Senior Credit Manager - CIB 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 control methodology, governance and delivery objectives.

Job Description

• Senior Credit Manager – Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB)

Job Purpose

The Role Holder will be a credit professional reporting into the Head of Wholesale Credit with specific responsibilities for CIB lending book as follows;

• Credit risk structuring and sanctioning covering multiple industry sectors. The role holder will have specific responsibilities for a range of CIB customers within his delegated mandate of at least US$5m.
• Reviewing of credit exposures above their delegated mandate and recommending to the relevant mandate holder within the country including Kenya Wholesale Credit Committee (KWCC) or seeking input from ARO Regional Sanctioning office in South Africa.
• Support the Head of Wholesale Credit in providing effective leadership and mentorship to the Corporate Credit team in Kenya.
• Monitoring of Concentration risks, Portfolio performance, capital efficiency across key sectors and managing limits within defined risk appetite, while ensuring the right risk/reward outcomes
• Main Accountabilities and approximate time splits %

Credit Risk Management (60-70%)

• 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 Corporate Credit Team.
• Sole lending discretion, DG linked of at least US$5m (depending on personal experience/accreditation).
• Ensuring the optimal quality of the credit portfolio with CIB impairment within appetite, by application of best practice in decision-making, monitoring and control
• Exercise judgement and discretion in the evaluation and approval/decline of higher risk classification credit proposals and provide support for those going to ARO Credit in South Africa or the Kenya Wholesale Credit Committee (KWCC).
• Provide feeds into business and credit on lending criteria, sector appetite policy/process development, where appropriate.
• Implementation and ongoing delivery of business and credit policies and processes.
• Responsibility for personal adherence to governance, compliance and lending portfolio controls.  Ensuring own conformance to policy and procedures within the Corporate Credit Function, including proactive management of agreed responsibilities for Data Integrity.
• Ensuring no breaches to mandate and scale limits
• Challenge risk reward and pricing where appropriate

Accountability: Business Risk Partnership (20-30%)

• Deliver service in line with agreed business needs. Ensuring set Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and Turnaround Times (TAT) are adhered.
• 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.
• Participate in and act as alternate Chair to the Wholesale Credit Head in risk governance committees including RRCC, PQR and EWL for CIB.  Providing support in in structuring key transactions through Pre-Deal Forums, New business Committee (NBC).
• Contributing to development of lending criteria for Structured Trade Commodities Financing products (STCF), Trade and Working Capital Teams (TWC), Agriculture propositions, Commercial Property Financing (CPF) in close collaboration with CIB leadership.
• Participating in improvement/simplification and automation of the end-to-end Credit process. Including credit origination, monitoring and control, post sanction activity cost reductions and development of people.
• Customer service – Supporting the business through Joint Customer visits for key clients and complex deals support the Team to operate within cost budgets

Staff Management (10-20%)

• Support the Head of Wholesale Credit in delivering effective performance development for individuals within the team.
• Coaching and training colleagues in policies, credit management and credit origination in order to improve quality of credit applications. 
• Drive proactive application of ABSA Behaviours both personally and throughout the team and coach and support colleagues within the Team

Technical skills/Competencies

• Strong intellect balanced by practical and pragmatic approach
• Decisive
• Analytical and numerate
• Technical Lending Analysis
• Risk Management
• Build effective working relationships with staff and stakeholders
• Articulate communications (written and oral) and presentations
• Effective negotiation and influencing
• Experienced Leadership

Knowledge and Experience

• (Relating to specialist knowledge and expertise required to undertake the role. May include knowledge of the Bank’s products, services, and policies)

Essential 

• Extensive knowledge of E2E Credit Lifecycle management across wholesale bank segments
• Working knowledge of Group policies, pricing, and strategies relative to the credit function
• Good commercial awareness.
• Sound product and services knowledge

Preferred

• Previous sanctioning experience in the CIB segment will be a distinct advantage
• Previous team leadership experience
• High levels of commercial awareness and ability to balance between Risk and Reward

Experience and Qualifications

Essential

• ACIB/equivalent business experience/other appropriate qualification preferable
• Good understanding of regulatory guidelines and frameworks (CBK & SARB)
• Previous experience of corporate market and or risk is desirable
• Previous leadership experience

Preferred

• Strong team leadership ability in execution of targets and transactions in support of business

Education

• Postgraduate Degrees and Professional Qualifications: Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required)