Senior Manager, Deceased Estates & Insolvencies at Standard Bank Group

Job Purpose

• Reports to the Head of Regulatory Operations, regarding the management of the total portfolio of potential and existing non-performing loans for Personal and Business Lending, Vehicle and Asset Finance (VAF), Card and Home Loans.
• To control and improve provision adequacy, collections, system developments, legal costs and collection strategies through the introduction of best practice and maintaining appropriate and uniform collections policies and practices across all portfolios.
• To provide assistance to our business partners on deteriorating risk accounts, to prevent such accounts from becoming non-performing loans.
• To ensure that staff are competent and trained and that the correct culture and leadership qualities are introduced and maintained.

Key Responsibilities/Accountabilities

Operational Effectiveness

• Assumes full responsibility and accountability of the total portfolio of potential and existing non-performing loans under the control of the Deceased Estates & Insolvencies Department.
• Accountable for collection rates to be maintained at an agreed percentage of gross monthly average assets under management.
• Ongoing communication with Managers, Team Leaders and staff regarding the need to ensure continual compliance.

Monitors, manages and controls within budget or alternatively agreed guidelines:
 Provision adequacy;
Collections;
Outsourcing and
Operational expenditures

• Introduces and maintains new collection strategies and campaigns.
• Ensures that Managers, Team Leaders and staff, at all times, are skilled and training is constantly receiving attention.
• Controls and maintains management information.
• Liaises with business partners on developments within all portfolios product and their needs.
• Attends to all escalated matters.
• Attends to any ad-hoc functions.

Financial

• Ensures that the age of the book is in line with the required time value of money and KPI’s set.
• Ensures Departmental Targets are met and exceeded.
• Ensures that there are no counter claims against the Bank in respect of any matter.
• Authorizes write offs in the event of a shortfall.
• Monitors the legal costs charged by the panel attorneys and ensures payment of the invoices within the agreed turnaround times

Risk and Compliance

• Ensures compliance with agreed levels of authority for own area and with all applicable laws, regulations, group policies and procedures
• Checks for risk implications and in need, refer to fraud
• Keep abreast with new policies and procedures at all times
• Complies with statutory, regulatory and supervisory requirements, to protect the reputation of the Group and to avoid legal action / sanction in respect of regulatory compliance matters.
• Maintains high ethical standards to prevent market abuse.
• Reports any breaches and exposures to the business unit head and/or the division’s Regulatory Compliance Officer.
• Adheres to credit policies and procedures

People management

• Responsible for inspiring, motivating, leading and managing the deceased estates and insolvencies department
• Responsible for the recruitment, development and retention of relevant skills in order to meet the business needs
• Ensures the effective selection of staff by matching the skills and competencies to the requirements of the job.
• Ensures skills assessments and competency-based training takes place as and when required
• Builds organisational capabilities through evaluating likely future requirements and ensuring that individuals are provided with the best possible development opportunities in line with these
• Creates an environment in which learning and development are emphasised and valued
• Takes personal responsibility for coaching and mentoring others
• Effectively delegates authority and responsibility, in line with business objectives, to ensure the empowerment, motivation and effectiveness of all direct and indirect reports
• Ensures the implementation of the leadership promise engagement
• Encourages team members to express their views, resolves issues raised by the team, escalates issues if required, and provides feedback to teams on an ongoing basis.
• Develops and maintains an open communication channel with direct reports and supports staff to foster greater co-operation and teamwork
• Monitors and manages the performance and development of staff within the area. This includes regular one-on-one feedback sessions, conducting mid-year and final performance appraisals, as well as the moderation and relative distribution of all appraisals for the deceased estates and insolvencies department.
• Drives the Talent Review Sessions and succession planning, in conjunction with Human Resources
• Ensures staff are appropriately and consistently rewarded and recognised for their achievements and outputs
• Ensures that disciplinary action and grievances are addressed and aligned to the Standard Bank policies and procedures

Preferred Qualification and Experience

• LLB degree
• Aipsa Insolvency Diploma
• 5 years’ experience in collection/recoveries to provide a broad based understanding of the various business units.
•  An intimate knowledge and experience of managing staff in a large operation with manual and automated processes functioning in parallel across the customer service value chain in a production and/or a financial services industry.

Knowledge/ Technical Skills

• Insolvency Act
• Administration of Estates Act
• Companies Act 71 of 2008
• Civil Procedure
• Basic Conveyancing knowledge
• Sound knowledge of the banking products and credit
• Understands and working knowledge of credit systems
• Good knowledge of debt collections, legal actions, and insolvency processes
• Good knowledge of collateral / securities and the realisation thereof.
•  Intermediate branch network knowledge.
• Good knowledge of the control of bad debts and laid down criteria in respect of law costs, interest in suspense, notional interest, routine and accounting procedures