Senior Manager: Product Asset Finance at Absa Group Limited (Absa)

Job Summary

• The purpose of the role is to ensure effective Product management and collaboration with the wider Finance and Business operations. Design the controls that will adequately mitigate risks. Ensure compliance with Group Policies, standard, finance policies and procedures that are applicable in the finance world.

Job Description

Accountability : Product management and Business Partnering

• Monitor product trends and identify gaps, based on gaps identified, advise business and finance on actions that can be taken
• Obtain a thorough understanding of the business unit’s strategy and explain it to team members in such a way that they understand the contribution they have to make and can relate that strategy to a forecast
• Provide product advice and guidance to line managers and business owners on new initiatives, current budget management practices and trends in their areas of accountability.
• Conduct basic statistical analysis to track performance variances and determine the root causes of errors. Make recommendations for productivity or process enhancements to process owners
• Populate balanced scorecards for the specific department on a monthly basis. Work with the team to address shortcomings during the next month. Escalate any major issues identified to the next level manager
• Participate in the measurement and reporting of internal and external Service Level Agreements on a monthly basis.
• Address any process failures specific to the department under management.
• Actively manage a team to ensure internal deadlines are met and support business

Accountability: Product to General Ledger support

• Assist in validating Product Income statement and Balance sheet balances.
• Provide support to CFO over month ends and significant reporting periods
• Design the controls that will adequately mitigate risks from Product to General ledger
• Comply with Group Policies and Standard that are applicable in the finance world
• Ensure compliance with internal policies and procedures
• Manage risk by ensuring that financial policies and procedures, regulatory and statutory requirements are being complied with
• Drive resolution of Product to GL breaks on behalf of Finance.

Accountability : New and Amended Product (NAPA) governance process 

• Ensure that Relationship Banking complies with the Product Risk Standard
• Provide inputs in the Product Control Finance: monthly NAPA forum on the impact the new and amended products will have on the settlement GL reconciliations
• Ensure that new products introduced are successfully incorporated into the reconciliations /balancing landscape (i.e., GL flows, etc.)

Accountability : Control Environment and Audit support

• Ensure that control environment remains stable
• Provide Internal and external audit support and ensure that the audit process is well managed and co-ordinated with no inefficiencies (audit overruns)
• Ensure that the external and internal audit issues raised by assurance providers are remediated sustainably and within the agreed timelines (no overdue audit issues)
• Ensure that IT incidents as a result of GL issues or product system glitches are investigated and resolved timeously to minimize risk in the Balance Sheet.
• Identify critical manual or semi manual processes that should be automated or streamlined
• Liaise with internal and external compliance functions, e.g. Internal Audit, Group Compliance in order to stay up to date with developments in the Risk environment
• Co-ordinate the audit in conjunction with the Head of the depart as well as with CFO.
• Data retention management: Ensure adherence to DRM Group policy.
• Oversight of EUDA’s and BRIAR’s preparation.
• Compilation of yearly JSE attestations in conjunction with the Head of the Department.

Accountability : Stakeholder Management

• Develop stakeholder relationships using effective communication plans and forums
• Build and maintain relationships with multiple stakeholders across all Business Units
• Establish and agree SLAs with various stakeholders
• Attend to stakeholders’ queries and ensure that their expectations are met or exceeded
• Assist Business and Finance with audit issue remediation.

Accountability: People Investment

• Provide adequate support to the Head of the Department.
• Upskill and coach junior colleagues and ensure that there is adequate succession plan
• Embrace a different, more commercial and overtly entrepreneurial way of doing things.
• Focus on Finance skills evolution with innovation and employability at the heart of people management.
• Integrate Big Data and Advanced Analytics into the core of our business.

Skills:

• Collaboration and influencing
• Analytical and detail oriented in all operations
• Able to meet deadlines and communicate delays or manage expectations of stakeholders
• A proactive thinker anticipating needs of all departments and stakeholders
• Able to identify and solve problems quickly and efficiently
• Able to juggle and prioritize multiple tasks and projects on a daily basis
• Comfortable working independently but also take direction as well

Competencies: 

• Deciding and initiating action
• Learning and researching
• Entrepreneurial and commercial thinking
• Relating and networking
• Adapting and responding to change
• Persuading and influencing
• Creating and innovating

Education and Experience Required

• Postgraduate Degrees and Professional Qualifications: Financial Sciences (Required)
• Banking experience is required. 2-3 years of experience
• Financial Systems: Millenium (Preferable) and SAP S4 knowledge is required
• Strong financial and product control background

Education

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