Senior Trade Finance Specialist at Absa Bank Limited

Job Summary

• Assist in articulation, ownership, and execution of the TB strategy for Business Banking, manage and deliver business objectives through the SME sales team in the commercial banking segment.
• Manage and grow TB business each year across the SME clients in the commercial banking segment.
• Manage the returns while employing sound risk management disciplines in the SME banking segment.
• To lead and manage senior level client interaction and sales.

Key Accountabilities/Deliverables/Outcomes

Sales: Time Split 50%

• Accountable for the delivery of TB revenues from Business Banking clients in the commercial banking segment.
• Develop and execute the sales strategy to deliver the revenue ambition through a portfolio of existing and target list in SME.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 Business Banking team. Drive alignment with key stakeholders; TB teams across multiple geographies, SME Banking and operations to achieve TB priorities.
• Lead client insight events and industry forums to showcase ABSA’s leadership in Transaction Banking and to build the brand awareness.
• Maintain high performance standards and role model behaviors that demonstrate the bank values.

Service and Operational Rigor: Time Split 30%

• Working with the SME service team ensure delivery of world class customer service practices and ensure adherence to ABSA Service standards.
• Lead the team in assisting the SME coverage teams in the commercial banking segment 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.
• Follow the TB 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 Support and Management: Time Split 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,
• Identify training needs and recommend training plans to satisfy those needs for the CSAs.

Role/person specification

Preferred Qualification

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent academic qualifications
• Postgraduate or equivalent academic qualifications

Preferred Experience

• Over 5 years’ experience in SME/Business Banking
• Strong people and sales management skills experience
• Frontline Transactional sales experience

Knowledge and Skills

• Strong people and sales management skills, and experience in banking.
• Solid and proven frontline transactional sales experience across Working Capital, Trade Finance (documentary trade products i.e., LCs, bonds & guarantees; bank & country risk products), Supply Chain Financing & Cash Management (Regional/Local payments, receipts and liquidity management structures, system infrastructure, etc.)
• Skills for analyzing and formatting data provided by Finance and other sources.
• Strong sales management skills and experience, ideally with relevant banking or business/corporate banking background
• Proven treasury, credit, and country risk exposure

Behavioural Competencies

•  Open minded, good listener, flexible with ‘think out of the box’ mentality.
•  Disciplined approach to deal execution/client follows up.
• Strong cross-cultural awareness
•  Excellent interpersonal skills
• Team player

Technical Competencies

• Excellent knowledge of the banking polices standards, local regulations and legislation of the prevention of money laundering.
• Judgment / Managing Complexity
• Strong negotiation and presentation skills; ability to communicate with all levels in an organization.