Regional Head: Credit Risk ( Polokwane ) at Land Bank Careers

Job Advert Summary    

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE JOB

• Manage Commercial Banking and Transformation credit assessment function within the designated region.
• Manage and oversee all lending activities and risks associated to credit granting and underlying clients within approved Land Bank mandate and risk appetite as determined by the Bank from time to time in accordance to approved Credit Policies, norms and mandates.
• Provide leadership to ensure that the key strategic objectives are met.
• Responsible to manage and mitigate credit risk in the designated region which includes.
• Be responsible for adopting and optimising a best fit operational model with the appropriate finance, governance and risk framework and controls, and ensure alignment with the Bank's guidelines, policies and legislation
• Establish, input, implement and take lead in the reviewing of credit policy; procedures; credit risk frameworks in collaboration with internal and external stakeholders.
• Introduce and embed operational efficiencies by implementing customer centric credit execution of credit strategy, function inclusive of related policies, norms and SOP and making informed credit recommendations.
• Identify improvement opportunities to credit processes which will reduce risk by conducting gap analysis for emerging commercial farmers, medium and large commercial farmer segments at a regional level and support Land Bank’s prudent lending approach.
• Manage credit risk by keeping abreast of appropriate legislation through relevant research and benchmarking to align to industry best practices. 

Key Performance Areas    

Formulate and implement  Commercial Banking and Transformation credit strategy

• Analyse the Bank Strategy and Roadmap to determine future trends, strategic direction and implications to Commercial Banking and Transformation Credit function
• Compile strategy and roadmap aligned to overall Bank Strategy and Commercial Plan and buy-in
• Design and implement business plan for each financial year aligned to the approved overall Land Bank Corporate Plan.
• Facilitate Commercial credit process improvement and act as a further interface between Commercial Banking Structured Investment and Commercial credit.
• Optimize and streamline Commercial credit approval work processes to promote efficient turnaround times.
• Leverage on all available information from internal stakeholders, industry to ensure Commercial credit policies, norms, procedure departmental processes, systems and protocols are continuously reviewed and updated to promote competitiveness in the sector.

Develop  Commercial Banking and Transformation credit policies and agricultural evaluation norms

• Develop credit criteria and agricultural evaluation norms which are in line with best practice
• Develop credit and agricultural evaluation norms policies that support the Land Bank Act and any applicable legislative requirements (e.g., National Credit Act, Consumer protection Act, etc. and regulatory bodies)
• Roll-out approved credit policies and in collaboration with internal stakeholders and implement effective training interventions
• Align and review Credit policies and agricultural evaluation norms to the Land Bank risk appetite
• Ensure that policies are clear, transparent and are communicated to all stakeholders
• Address internal audit findings and put remedies in place to prevent future similar findings
• Implement, monitor and review credit risk models, credit submissions and align to changing environments

Manage and oversee  Commercial Banking and Transformation credit risk assessments

• Manage compliance to Commercial Banking and Transformation banking credit granting policies and procedures.
• Manage all Commercial Banking and Transformation credit aspects effectively by continuously reviewing quality of credit risk granting and mitigation.
• Influence, guide and support Commercial Banking & Transformation and CB & SI)
• Guide Commercial Development Banking (CDB) provisional offices with deal structuring across financial products, with tailor-made solutions adding value to the customer, whilst providing a sustainable and profitable return for the bank with acceptable risk exposure.

Arrears management – restructuring

• Proactively monitor environmental considerations and anticipate how this may impact Commercial Banking and Transformation customers
• Review implications on customers and restructure of facilities to accommodate and reduce future defaults for valued and performing customers
• Manage arrears to reduce the number of non-performing loans (NPL) when restructuring are considered 

Manage stakeholder relationships

• Build and maintain effective business partnerships with Commercial Banking and Transformation and other stakeholders to leverage the interplay between Land Bank and external stakeholders’ to optimize growth, customers’ retention and experience
• Assist the Executive Credit Risk in carrying Commercial Banking and Transformation credit responsibilities, including but not limited to providing specialist advice and regular reporting and updates
• Regularly report to the Executive Credit Risk, on the Commercial Banking and Transformation credit portfolios, risk exposures and the relevant mitigations
• Facilitate mutual agreement with various stakeholders on the resolution of issues, hold meetings and the delivery of inter-dependent outputs and results.
• Manage, negotiate and agree on expected outcomes with stakeholders and enter into service level agreements.
• Manages Service level agreement with Commercial Banking and Transformation to ensure application considered for approval by Commercial Banking and Transformation credit meet minimum service level standards.

Departmental and People Management

• Performance Management
• Capacity Planning
• Financial Management

Preferred Minimum Education and Experience    

• B Degree in agricultural economics / finance / Commerce/Credit Risk/Accounting 
• 8 years Managerial experience in credit granting environment
• 5 years Senior management level

Critical Competencies    

• Agricultural Development and transformation
• Credit Granting Policies, Norms & Procedures
• Legislation
• Financial & accounting Principles
• Credit & financial analysis
• Project Finance
• Credit Lending Strategy and Systems

Additional Requirements    

• Extended hours as and when required.
• Travel as and when required.

Closing Date    

• 2025/06/18