Specialist: Risk Management (Financial Services) at BMW Group South Africa

Job Purpose

• The Specialist: Risk Management assures that residual value risks of BMW Financial Services (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd (SF3-ZA) are identified, analysed, steered and communicated appropriately within the local SF3-ZA and the SF central functions. The associate is also responsible for managing and steering residual value risk on a predictable and profitable basis. The function is responsible for safeguarding the company’s assets and liabilities from adverse market movements, principally related to residual value (RV) risk through proactively managing risks and setting risk parameters in accordance with both, economic projections and the risk strategy/appetite. The function assures that the local SF3-ZA entity is compliant, at all times, with BMW Central Residual Value Risk and related guidelines along with applicable local regulations.

Key Accountabilities:

Market risk:

• Steer all residual value risk related topics and proactively drive improvements on all latest developments.
• Presents the residual value risk management topics in various committees or working groups, e.g. local management committee, national risk committee, RV expert working group.
• Understand and supports liquidity risk processes.
• Responsible for establishing and monitoring of local RV risk guidelines/regulations, risk policies, procedures and controls in retail and commercial finance business areas within the local organization.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with the SF central guidelines and for handling exception requests in local competence or with central risk function.
• Steers the local residual value setting process, interacting with remarketing department, National Sales Company (NSC) and SF Headquarters.
• Responsible for monitoring, validation, development and implementation of RV risk models, impairment methodology, etc. based on central guidance.
• Develops, evaluates and implements changes to residual value risk related systems and processes to enhance effectiveness and efficiencies. Responsible for accuracy and quality assurance of residual value related system. - Manages methodological changes.
• Prepares internal / external prognosis and internal realized market value information.
• Liaises with external prognosis institutes on a regular basis to discuss current market trends and influence the positioning of BMW Group products.
• Valuates the RV risk bearing Portfolio (Leasing/Select) at least on a quarterly basis.
• Calculates the standard RV risk cost according to central RV Risk Guideline for new business booking and planning and the expected losses.
• Supports the implementation of RV-based products and conducts necessary analysis required for the NPPprocess. Advises on necessary tools.
• Consults on residual value reserve level to ensure adequate provision coverage of portfolio.
• Initiates measures and leads projects to further develop the local RV risk management (e.g. purchase of external prognosis data).
• Cooperates with cross-functional teams (Sales, Operations, Finance) to gain efficiencies in the RV and Sales success. - Initiates and leads projects to further develop the local residual value risk management
• Regularly validates and back tests all parameters (Standard Risk Cost, Provisioning, and RVaR). Manages the residual value risk parameters calculation, methodological changes and stress-testing.
• Analyses the impact of historical and predicted economic, industry, product, competitor and demographic changes on the existing and future portfolios. Recommends appropriate reserve (provision) and risk costs levels for budgets and long-range forecasts.
• Stays informed about latest developments (and regulators’ requirements) regarding methods of residual value risk detection and evaluation, and if appropriate, will decide with the CRO on implementation. Function must ensure that organization is compliant on residual value risk related regulations
• Liaises with local and central departments to ensure transparency and accuracy of residual value risk management and reporting.
• Reviews local reports to discover trends and changes of residual value risk KPIs. Researches the questions raised by the monthly reporting and develops analysis to better understand and explain changes. Responsible for further development of the reports and definition of market specific risk KPIs.
• Performs stress tests and scenario analyses applying centrally provided parameters and procedures on a regular basis.
• Responsible for the implementation of audit (internal and external) findings in residual value risk area.
• Monitors residual value risk related outsourced activities as well as off balance activities and risk concentrations.
• Identify improvement and new opportunities to enhance controls and increase effectiveness, in residual value risk related functions.
• Active management and steering of vendors supporting residual value risk function. Job includes ensuring contractual documentation and adherence to same, KPI/ deliverables steering, etc.
• Supports the regular central residual value risk reporting to BMW SF headquarter with credit risk relevant market information.

Commercial Finance:

• Is responsible for the regular update of the commercial finance Early Warning System.

Insurance Risk Oversight:

• Responsible for reviewing and managing insurance risk as part of the risk boarder scope. Conduct claims ratio and loss ratio review. Monitoring of capital adequacy, solvency compliance and risk reporting.

Support:

• Supports the administration of the National Risk Committee meetings and minutes.
• Supports in presenting the credit risk management topics in various committees, e.g. EXCO, National Risk Committee, and Product Portfolio Committee.
• Supports in the timely preparation of monthly, quarterly and annual reports, forecasts and analysis for internal and external distribution.

Management and organization (Organizational and managerial tasks.):

• Steers and oversees the activities of the residual value Risk Management.
• Advises local management on all residual value risk issues.
• Participates in meetings with external vendors (valuation agencies, consultants, etc.) and external auditors on residual value risk topics.

Other:

• Projects: Evaluates and advises on the impacts of existing and new products, processes and systems.
• Establishes and maintains a close relationship to the risk department at BMW Headquarters.
• Creates the information and training concept for newly recruited employees and supervises the progress of knowledge and skills.
• Internal Control systems (ICS) – adherence to controls; focus on regular monitoring of controls and on testing of controls effectiveness (e.g. performing monthly spot-checks and/or reviewing exception reports); support annualprocess & control review; annual review/update of process maps / flows and relevant regulations / work instructions; active contribution to detect and mitigate process gaps.
• Drive automation / efficiencies / process optimization across all processes.
• Any other task that management may necessitate in reaction to unexpected changes to our environment, greater business needs or to mitigate the vulnerability of the BMW Groups reputation or potential financial loss.

Educational Background / Professional Knowledge and Experience / Other Skills:

• University degree in data scientist, mathematical or statistical background or equivalent knowledge.
• Master´s degree preferred.

Work experience, Leadership experience:

• 5-10 years of relevant, professional experience specifically in the area of residual value risk management in the automotive and/or financial industry preferable within a multinational company.
• Strong mathematical and statistical attitude and proven analytical skills (e.g. RV model validation / development, parameter calculation).
• Good understanding of the local car market, BMW products and product developments
• Experience in residual value analysis.
• Project management experience.
• Profound knowledge of national and supranational regulatory frameworks.
• Use of data acquisition, analysis, and reporting tools and experience with their use on large relational databases.
• Experience with SAS business analytics software or similar software is preferred.
• Strong computer application skills/ Artificial intelligence will be of advantage.