Regional Manager : Retail Credit Sanctioning - Johannesburg at Absa Group Limited (Absa)

Job Summary

• To pro-actively manage a regional team of Credit: Solutioning and Pricing, to continuously review the processes and systems and evaluate the feasibility of suggestions and improvements
• Implement, monitor and manage the activities and performance of the regional credit teams, by supporting, developing and coaching the credit teams to ensure high levels of quality risk assessment, asset growth, and adherence to service levels, performance objectives and client solutioning are met. Manages stakeholder relationships at frontline as well as middle office and gives expert input in the Credit strategy formulation.

Job Description

​Accountability: Leadership and People Management

Outputs to deliver this accountability:

• Recruit, develop and retain the right talent to achieve strategic objectives via succession planning, conducting Competency based Interviews and stay interviews;
• Interview and recruit new members for the team, including determining appropriate compensation levels with input from Human Resources;
• Develop a high performing team by embedding formal performance development and informal coaching. Encourage frequent knowledge sharing between team members;
• Participate and interpret the EOS results and execute action plans for improvement and create a conducive climate of sustainable employee engagement;
• Display and embed the Absa Values by leading by example and discussing the Absa Values in team meetings;
• Enhance own performance to ensure individual/collective objectives are achieved and aligned with the “Go To Bank”;
• Achieve transformational targets as agreed by Absa with the Department of Labour by ensuring that recruitment is aligned with the targets and adhered to;
• Review and update the department's organization structure and role description on at least an annual basis to ensure that they are fit for purpose and contain all the accountabilities of each team member;
• Approve leave requests for team members and create leave plans to ensure adequate coverage;
• Address poor performance of any team member through the formal Performance Accelerator programme and ensure that continued poor performance is appropriately dealt with;
• Ensure flexibility within team to meet changing business demands and staff deployment where business requires using the Active Capacity management system (ACM);
• Provide direct reports with necessary resources (skills, tools, training and development) in order to achieve performance development objectives;
• Promote a positive, energising, optimistic and a fun environment by motivating team members and ensuring that staff efforts are recognised
• Optimise operational efficiencies and effectiveness within Credit Sanctioning  by promoting a culture of innovation;
• Display leadership, innovation and ownership in the team;
• Address the vintage analysis results quarterly with the relevant staff members and provide training and assistance if tendencies are apparent or just take some learning from the discussion;
• Understand the Employee Relationship (ER) process and avail yourself of the training interventions on E Learning;
• Collaborate with the other Retail Credit Sanctioning Retail Management in the Regions to build a cohesive unit across products;
• Collaborate to share joint functions equally between Regional Managers in the Regions.

Accountability: Strategic Management

Outputs to deliver this accountability:

• Participate with the  Sanctioning Management team in the formulation of strategic goals, based on the “Go to Bank” strategy and the ABSA value model;
• Translate strategic goals into measurable team objectives and explain it to team members in such a way that they understand the contribution they have to make;
• Interpret and implement Absa policies, processes and procedures by ensuring that all circulars are read and adhered to by team members;
• Provide clear direction and prioritization activities en route to become the “Go To Bank” in terms of achievement of Sanctioning objectives;
• Analyse effectiveness of processes and systems in use in the Retail Credit Sanctioning area and make recommendations for improvements;
• Manage departmental budgets including signing off of Invoices and quotes within mandate. Escalate out of budgets items to the National Managers for approval;
• Agree targets and take accountability for the overall achievement of performance objectives in the business area in terms of employee satisfaction and customer experience;
• Collaborate with colleagues in other Regions to ensure optimal use of resources across all the Regions.

Accountability: Relationship and Stakeholder Management

Outputs to deliver this accountability:

• Provide Retail BUs with the relevant credit support to ensure that customer focus and relationships are maintained;
• Support and provide information to National Managers in order to attend Service Level Agreement (SLA) meetings;
• Participate in the measurement and reporting of internal and external SLA

Accountability: Operations and Compliance

Outputs to deliver this accountability:

• Manage quality and timely assessments of credit applications in terms of Absa's Credit Risk model and cluster specific policies and procedures;

• Ensure that controls are in place for acceptable risk management practices/activities and turnaround times are adhered to;
• Ensure the effective management of credit mandates allocated and review when required based on the staffs' knowledge, skills and experience;
• Monitor the effectiveness and efficiency of the assessment process, ensuring continuous improvement;
• Highlight process and procedure inefficiencies to the National Manager;
• Provide reports on the credit lending targets, achievements, issues to strategic stakeholders as required and when requested;
• Ensure that the team understands all compliance requirements and call for the area's Compliance Officer to conduct briefing sessions if gaps are identified;
• Complete required compliance and attestations and ensure that impacted team members complete their training and attestations;
• Monitor which staff members have completed their compliance and compulsory training and notify those that have not done this and advise them before due date;
• Ensure that the Business Continuity Tool is updated regularly and signed off annually in consultation with the BCM Co-coordinator. Ensure that the BCM plan for the area is tested as required and correctives actions executed;
• Oversee and ensure governance, quality, standards and compliance within the area of responsibility;
• Ensure that the Risk and Control Assessments (RCA) are adhered to in terms of the fulfilment of the control Owner profile;
• Ensure adherence to all statutory and regulatory requirements ;
• Own and agree corrective action items with internal Audit and Management Assurance for findings related to functional area under management;
• Report complaints via the Complaint management platform to the National Manager on a weekly basis;
• Make team members aware of all changes to policies, processes and procedures that are being planned for the area and ensure that they are able to incorporate the changes on the effective date;
• Ensure that team members read circulars that are relevant to the area and answer questions they may have.

Education and Experience Required

• NQF Level 7: B Degree
• 5 years credit experience
• 3 to 5 years middle management experience preferred
• Exposure to Credit assessments preferred

Knowledge & Skills:

• Credit Risk Assessment in a financial environment
• Financial analysis
• Business Process Acumen
• Intermediate computer skills
• Communication and verbal skills
• Networking ability
• Relationship Management skills
• Regulatory requirements
• Knowledge of the Absa Risk Management Model
• Knowledge and understanding of the Credit policy
• Resource deployment and capacity management skills
• Relevant product knowledge

Competencies:

• Deciding and initiating action
• Relating and networking
• Leading and supervising
• Analysing
• Working with people
• Formulating strategies and concepts
• Adhering to principles and values
• Delivering results and meeting customer expectation

Education

• Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required)