Head Credit: Agriculture Sector - Sandton at Absa Group Limited (Absa)

Job Summary

• The purpose of the role is to oversee and manage the credit function specifically in relation to an agriculture portfolio, with a focus on the lending activities to agricultural businesses, farmers, and other entities in the agricultural sector. In this role, the incumbent is accountable for the development and implementation of credit risk management and risk appetite strategies and policies tailored to the agriculture portfolio. The role is also required to evaluate the creditworthiness of customers and to assess associated collateral offered, while monitoring and analysing portfolio performance to identify trends, risks and opportunities, and make recommendations to make risk adjustments where necessary.
• As a leader, the Head Credit Agriculture Sector provides guidance to a team of analysts and underwriters, ensuring they have the necessarily skills knowledge to evaluate agriculture-related credit applications effectively. The incumbent is also expected to foster relationships with agriculture clients, industry stakeholders and other relevant stakeholders and ensure compliance with regulatory and internal directives and policies.
• In summary, the Head Credit Agriculture Sector plays a critical role in managing credit risk, supporting the growth of agriculture lending, and contributing to the overall success of the business in serving the agriculture sector.

Job Description

Credit Process

• Analyse, interpret and produce detailed reports that explain trends, discrepancies, and inconsistencies.
• Develop, align and implement a tactical strategy and associated policies and guidelines within multiple practices.
• Develop a plan for multiple practice changes and specify the priorities of delivery plans and resources needed that puts a premium on simplicity, agility, innovation and incorporates the understanding of customer needs.
• Anticipate tactical strategy and practice issues for multiple practices and proactively develop solutions to enhance the quality of problem resolution.
• Ensure a fit for purpose credit strategy and framework for the underlying sector, segment or product in Relationship Banking that is relevant to the needs of customers and revenue generation requirements and targeted cost to serve.
• Contribute to the review and design of the business architectures (people, systems, processes, products, market segments and geography) to maintain competitive advantage, reduce cost and improve profitability.
• Accountable for the credit strategies across the product life cycle: acquisition, authorisations, portfolio credit limit management, re-issues, high risk exposure management, collections and recoveries.
• Conduct appropriate research and act as the strategic advisor and subject matter expert in respect of Credit requirements for allocated portfolio.
• Represent Relationship Banking, participate and contribute to industry and Bank wide forums and governance structures as required or directed.
• Interlock with key stakeholders in Relationship Banking and high value clients to obtain a commercial awareness of the local market and industry specifics leading to improved customer solutions.
• Develop, maintain, and review the appropriate mandate and scale, suitable lending criteria and risk appetites for the allocated portfolio.
• Drive improved data quality and RWA’s as wells as Economic Capital and Risk Capital returns; and continuously improve efficiencies, control, and automation.
• Review quality credit assessments and present bespoke/bankable solutions pertaining to high value clients and transactions for the allocated credit portfolio.
• Accountable for the management and reporting of the end-to-end credit process ensuring service delivery exceeds the expectations of stakeholders pertaining to turnaround times and client visits for the allocated credit portfolio.
• Interlock with Supporting Functions in Relationship Banking (COO, Governance and Distressed Debt and others as appropriate) to ensure the appropriate level of delivery to achieve the needs of customers and revenue generation requirements and target cost t
• Participate in the financial planning cycles (MTP, STP and Revised Annual Forecast (RAF) for the portfolio by providing a view on impairments, expected losses, economic capital and other elements.
• Direct responsibility for managing impairment and fraud costs and necessary remedial actions to deliver on annual STP. Actively manage costs, portfolio shape, quality and return resilience through the cycle.
• Support the development of credit tracking for tactical plans and credit scoreboards for the allocated portfolio and take corrective actions where required.

