing and target list in CIB.
• Increase client penetration and revenues for the bank by actively promoting the bank’s network and product capabilities (cross selling). Replicate TB solutions and successes within the portfolio.
• Maintain a detailed and up to date knowledge of the bank’s comprehensive products capabilities and their application to clients’ needs and use this knowledge in structuring of solutions.
• Ensure smooth interaction and communication with the Customer Support team, product development and customer services teams within CIB team. Drive alignment with key stakeholders; TB teams across multiple geographies, CIB, and operations to achieve TB priorities.
• Lead client insight events and industry forums to showcase Absa’ leadership in Transaction Banking and to build the brand awareness.
• Maintain high performance standards and role model behaviours that demonstrate the bank values.
• Formulate strategies to ensure required level of specialist support is extended to Large Corporate and Business Banking that will ensure we meet business development strategies and objectives.
• Monitor conformance of product team for operational performance
• Monitor results of customer surveys against target product & service standards
• Proactively research competitive threats/opportunities in relation to our trade products offering (together with the strategic development of competitor, market, and legislative knowledge.
• Communication to relationship teams on (new) products knowledge and product changes
• Keep relationship teams advised on the expected ‘delivery date’ for anticipated new product developments/solutions delivery.
• Monitor and ensure adherence to credit and operational risk management. 

Service, Product Management Development and Operational Rigor: 30%

• Working with CIB service and Trade Operations, ensure delivery of world class customer service practices and ensure adherence to Absa service standards.
• Lead the team in assisting the CIB coverage teams develop relationship account plans for their customer portfolios.
• Achieve operational rigor excellence in all aspects of procedures and processes undertaken to ensure 100% compliance.
• Minimize potential of fraudulent applications by following each product criteria.
• Ensuring that pricing is authorized by as per mandate Business Banking Director and Transactional Baking Director, agreed with Customer, and properly set up to ensure 100% collection upon product/customer set up.
• Continuous improvement of product features & /or offering by identifying new and existing systems/product potential and realise these through revitalisation & modification, introduction of new products and new promotion initiatives in accordance with the Bank’s strategy.
• Follow the Bank’s end-to-end product set-up process ensuring new set-ups are authorized and properly set up.
• Ensure compliance with operations risk & rigor requirements e.g., Health & Safety standards and security of premises.

Team Management: 20%

• Set SMART individual objectives that are in line with and seek to achieve the teams’ overall objectives. Review and drive performance of the team against the objectives on a regular basis,
• Lead the Team using a team-based management approach.
• Identify and develop talent.
• Identify training needs and recommend training plans to satisfy those needs for the CSAs.
• Lead the team to achieve quantitative and qualitative performance objectives for your portfolio. Leverage the existing sales tools and techniques to identify opportunities for new/incremental business - account planning and pipeline management to achieve sales/revenue targets.
• Reward and recognize team.

Role/person specification

Preferred Qualification

• MBA or equivalent post graduate academic qualifications

Preferred Experience

• Over 10 years banking experience, majority of which must be in Corporate and Investment Banking

Knowledge and Skills

• Extensive Trade and Working Capital Final expertise.
• Strong people and sales management skills experience
• Frontline Trade Sales experience

Education

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