Senior Risk Manager: Wealth Credit at Absa Group Limited (Absa)

Job Summary

• The applicant will be responsible for assessing the creditworthiness of individuals and/or businesses that require lending products within the Private Wealth Banking segment. This role requires the ability to structure complex lending solutions for UHNW/HNW and Wealthy clients. The applicant must possess exceptional financial analysis skills to interpret financial information, assess client desirability, and detail risk mitigation strategies in line with credit mandates, internal policies and regulatory requirements. 
• A key focus of the role is to deliver high-quality credit risk assessments to ensure sustainable profit and asset growth, within the agreed Operational Level Agreement (OLA). This position requires a strong analytical mindset, in-depth knowledge of credit principles, strong decision-making skills, and the ability to communicate effectively with both internal stakeholders and clients.

Job Description

Credit Sanctioning 

• Perform quality credit sanctioning within the Operational Level Agreement (OLA), being cognizant of risks, being solutions-driven, and considering compliance requirements.
• Assist stakeholders with growth by assessing, structuring, and solutions to client needs, ensuring adherence and compliance with credit policies, processes, terms, and conditions.
• This includes evaluation and structuring of new opportunities, initial credit due diligence, and preparing recommendations to the credit committee as well as ongoing monitoring.
• Evaluate a company’s stability, the adeptness of the management team, and creditworthiness by analyzing relevant documents including balance sheets, income statements, cash flow statements, financial projections, etc. Validates any assumptions, projects, and overall borrower viability and ability to repay the credit request
• Conduct a full assessment of the risks and potential mitigating factors impacting on a client.
• Perform robust financial and non-financial analysis on the client that supports the review of facilities or new funding proposals.
• Make use of clients' historical data, for example, financial statements to forecast the clients’ potential growth and sustainability.
• Conduct a sensitivity/scenario analysis to determine the impact that a change in, for example, the economy, political situation, and consumer demand, will have on the client’s financial health.
• Based on the analysis conducted structure a lending solution for the client, that will account for the potential threats to the client and that is within set credit limits and the Bank's credit lending policies and appetite.
• Compile a proposal that summarizes the client’s background and needs, the research findings, and the final recommendation on which credit lending solution is best for the client, for the Credit Committee to approve in the interim and escalate further for the necessary approval.

Portfolio and Risk Management 

• Proactively maintain and manage the assigned portfolio within agreed KPIs.
• Accurate and timeously report high-risk accounts.
• Provide credit solutions for the timeous rehabilitation of delinquent accounts and initiate transfers to Business Support and/or Legal Recovery Services (LRS) for groups/accounts which cannot be rehabilitated in the normal credit environment.
• Ongoing credit portfolio monitoring and maintenance of Group Risk Appetite across Relationship Banking clients.

Stakeholder Management 

• Build and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders.
• Be a role model for client engagement and demonstrate value add at every engagement.
• A strong communicator that has the ability to influence stakeholders
• Contribute to the upskilling and mentoring of front-line colleagues.

Risk, Control, and Governance 

• Apply the highest standards of controls and risk management practices and behaviors and embed a positive risk and control culture.
• Adhere to policies, procedures, and regulations.
• Identify, assess, and report risks arising from significant events, investigations, audits, and control issues.
• Demonstrate prudence, sound judgment, and appropriate escalations in the management of all types of risk applicable to the role.
• Ensure that the Bank's credit policies, philosophy, and all relevant legislation are fully complied with at all times and that any policy breaches have been suitably addressed and mitigated.

Data and Systems Management 

• To produce relevant management information and manage exposures including the maintenance of relevant systems.
• Drive RWA efficiencies by ensuring that the data in terms of Default Grades (DG's), Loss Given Defaults (LGDs), limits, and review dates are correctly captured on the Bank's credit systems and adequately supported by the credit systems.

Other Responsibilities 

• Assist with special projects or other duties as needed and deemed necessary
• Demonstrate an understanding of credit and risk assessment tools, risk measurement, and rating methodologies, including their underlying assumptions and potential weaknesses.
• Demonstrate resilience and ability to work in a competitive and highly pressurized work environment to ensure that deadlines are met.
• Provide ad hoc training and coaching to junior credit or new staff members through the provision of relevant materials, explanations, and/or presentations.
• Legal agreements of the transactions and related transaction documentation.
• Understanding of financial markets and general business acumen
• Partner with relevant stakeholders in the business to ensure credit processes, policies, and infrastructure is enabled.

Requirements 

• BCom (Accounting, Finance, Risk) - postgraduate qualification would be advantageous
• 5 to 10 years’ lending experience in a financial institution.
• Knowledge and understanding of credit and investment risks in the financing of transactions or projects.
• Portfolio management experience would be advantageous.

Knowledge & Skills: 

• Strong Business and Risk identification/analytics
• Strong negotiation skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• High level of emotional skills
• Ability to function independently
• Good understanding of portfolio management

Competencies: 

• Decisive and initiating action
• Working with people – team player
• Adhering to principles and values
• Ability to network
• Entrepreneurial and commercial thinking

Education

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