Senior Manager: Product at Absa Group Limited (Absa)

Job Summary

• Do you have extensive experience as a Term Loans Product Manager. This is just the perfect opportunity for you. The Term Loans and Working Capital Product Manager is responsible for developing, managing, and optimising term loans and working capital products for Business Banking (BB) customers. This role will work closely with the Corporate Investment Banking (CIB) trade and working capital and business banking term loans and working capital teams to align strategies, leverage synergies, and deliver solutions tailored to corporate and SME clients. The goal is to ensure that the term loans and working capital offerings are competitive and effectively meet the evolving needs of business clients.

Job Description

Product Strategy & Development

• Manage the suite of term loans and working capital products for BB clients including overdraft, guarantees and trade loan products.
• Collaborate with the CIB trade banking teams to align product strategies across BB and CIB, ensuring a unified approach.
• Conduct market research to identify trends and gaps in term loans and working capital products for business clients, ensuring competitiveness and relevance.
• Work with internal teams (IT, segments, operations, risk, compliance) to ensure smooth implementation and operational efficiency for new and existing products or product enhancements.

Product Performance

• Responsible for managing, monitoring & driving product essentials including, but not limited to:
• Product profitability and cost management;
• Product and service quality and performance;
• Legal/ regulatory & other risk requirements;
• Sales volumes; and
• Complaint resolution.

Business Change

• Portfolio management: Plan and manage on-going product investment and activity in line with defined portfolio balance required. Include capacity and capability planning and development
• Stakeholder management: Identify key stakeholders per product. Ensure clear understanding of their expectations and appropriately manage these together with the agreed objectives.
• Engage stakeholders to build ongoing support, mutual understanding and common commitment of values and principles.
• Define and agree stakeholder communication matrix

Strategy and Planning

• Define the service model for the product set across the various service providers including but not limited to Channels, Operations, IT, Sales and Client on boarding.
• Prepare and present key business cases underpinning strategic investment initiatives to maintain or build out the product capability.
• Challenge existing pricing strategy by understanding the risk & reward opportunity and competitor levels and implement these strategies into production, by liaising with Sales, Information Technology (IT) and other stakeholders within which pricing development, enhancements and management will be effected.
• Provide product analysis and recommend future strategies, especially in light of updated product and competitor activity.
• Strive for optimal product performance to balance marketability with profitability, working closely with other value streams and sales colleagues.

Sales Support

• Serve as the interface between the CIB Product team, the BB segment team and the product specialist sales team.
• Collaborate with the BB segment sales teams to understand the specific trade and working capital product needs of their clients, providing them with the necessary tools and product knowledge to effectively sell trade banking solutions.
• Work closely with the product specialist sales team to drive increased product adoption.
• Ensure that both the segment and specialist sales teams are fully equipped with the right marketing collateral, product updates, and training to engage business clients.

Education and Experience Requirements 

• Relevant Honours Degree (NQF 8 Level)
• Relevant Masters Degree (NQF 9 Level – preferred)
• Over 10 years Finance experience within Corporate and /or Business Banking
• Working Capital and Term Loans experience preferred

Education

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