Head of Debt

Job Summary

Manage the Debt assets products at Absa Bank Tanzania Corporate Banking segment and lead all the activities required to grow the franchise in an effective manner, including appropriate pricing (RORWA) and structuring, focus on cross sell, and becoming the leading bank in Tanzania

Job Description

Absa Bank Tanzania is part of Absa Group Limited, an African financial services group that aims to be the pride of the continent through our purpose of ‘Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time’. Absa Group Limited is listed on the JSE in South Africa and is one of Africa’s largest diversified financial services groups with a presence in 10 countries across the continent with around 42, 000 employees.

Absa Bank Tanzania Limited is one of the oldest banks in the country and among the first international bank to open its doors to Tanzania customers in 2000. The bank is committed to finding local solutions to uniquely local challenges and everything we do is focused on adding value.  Absa Tanzania serves over 60,000 customers through a network of 15 branches and more than 60 ATMs, providing a variety of banking products and services including saving, current and deposit accounts, commercial lending, unsecured lending, treasury, investments, card acquiring, card business, etc. In addition to this, Absa provides specialized services to its clients in services such as Cash-in-Transit, partnership, premier & prestige banking, online banking, mortgage, ATM, and mobile banking.

Business management (75%)

• ‘Own’ the Debt Balance sheet and P&L targets – along with the relationship managers and product teams
• Formulate overall strategy across coverage segments including products, customer proposition, lending approach.
• Assist Relationship Managers in originating and executing debt transactions across all teams.
• Originate, execute Debt and Investment Banking opportunities.
• Work with specialist product areas to offer clients a comprehensive and competitive package to meet their requirements.
• Ensure arrangements with key internal product partners operate in an efficient manner.
• Implement Debt Pricing Policy and ensure appropriate product and relationship pricing.
• Lead New Product Approval process for Debt products at a country level.
• Be fully aware and compliant with all governance issues affecting Debt financing and address these issues accordingly.
• Attend team meetings on a regular basis to maintain dialogue / sharing of information to ensure up to date knowledge of marketplace, business development activity / initiatives, competitors and people issue etc.
• Maintain an up-to-date Debt pipeline through Salesforce.
• Ensure monthly product revenue validation is conducted and pricing on debt products is done above minimum hurdle rates.
• Understand dynamics of Debt portfolio, identify opportunities as well as maintaining good credit quality of the portfolio through proactive monitoring and control.
• Identify and implement best practices across coverage segments.
• Ensure Mini ALCO is held, and pipeline deals crystallize to Balance Sheet

People Development and management (25%)

• Develop skills and knowledge, supporting Relationship Managers in country in understanding Debt products more comprehensively.
• Grow capabilities in country.
• Build collaborative network with Corporate Credit Director, Head of Credit, CCMs and other partners across the group.
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• Ensure compliance with all relevant Absa policies.
• Establish and embed the values, behaviors and risk appetite that will under underpin the achievement of business objectives.
• Provide opportunities for learning and development for the country teams.

Risk and Control 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 All mandatory training completed to deadline.

Technical skills / Competencies / Knowledge, Expertise and Experience

Technical Skills/ Competencies

• Managing Relationships
• ‘Selling’, negotiating, and influencing skills.   
• Business awareness and Business Development       
• Strong Credit risk analysis skills
• Good teamwork skills                                        
• Strong performance management skills
• Creative/ Innovative                                                                      
• Good at Decision making.
• Strong formal presentation skills

Knowledge, Expertise and Experience

• Relevant knowledge and experience in banking specifically Corporate Banking Debt products
• Matured and results orientated.
• Intimate knowledge of competitor skills and competencies
• Demonstrated capacity to lead, coach, and supervise team members effectively.
• Visible excellent communication (written and verbal) and negotiation skills.

Preferred:

• Experience of working in a multinational, multi-segment, environment with matrix reporting.
• Banking and Financial services industry related knowledge
• Experience at a senior level, preferably in an international financial institution

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
• Inclusion
• Courage

Education

Bachelors Degree and Professional Qualifications: Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required)