Industry Head, Commercial Banking at Absa Bank Limited

Job Summary

• To directly lead a relationship team(s) covering a portfolio of Business Banking customers across diverse sectors driving the economy.
• To be a key member of the Business Banking Leadership Team, driving business performance within the Commercial business segment.
• Performance management and coaching of team members.
• To relationship manage and sustain a portfolio of key Business Banking customers, building long-term relationships founded on efficient and reliable support for their business. This is achieved particularly through quick risk decisions and managing consistency and quality of operational service.
• To maximize risk-adjusted portfolio contribution, while balancing the requirements for lending to business enterprises vis a vis reputational risk for the bank.
• The jobholder will be responsible for supporting the relationship team with business development activities both with new customers and existing customers to drive wallet share growth.
• The job holder will be expected to develop an intimate knowledge of key sectors driving the economy, and relevant regulatory framework and demonstrate the ability to meet with senior management of the Corporations for negotiation of financial solutions.

Job Description

Key Accountabilities/Deliverables/Outcomes and Approximate Time Split.

Sales and Service: Time split 30%

• Grow the industry team’s portfolio profitability by identifying new and existing customer potential including sales opportunities and new product promotion initiatives.
• Formulate business development strategies and objectives for the relationship team to meet changing market needs.
• Monitor conformance of the coverage team using new relationship development procedures.
• Monitor results of customer surveys for the team against target service quality standards.
• Monitor levels of complaints and quality of handling for the portfolio.
• Proactively research competitive threats/opportunities within the team’s market and geographical area.
• Support the team in communicating all key messages to customers including agreed service standards, negotiated pricing, and relationship team contact points (including introductions to new personnel, and new product changes.
• For key relationships, and if appropriate, support the team in interim reviews of customers borrowing facilities.
• For key relationships, and if appropriate, support the team in wallet share reviews for non-borrowing customers.
• Support the team to determine the products that are most effective in meeting customers’ needs and be able to sell these at short notice both reactively and proactively.

Business Management: Time split 40%

• Manage the performance of the relationship team against key financial (risk-adjusted contribution) sales, service, and operational targets.
• Champion, manage, and monitor implementation of change impacting the Commercial banking team and arising from central and Business Banking change programs.
• Consult customer-owners/managers on financial/credit issues and general business practices/ideas.
• Support the relationship team to develop Customer Relationship Plans for customers in managed portfolios.
• Work closely with the Business Banking Director and Manco team in driving and delivering business performance across the country.
• Research, create, and follow up on a target list for potential new business.
• Support the team in identifying priority customers using the Customer Relationship Planning templates to assess their present and potential contributions.
• Drive control and quality of the portfolio, using available triggers and adherence to Risk management guidelines and policies.

Staff Management: Time split 30%

• Lead the Relationship team within the segment using a team-based management approach.
• Help team members identify strengths and weaknesses in their own skills and attributes, review their self-development plans, and ensure training and development needs are accommodated.
• Coach team members on relationship development, service quality, and risk.
• Assess individual team’s performance against the agreed contract.  Review and input to Performance Development Reviews.

Role/person specification.

Preferred Qualification

• A relevant business-related degree from a recognized university.
• Additional professional/advanced qualifications are an added advantage.

Preferred Experience.

12 years of Banking / Financial Services experience out of which at least 5 years in senior management levels.

Knowledge and Skills

• Detailed knowledge of the Core set of products
• For Complex products, will have a detailed knowledge of the requirements of the more sophisticated customers.
• Introduce the product and co-ordinate the introduction of the relevant Group product specialist.
• A good knowledge of the products and services available in the Personal Sector is also required.
• A broad understanding of policies and strategies within the country as they relate to the demands of the customer base.
• A detailed understanding of Country and CBRM guidelines and credit risk policies.

Skills required to undertake the role:

• Outstanding relationship and interpersonal skills
• Strong selling and negotiation skills
• Strong Presentation Skills
• Credit Risk Skills
• Leadership and Team skills
• Communications skills

Training likely to assist effectiveness in the role, and which may have been completed prior to undertaking this role:

• Internal and external senior risk assessment and management
• Presentation
• Influencing and Negotiating
• Man-management/development.
• Performance Management

Additional details of exceptional aspects of the demands of the role:

• The jobholder will benefit from supervision and support from the Business Banking Director who will be the jobholder’s direct report.
• The jobholder will be required to act on his/her own initiative in terms of business development activities ensuring that quality business is retained and driving up sustainable income from the whole team portfolio under his/her control.
• Jobholder represents Barclays, for the Business Banking Segment, within the local Business community/country.

Education

• Bachelors Degree and Professional Qualifications: Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required)