Career Opportunities at Absa Bank Limited

Job Summary

To develop tactical strategy and delivery plans, formulate associated practice/s and to ensure operational implementation and adoption i.t.o. credit risk management methodology, practice, governance and delivery objectives.

Overall, Job Purpose

• The role is responsible for developing and delivering effective credit training and coaching programs to support SME coverage and Credit teams. The role holder will provide a critical link in the Business and Credit Risk Partnership between the SME business, product, and Credit teams, communicating and influencing at a senior level.

The primary areas of focus are:

• SME and those credits handled by specialist sanctioners - general helpdesk provision/individual coaching/accreditation.
• Supporting the delivery of a robust Credit Risk Accreditation process for SME, Relationship Managers and Credit colleagues.

Key Accountabilities & Time Split

Training support to business teams (80%)

• Deliver and maintain the accreditation process for SME and Credit colleagues agreeing & communicating where individuals meet/do not meet the benchmark for credit skills.
• Interact with colleagues at a Senior Level (primarily Business Banking Head, Head of SME, Head of Wholesale Credit and senior leadership in BB and SME Credit and Credit Risk Director) to determine current and anticipated needs.
• Work closely at a senior level colleague to ensure that Coaching & Support is meeting the needs of the business.  
• Effectively target and deliver credit coaching and support primarily to SME coverage teams (relationship teams and branch network)
• Deliver credit helpdesk support for both unaccredited and accredited SME, Relationship Managers and new Credit Managers, where needs identified.
• Provide feedback to respective leaders on the quality and effectiveness of credit training to proactively drive improvements and track Return on Investment.
• Work in collaboration with the Learning & Development Specialist to contribute towards the design and development of training curriculum to develop knowledge of Credit within SME teams to ensure they can meet their responsibilities.
• Respond to feedback from respective leaders to ensure specific individual training and coaching needs are met.
• Deliver face to face training, with a specific focus on Credit Risk, as appropriate.
• Obtain and provide feeds to and from SME team on the performance of their colleagues on credit related issues. This will be reflected within individuals’ performance development objectives and establish effectiveness of the SME Credit Coaching and Support function.
• Communicate SME Credit best practice via credit briefings and presentations to enable SME Sales and Credit colleagues to address existing and potential customer requirements positively and proactively.
• Support the delivery of service in line with agreed needs of the business.
• Provide feeds into business and credit policy and credit process development, where appropriate.
• Proactively embed agreed change management initiatives in support of process & quality improvements and cost reductions.
• Contribute towards the team operating within cost budgets making recommendations for ‘working smarter’.

Portfolio Management (10%)

• Identify and report warning signs to senior leadership on sectors, which could impact and influence the formulation of risk appetite/loss tolerance and policies/processes. Support with portfolio deep dives on specific cohorts of the SME and wider Business Banking lending portfolio as part of portfolio management

People Activities and Teamwork (10%)

• Deliver exceptional business performance through working as part of a team, which undertakes a wide range of processing and servicing activities.
• Work closely with the team managers to influence consistent achievement of agreed service level standards.
• Provide ways and means of challenging the current ways of working and status quo. Support an empowering climate within the team. Share knowledge, experience, best practice, and provision of constructive feedback as required and when necessary.
• Support and adopt the implementation of change initiatives.

Preferred Qualification

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, Business, or a related field
• ACIB/equivalent business experience/other appropriate qualification preferable

Preferred Experience

• At least 8 years’ experience in Corporate/SME Credit Risk Management
• 2+ years of experience in coaching, mentorship, and training

Skills & Competencies

• Comprehensive technical credit skills
• Good business awareness and specific industry awareness
• Detailed knowledge of risk management policy, procedures & pricing
• Working knowledge of policies, pricing, and strategies relative to the credit function
• Working knowledge of products (Trade Finance, Loans, Asset Finance, commercial property financing)
• Working knowledge of Credit/SBUs structures & strategies
• Ability to coach, mentor, train, and embed skills.

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Job Summary

To plan and oversee the delivery of accurate and timeous banking transactions through the execution of predefined objectives as per agreed standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Job Summary / Purpose

• To effectively support the head of mobile lending policy and portfolio management in developing strategies throughout the credit cycle including prospect targeting and acquisition, exposure management, customer marketing, collections, and recovery.
• Scorecard reviews
• Sampling responsibility to ensure credit quality is maintained.
• Perform Portfolio Quality Reviews
• Perform data analysis, forecasting and generate management information used in mobile lending credit portfolio management.

