SME Credit Manager at Absa Bank Limited

Job Summary

• A credit professional responsible for credit risk structuring of transactions and high-volume sanctioning covering multiple industry sectors. The role holder will have specific responsibilities for a large number of SME customers (typically with credit exposures of £100k and less but could go up to a maximum of £2m).
• Support the SME Credit team in providing credit input to Emerging Markets Centre (EMC), delivering a World-Class Credit service, and contributing towards the achievement of the team’s risk and business objectives.
• Ensuring the optimal quality of the credit portfolio by application of best practice in decision-making, to a maximum personal lending discretion (exact personal lending discretion to be advised based on personal lending experience/accreditation but will be in the £100k - £2m range).
• Where appropriate, apply the agreed SME Scoring Model to assess credit applications/reach credit decisions.

Job Description

Key Accountabilities/Deliverables/Outcomes and approximate time split.

Credit Risk Management: Time split 70 % 

• Ensure the highest standard of credit quality through the structure, sanctioning, monitoring, and control of credit applications. Maintenance of these standards both personally and as part of the SME Credit Team
• Exercise judgment and discretion in the evaluation and approval/decline of higher-risk classification credit proposals.
• Provide feeds into business and credit policy development, where appropriate.
• Provide feeds into credit process development, where appropriate.
• Assist with the implementation and ongoing delivery of business and credit policies and processes (this is particularly important as the SME proposition is being rolled out for the first time in Absa Kenya)
• Responsibility for personal adherence to governance, compliance, and SME lending portfolio controls.  Ensuring own conformance to policy and procedures within the SME Credit Team, including proactive management of agreed responsibilities for Data Integrity.
• Maintain interactive relationships with Recoveries, Credit Risk Coaching & Support Team, and Conformance Team.
• Advise on risk-reward, and challenge pricing where appropriate.

Business Risk Partnership: Time split 20%

• Deliver service in line with agreed business needs/Turnaround Times (TAT)/Service Level Agreement (SLA).
• Work in partnership with all colleagues in the SME chain and proactively anticipate, respond to, and seek to exceed the expectations of customers. 
• Work with Country colleagues, providing post-application-based coaching and discussion, where appropriate to ensure effective development and delivery of bespoke Risk solutions for customers.
• Proactively contribute to embedding agreed change management initiatives in support of process and quality improvements, cost reductions, and the development of people. Contribute towards the Team operating within cost budgets by making recommendations for ‘working smarter’.

Staff Management; Split%: 10%

• Support the Absa SME Credit Team Leader in delivering effective performance development for individuals within the team.
• Drive proactive application of Absa Guiding Principles both personally and throughout the team and coach and support colleagues within the Team.

Role/person specification

Preferred Qualification

• ACIB/equivalent business experience/other appropriate qualification preferable

Additional Comments:

• The Role holder must deliver consistently high-quality risk solutions in a high-volume environment A passion for SMEs will be expected and will need to be demonstrated during the interview process. A specific coaching and training plan will be developed in order to achieve accreditation for SME credit risk.  Achievement of this “license” will be an integral measure of success in the role.

Preferred Experience

• Experience with SME Credit will be an added advantage.
• Prior experience/knowledge of SME scoring model(s) will be an added advantage.

Knowledge and Skills

• Sound knowledge of credit risk mandatory procedures
• Working knowledge of Group policies, pricing, and strategies relative to the credit function
• Good commercial awareness.
• Standard commercial products: Working Capital; Trade; Term Lending; Cash Management; FX
• Packaged Lending Products (secured & unsecured): Trade; FX; Cash Management
• Working knowledge of Absa corporate structures and strategies.
• 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.