Executive Assistant at RMB - Rand Merchant Bank

Purpose

• In partnership with the co-heads of Corporate Finance and the leadership teams in the business, drive the growth of CFD by assisting to shape and deliver on the CFD strategy and vision; project manage various key strategic initiatives; and ensure delivery of the key objectives of the co-heads of CFD.

Experience and Qualifications

• Relevant post-graduate degree with 3 -5 years’ financial services, preferably banking experience.

Additional requirements:

• Sound knowledge of the core business functions and how the functions interconnect
• Understanding of programme and project management principles
• Relevant industry knowledge
• Sound business and financial acumen
• Strong research skills
• Strong Microsoft Office suite capabilities particularly Excel, PowerPoint
• Power BI competence

Competencies:

• Strategic thinking
• Excellence orientation
• Building strategic relationships
• Assertiveness
• Verbal and written communication
• Monitoring and measuring
• Analysis and attention to detail
• Driven and high work rate
• Presentation and facilitation
• Problem solving
• Organisation skills

Responsibilities
Stakeholder relationship management:

• Initiate dialogue to build professional working relationships with all stakeholders, displaying excellent abilities to listen, advise, influence, negotiate and present at all levels
• Lead and facilitate difficult conflict situations into consensual agreements
• Integrate opinions and information provided by various sources to make strategic decisions
• Adapt communication styles to meet the needs of different audiences
• Find opportunities to leverage relationships and promote knowledge sharing, ideas and insights
• Identification, planning, co-ordination and/or execution of strategic projects / initiatives:
• Assist with the development and roll-out of strategy and business plans
• Specific responsibility for CFD digitisation strategy
• Prepare for and facilitate workshops to develop strategies
• Action items and key issues requiring resolution; monitor to ensure actions are completed by the right people at the right time
• Assist the business to address strategic problems and answer strategic questions
• Monitor and adjust strategic frameworks as required
• Take responsibility for the end-to-end management of projects, setting out the scope of work, developing a project plan, project-managing internal and external resources and driving the initiative to completion
• Providing decision support through data gathering, information analysing and presenting considerations to relevant stakeholders
• Liaise with internal and external advisors and stakeholders on strategic projects; stakeholders include the CFD Exco and team leaders, IBD co-heads, IBD exco members CCG, ICG and SCG heads and relevant sector heads
• As required by specific projects, create governance structures and dashboard metrics to monitor progress against strategy and highlight initiatives / risks
• Research, analysis and integration of proposed solutions:
• Conduct local and international research on corporate finance developments e.g. competitor analysis, sector research, etc.
• Benchmark research against peers and global best practice
• Cut to the core of a vast volume of information and prioritize what is relevant to understanding specific issues and trends in the broader environment; know who to contact for specific information

Administrative:

• Work with the PA’s in CFD to schedule CFD Exco and other relevant meetings
• Project managing CFD Exco meeting preparation and creation of relevant meeting materials; capturing key output / next steps and tracking the completion of these
• Coordinating calendars
• Planning and executing CFD’s business forum, strategy sessions and offsites
• Working with CFD PA’s and other team members to plan weekends away and social events for CFD
• Coordination of CFD’s contribution to the annual Conference including award nominations
• Assume overall responsibility for managing CFD’s workbench data, working with the relevant team members in CFD
• Co-ordination / execution of relevant reports, presentations, speeches and other written material :
• Handle documentation that requires the attention of the co-heads of CFD and prepare reports on various matters
• Write / co-ordinate strategy documents, presentation material, speeches, briefing documents, minutes of meetings, business emails, award submissions to various publications and other relevant documentation as required
• Monitor CFD market share in M& A, general corporate finance and equity capital markets with various providers

Operational and technical support:

• Keep the co-heads of CFD informed of various activities within and outside the Group
• Analyse, review and/or assist with issues of an operational or technical nature
• Follow-up on assignments / tasks delegated by the Head of IBD

Self-management, teamwork and alignment with group values:
Self-management:

• Demonstrates pride in the organisation’s brand, services and products by consistently delivering on the brand’s promise
• Drive best-in-class solutions and practices
• Follow through to ensure that personal quality and productivity standards are consistently and accurately maintained
• Stay relevant and up-to-date with legislations and new development
• Maintain a positive attitude and respond openly to feedback
• Handle stress in ways that do not negatively impact others
• Plan and manage own workflow, anticipating obstacles, juggling priorities and following through on objectives within agreed time-frames and according to quality standards
• Take ownership of personal career development, leveraging formal and informal opportunities
• Accurately reads situations and organisational realities
• Able to set aside personal agenda for the greater good
• Act in an ethical, transparent and morally defensible manner, including highlighting unethical practices

Teamwork:

• Continually share, debate and communicate learnings
• Flag and debate issues constructively
• Promote a professional, friendly, co-operative climate, understand group dynamics and apply appropriate facilitation techniques in working with others to achieve collective goals
• Skilled at mentoring/coaching others and resolving conflict