Client/Customer

• Develop tactical strategies for the integration of service excellence culture, which builds rewarding relationships and provides opportunity for feedback and exceptional service across multiple practices.
• Accountable for transforming and delivering the target customer experience in support of RB’s strategic aspirations through the appropriate credit frameworks, policies and processes.
• In partnership with the respective RB clusters, develop deep insights into customer needs, expectations and behaviours pertaining to the use of credit frameworks, policies and processes and align offerings that are innovative and competitive.
• Demonstrate value add at every client engagement and look for potential business opportunities
• Communicate Risk Appetite for all key segments / sectors / industries.

Finance

• Contribute to the setting of budgets, minimize expenditure, and manage costs and assets effectively.
• Develop, implement, and monitor a cycle of medium-term cost improvements.

Leadership Learning and Development

• Create an engaging, enabling, and productive work climate aligned to the employee value proposition.
• Create a winning, talented, and diverse team
• Develop and implement multi-practice change management initiatives.
• Builds and sustains a culture that aligns to RBB’s aspirational colleague experience to deliver the target customer experience and financial performance.

Governance and Stakeholder Engagement

• Implement corporate governance and compliance policies in multiple practice areas in order to identify and manage risk liabilities.
• Accountable for ensuring an optimal and compliant control environment within the allocated Portfolio that appropriately balances risk appetites and customer demand with the need to grow to achieve the financial ambitions and balance sheet aspirations of Revenue.
• Implement agreed performance controls to proactively measure achievement against strategic targets and address changes or non-performance.
• Ensure that the credit function for the allocated Portfolio possess the required capabilities (infrastructure, people, process, and culture) to comply with relevant regulations governing selling and to enable the delivery of RB’s strategic goals.

Role/Person specification

Education and experience required

• Desired Post Graduate Degree (NQF level no.8+)
• Agriculture studies will be beneficial
• 8 - 10 years’ experience in a similar environment, of which 3 - 4 years at senior management level.
• Deep agriculture specific experience

Technical Competencies

• Credit risk and analytical skills
• Working knowledge of the application credit risk models
• Deep understanding of the technical drivers in the agriculture sector
• Budgeting and cost management 

Leadership Competencies: (Maximum of 8 competencies)

• The ability to analyse- and quickly grasp the implications of a situation, relating data from different sources, critically evaluating and integrating information/facts, and diagnosing a problem.

Results Orientation

• The ability to set ambitious goals maintain a bias for action, drive delivery and take accountability for the outcome.

Customer Focus

• Extensive understanding of best practices for a customer focused culture and the management of customer experiences.

Business Acumen

• The ability to understand financial and economic concepts/drivers; to identify, create and/or exploit opportunities.

Innovation Leadership

• Demonstrates ingenuity and curiosity to do things better and fosters an environment of disruptive thinking and action 

Collaboration and Influencing

• Ability to build an extensive collaborative network amongst different stakeholders within and externally of the organization (at the most senior levels) that supports the achievement of business goals

Strategic Capability

• The ability to continuously evaluate and redirect business strategy and value proposition thereby promoting the competitive viability of the organisation.

Inspirational People Leadership

• The ability to build, inspire, and develop teams towards high performance.

Problem Solving Leadership

• People Management and Development skills 
• The ability to analyze- and quickly grasp the implications of a situation, relating data from different sources, critically evaluating, and integrating information/facts, and diagnosing a problem.

Results Orientation

• The ability to set ambitious goals and maintain a bias for action, drive delivery and take accountability for the outcome.
• Research comptencies

Customer Focus

• Extensive understanding of best practices for a customer focused culture and the management of customer experiences.

Business Acumen

• The ability to understand financial and economic concepts/drivers; to identify, create and/or exploit opportunities.

Innovation Leadership

• Demonstrates ingenuity and curiosity to do things better and fosters an environment of disruptive thinking and action 

Collaboration and Influencing

• Ability to build an extensive collaborative network amongst different stakeholders within and externally of the organization (at the most senior levels) that supports the achievement of business goals

Strategic Capability

• The ability to continuously evaluate and redirect business strategy and value proposition thereby promoting the competitive viability of the organisation.

Inspirational People Leadership

• The ability to build, inspire, and develop teams towards high performance

Education

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