Key accountabilities/Deliverables/Outcomes

Data Analysis and Manipulation 80%

• In collaboration with the business counterparts, develop, implement, and maintain credit risk strategies.
• Execute Data Analysis – Data Extraction & Manipulation Tasks –
• Programming Tasks
• Collect relevant customer data from bank’s internal MI systems.
• Analyze and interpret customer data relating to Credit Risk processes using statistical and data analysis packages such as SAS, Terra data, Excel.
• Communicate analytic results to both technical and non-technical audiences, using Microsoft Excel worksheets and Power point presentations.
• Support managers by providing relevant and timely analysis for current projects and ad-hoc queries.
• Provide analysis to support managers with business-as-usual activities such as Credit Risk strategy changes.
• Continuously strive to improve Absa’s decision support systems.
• In conjunction with the Credit Policy Manager, develop, implement, and maintain credit risk strategies for the Retail credit business (operating, organizational, physical and technology models).
• Be responsible for the successful design, development, and implementation of any Retail Risk programs of change, ensuring that the benefits of such change are driven out and maximized and change embedded into the BAU operations.
• Manage service level agreements with internal customers.
• Continuous improvement of the Management Information base to ensure they remain relevant, reflect credit risk appetite and are useful to provide the business with information for use in decision making and policy matters.
• Number of accounts / outstanding balances
• Delinquency statistics
• Scorecard and policy rules monitoring
• responsibilities for Data Integrity.
• Maintain interactive relationship with relevant ARO/Group Risk/Business/Operations/Conformance Teams.
• Challenge pricing and profitability models to maximize value. Ultimate sign off at customer level remains with Business.
• Design, implement and maintain generic strategies for appropriate remedial action on poorly performing accounts in the portfolio.

Leadership Time Split: 20 %

• Be part of a highly motivated team maintaining excellent relationships within own team and wider business to ensure achievement of business goals.
• Consider the training and development needs of the team and support the development and implementation of solutions.
• Act as a role model and drive proactive application of Absa behaviors throughout the team including establishment of common goals and objectives.
• Ensure effective performance development and succession planning for the team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Business Degree in mathematical finance, actuarial science, economics, statistics
• Comprehensive technical credit skills
• General commercial/industry awareness
• Working knowledge of risk management policies, procedures & pricing

Preferred Experience

• Working knowledge of Group policies and strategies relative to the credit function
• Product knowledge
• Detailed understanding / fit of the vision for Risk
• Working knowledge of local country structure and strategy
• Leadership and performance development of a team
• Managing risk and reward

Knowledge and Skills

• Leadership
• People management and coaching
• Communications (written and oral) and presentations
• Effective negotiation and influencing
• Delegation
• Influencing

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Job Summary

• To drive and deliver exceptional retail business performance, through the provision of efficient business management, powerful leadership, team development and achievement of operational rigor excellence in branches with up to 50 staff members or branches with single customer categories.
• To drive implementation of business and service strategies to deliver Retail and Business Banking performance and growth targets in the branch.
• Provide powerful leadership in the branch to ensure the delivery of the business plans by establishing a high-performance culture amongst the branch team.
• Achieve operational rigor excellence and maintenance of a healthy business environment through strict adherence to operations and compliance policies and guidelines

Job Description

Key accountabilities/Deliverables/Outcomes

Driving Business Performance: Time split 40%

• Implement business strategies to deliver performance and growth as communicated by the Regional Manager.
• Drive branch performance against key performance standards as communicated and agreed with the Regional Manager in areas including:
  • balance sheet growth,
  • sales growth and income contribution,
  • cost performance,
  • credit management,
  • employee satisfaction,
  • customer experience,
• Operational risk and control rigor management
• Provide clear direction to branch staff on the Retail and Business Banking business objectives, translating and prioritizing into business performance measures at branch level.
• Establish relationships with key clients or business influencers in the local area, including client visits, and complete call reports for every customer visit and this should be filed for snap checks.
• Monitor daily branch sales performance ensuring sales and portfolio growth targets are achieved.
• Understand the local business drivers and issues that have an impact on branch performance.
• Identify business improvement opportunities and make appropriate recommendations to the Regional Manager service initiatives, improvement for existing products and processes, opening or closure of branches.

