Operations Head Transaction Management: Short-Term Lending at RMB - Rand Merchant Bank

Job Description
Dear Future Short-Term Lending Head,

• RMB is a place where exceptional people create their own opportunities by challenging the conventional and driving sustainable impact.
• United by our proud heritage, strong ethics and philosophy of Traditional values. Innovative ideas, it’s the magic of our people and culture that sets us apart.
• Now, is the time to imagine your next move with South Africa’s number one employer in Financial Services for 2025, where you can embrace the power of collective thinking to unlock unique opportunities for our clients and society.
• The Head of Short-Term Lending is a senior leadership role responsible for overseeing and managing the bank’s short-term lending portfolio, including General Banking Facilities (GBF), Money Market (MM), Short-Term Loans, and Trade Loans. 
• The role requires strong technical expertise, a strategic mindset, and the ability to lead a team across both front-office origination and middle-office operations. This leader will be responsible for ensuring effective risk management, operational efficiency, and revenue growth while maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

Business Strategy & Growth - Capacity planning and capability management

• Define and execute the strategy for the short-term lending business in alignment with the bank’s overall objectives and what is required to manage the capacity and volume.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with corporate and institutional clients to enhance lending activities and understand the operations.
• Monitor market trends and competitor activities to identify opportunities for innovation.

Product & Risk Management

• Oversee and manage the bank’s short-term lending portfolio, ensuring prudent risk management and adherence to credit policies.
• Work closely with the credit and risk functions to establish appropriate credit frameworks and policies for short-term lending products.
• Ensure effective operations and scalability of the execution of the end to end operating model of STL products.
• Monitor and manage portfolio performance, identifying potential stress points and mitigating risks proactively.

Operational Oversight (Including Middle Office Supervision)

• Ensure smooth coordination between front office lending teams and middle-office operations, ensuring accurate processing, monitoring, and reporting of loan transactions.
• Oversee loan booking, documentation, settlements, and post-trade processes to ensure efficiency and accuracy.
• Implement automation and process enhancements to improve operational effectiveness and reduce risk.
• Ensure full regulatory and internal compliance across all short-term lending activities.

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of lending professionals, fostering a high-performance and client-centric culture.
• Collaborate with other divisions, including risk, compliance, treasury teams, and technology, to ensure seamless execution of lending operations.
• Ensure continuous professional development for the team, equipping them with the skills and knowledge required to manage the evolving lending landscape.

Technical & Professional Requirements:

Technical Expertise

• In-depth knowledge of short-term lending products, including GBF, MM, trade finance loans, and short-term structured loans.
• Strong understanding of credit risk assessment, loan structuring, and pricing models.
• Knowledge of treasury, liquidity management, and capital markets in relation to short-term lending.
• Deep understanding of regulatory requirements for short-term lending and trade finance, ensuring compliance with Basel, IFRS 9, and local regulatory frameworks.
• Experience in middle-office functions, ensuring smooth loan administration, settlements, and risk controls.

Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Proven ability to lead and develop high-performing teams across front-office and middle-office functions.
• Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills, capable of managing complex client relationships.
• Ability to collaborate with senior executives and influence decision-making at the highest level.
• Experience in managing cross-functional projects, including digital transformation and automation initiatives.

You Will Be An Ideal Candidate If You:

• have Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or related fields.
• have 8-10 years of experience in short-term lending, corporate banking, or treasury operations, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• have experience with lending technology platforms, loan origination systems, and trade finance processing systems preferred.
• have strong analytical skills and ability to interpret financial and market data.

Key Success Metrics:

• Growth and profitability of the short-term lending portfolio relative to capacity.
• Efficiency and accuracy of middle-office operations.
• Compliance with regulatory and risk management frameworks.
• Team performance, engagement, and development.

You Will Have Access To:

• Opportunities to network and collaborate.
• Challenging Work.
• Opportunities to innovate.