Relationship Manager - SME

Job Summary

To manage and sustain a portfolio of High-end SME 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.

• • The primary objective is to maximise risk-adjusted portfolio contribution.
• • The jobholder will be responsible for business development both with new customers and with existing customers where they are expected to increase “wallet share”.

Job Purpose.

To manage and sustain a portfolio of High-end SME 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.

• The primary objective is to maximise risk-adjusted portfolio contribution.
• The jobholder will be responsible for business development both with new customers and with existing customers where they are expected to increase “wallet share”.

Main accountabilities and approximate time split

Sales and Service: 65%

• Maintain Relationship Plans for all customers in the portfolio such that contact with customers is prioritized.
• Conduct annual and if appropriate, interim reviews of customers borrowing facilities
• Conduct annual and if appropriate, interim reviews with non-borrowing customers
• Determine the key messages, e.g. agreed service standards, and negotiated pricing, relationship team contact points and new product changes, deciding upon the most appropriate communication method.
• Deal with and find solutions to customer complaints
• Determine the products that are most effective in meeting customer’s needs and be able to sell these at short notice both reactively and proactively.
• Research, create and follow up a target list for potential new business.

Business Management 30%

• Identify priority customers using the Customer Relationship Planning templates to assess their present and potential contribution.
• Gather all the required information that is needed to prepare and assess credit applications. Role holder will be expected to input certain key information such as judgemental information. (They will work with the Credit Analyst or CCM resources to construct credit applications).
• Control and quality of the portfolio, using available triggers and adherence to Risk management guidelines and policies.

 Staff Management 5%

• Day-to-day coaching and development of SME Bankers and Customer Retention officers

Risk and Controls Objectives

Ensure that all activities and duties are carried out in full compliance with regulatory requirements, Absa Operational Risk Framework and internal Absa Policies and Standards

Manage risk and control effectively by applying applicable risk frameworks and embedding a positive risk culture:

• ajiraUnderstanding of own role in the end-to-end processes in which you play a part, including applicable risks and controls.
• Adhere to Absa’s policies and procedures applicable to own role, demonstrating sound judgement and responsible risk management.
• Report all risk events / incidents / issues using the defined process for your business area and help to understand why these happened and how to prevent them in future. Proactively look for ways to improve the control environment by considering what could go wrong in the processes you operate and how errors could be prevented.
• Continuous and proactive engagement with regulatory bodies, unions where applicable

• All mandatory training completed to deadline

Technical skills / Competencies

• Relationship skills
• Credit Risk skills
• General Corporate skills
• Communications skills

Knowledge, Expertise and Experience

• Meeting customers’ needs                                               
• Business awareness                                             
• Business development                          
• Decision making
• Adaptability

• Managing Relationships                                      
• Team results
• Innovative                                                                    
• Active listening

• Analysis and judgement

Absa Values

Absa Purpose Values and Behaviors represent the set of standards which governs the actions of all of us who work for the bank and against which the performance of every one of us in Absa are being assessed and rewarded:

• I drive high performance to achieve sustainable results
• I’m obsessed with customer
• I have an African heartbeat
• I believe our people are our strengths

Education

National Diplomas and Advanced Certificates: Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required)