People Management and Development: Time split 30%

• Develop and communicate an annual plan to optimize the resources (Financial, human, and physical) as agreed with the Regional Manager.
• Prepare a resource and capacity plan for the branch to be incorporated in the annual plan for the Region.
• Build and develop a high performing team, through embedding performance management and coaching. Discuss and finalize performance management plans and ratings for the branch team.
• Maximize performance of the branch team members by identifying and developing their training needs and ensure coaching or delivery of training takes place.
• Drive employee development and engagement within the branch teams that results in a high-performance climate and culture.
• Conduct effective performance management for direct reports.
• Monitor and ensure that all Branch Key Performance Indicators are achieved.
• Share knowledge experience and best practice with branch team members.
• Create an empowering environment for direct reports, encouraging individual ownership and initiative and ensure they do the same for all their staff.
• Effective resource management/planning that reflects current and future business requirements, ensuring that the correct balance of numbers, skills, and experience, by playing an active role in recruitment and exits of direct reports.
• Initiate HR processes for direct reports when required e.g., disciplinary process, leave management, learning and development, talent identification etc. in consultation with HR.
• Acts as escalation point for grievance cases within the branch.
• Pursue own development to increase personal effectiveness, acknowledging strengths and areas for development.

​Compliance Management: Time split 15%

• Ensure that all activities and duties are carried out in full compliance with regulatory requirements, Enterprise-Wide Risk Management Framework and internal Absa Policies and Policy Standards. Understand and manage risks and risk events (incidents) relevant to the role.
• Ensure the branch operates in a compliant manner and adheres to relevant company and regulatory requirements to achieve satisfactory grades in local & Group Audits
• Monitor branch operations and control performance to ensure that branch standards are met and where required review branch remediation action plans with the Regional Manager
• Report all incidents within the branch in line with the bank’s incident reporting procedures.
• Sign off all budgeted branch expenses and seek Regional Manager approval as necessary.
• Signoff all dormant accounts and seek Regional Manager approval as necessary.
• Hold cost center for network related non-branch expenses such as disturbance allowances, transportation costs etc. responsible for managing costs within budgets for these items.

Customer Service Management: Time split 15%

• Understand and articulate aggregated feedback at branch level to shape the customer proposition and product offering.
• Ensure high quality, knowledgeable service levels in branches to exceed customer expectations.
• Build a motivated, committed, and focused Branch team, consistently delivering creative, precise, and customer-focused service.
• Ensure branch service excellence through continuous monitoring of service scores and discuss and agree resolution plans with Regional Manager.
• Ensure all customer contact points in the branch, including equipment (PC’s, printers, notes counters, ATM’s, etc.) are of the highest service standard. ATM uptime must be kept within 95% and any issues raised to the Channel Manager at head office.

Role/person specification

Preferred Qualification

• University degree in a relevant discipline, post graduate qualifications will be an added advantage.

Preferred Experience

• At least 5 years Banking / Financial Services experience out of which at least 3 years in branch management with good track record of performance.

Knowledge and Skills

• Business understanding and management experience of Retail / Consumer and Business Segments
• Working knowledge of Branch Operations and Controls
• Demonstrable experience in Customer Service management including complaint management / resolution.
• Hands on experience of sales management including leading Direct Sales teams.
• People management experience of big teams
• In-depth knowledge of banking products, strategies, and structures in Retail,
• Detailed working knowledge of operational and credit risk policies and procedures for both Retail and Business Banking segments
• Good working knowledge of people policies and procedures
• Thorough understanding of the banking industry practices and regulations.
• Well informed on general economic, political, and business environment.
• Up to date knowledge of competitor and market activity in local area
• In-depth understanding of core banking operating IT systems e.g., Flexicube

Behavioral Competencies

• Leadership, people management, coaching and team building skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills coupled with decision making ability.
• Driving Customer Experience
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills.
• Strong communication and Presentation
• Good networking skills, both for internal and external network

Technical Competencies

• Credit appraisal skills
• Cultural and Change Management
• Business Acumen/Business Awareness
• Performance Management
• Operational Risk Management
• Resource Management and planning.
• Commercial Effectiveness