SME Credit Manager

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time.

With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

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Job Summary

Responsibility for the management of the portfolio(s) across the Credit Life Cycle in aggregate, which comprises of the following

• Credit Initiation
• Account Maintenance
• Fraud Management
• Collections & Recoveries

• Provide input into developing and review of Portfolio modelling
• Analysis of management Information with appropriate recommendations to SME - Portfolio Manager
• Liaison with product/business managers and owners
• Initiate, agree and monitor Collection and Recoveries strategies

Job Description

Main accountabilities and approximate time split

30-40% – Credit Risk Management Time Split

• Assess a customer’s business through the analysis of Business and Credit risks associated with the provision of the bank’s products and services to the customer.
• Develop high quality credit solutions with the view of obtaining fast credit approval from Credit teams.
• Act as the joint contact for credit management purposes for accountants, solicitors and other professionals.

30 - 40% – Portfolio Management Time Split

• Manage the portfolio within agreed risk appetite.
• Work closely with credit analysts to identify potential risks, provide clear guidance to business and promptly escalate any issue requiring relevant stakeholders’ attention.
• Develop a strong Risk/COO/Consumer Business partnership.

10 – 20 % – Management Reporting

• Contribute to periodic credit portfolio reviews and risk reports.
• Attend all portfolio review meetings as scheduled by Credit team.
• Maintain accurate sanction records, document rationale for approvals or rejections and ensure timely reporting to management.

Technical Skills/Competencies

• Strong intellect balanced by practical and pragmatic approach
• Decisive
• Strong internal and external networking
• Analytical (Strong financial and business analysis for lending)
• Risk Management
• Business Management
• Communications (written and oral) and presentations
• Effective negotiation and influencing

Essential 

• Comprehensive technical credit skill
• General commercial/industry awareness
• Working knowledge of risk management policies, procedures & pricing
• Working knowledge of Group policies and strategies relative to the credit function
• Product knowledge
• Detailed understanding / fit of the vision for Risk
• Detailed understanding of the Bank’s policies on Employment/Redeployment, EqualOpportunities and Health & Safety
• Working knowledge of local country structure and strategy
• Managing risk and reward 

Preferred

• Risk management background 

Risk and Controls Objectives

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

• Understanding 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.
• All mandatory training completed to deadline

Technical skills / Competencies

Personal Attributes:

• Basic operations knowledge
• Strong product management, selling and negotiation skills
• Excellent communication skills enabling communication with people at all levels
• Ability to execute analytical and data driven decisions
• Ability to create and identify innovative solutions

Essential and preferred Experience

Experience, qualifications and other requirements specific to the role

What does the role holder need to know/know about and/or be qualified in?

• Degree or equivalent business experience, desirable 
• PreferredPostgraduate degree (e.g. MBA) Mathematical or financial qualification

Skills & Competencies

What does the role holder need to be able to do/be good at doing?

• Highly competent in analysis and numeracy 

Absa Values

Absa’s 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:

• Trust
• Resourceful
• Stewardship
• Inclusive
• Courage