Team Leader Business Support (Credit Restructuring) at Absa

Job Summary

The role holder is expected to manage a team of Business Support Specialists and Senior Business Support Specialists who are managing portfolios of financially distressed High Value clients within Relationship Banking with the aim of developing and managing Business Turnaround/Rescues/Restructuring/Workout strategies that will rehabilitate the clients and/or minimise potential credit loss to the Bank.

Previously held a credit mandate of at least R100m.

Job Description

Credit Risk Management

• Take ownership for the strategic management of the top tier distressed debt customers in their respective portfolio ensuring that effective strategies are devised and implemented to ensure the management of impairments within acceptable norms.

• Lead detailed negotiations with customers, other lenders, creditors, and 3rd party advisors regarding the agreement to, and implementation of strategy, to ensure properly mitigated credit risk for the Bank, based on continued bank support.

• Where appropriate, obtain customer’s agreement to the use of professionals including accountants, turnaround professionals, attorneys and property professionals.

• For turnaround customers, agree critical success factors with the relevant Portfolio Managers in liaison with Relationship Managers, Regional Credit Managers, and other Credit teams to ensure credit risk normalisation and relationship preservation. Obtain customer commitment and agreement to implement appropriate risk mitigation strategies and remedial actions to improve the client credit risk profile.

• Monitor customer progress against agreed strategies and action plans through analysis/appraisal of plans and budgets & cash flow.

• Deliver high standards of credit quality for high-risk cases through the application of best practice to credit proposals. Ensure high standards of credit discipline are applied to monitoring and control activities especially unauthorised borrowing.

• Make lending decisions within an appropriate personal mandate.

• Chair the Watch List Forum meetings.

Business Management

• Responsibility for team adherence to governance, compliance and lending portfolio controls and Management Information (MI).

• Champion the Business Support team’s relationship with internal and external customers, develop a strong network of internal contacts, external and panel professionals to maximise financial benefit for the Bank.

• Position and promote the team with Regional Credit Managers, Relationship Teams and Credit Managers as well as external customers and industry specialists and peers.

• Where applicable, manage and monitor the use of professionals including accountants, turnaround professionals, attorneys and property professionals within their team.

• Ensure that impairment decisions are appropriately taken and escalated where necessary.

• Ensure proper asset management of the portfolios under overall control.

• Drive the implementation of appropriate strategies and/or risk mitigation measures with the primary goal being to limit and/or reduce the overall level of Capital at Risk for Relationship Banking clients.

• Impairment forecasting, as required from time to time.

• Ensure that monthly reports are submitted on time, accurate and complete.

Education

Bachelor Honours Degree: Accounting (Required)

• Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.
• Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised