Fresh Openings at Merchant West

Role Purpose: 

• We’re looking for 10 ambitious individuals who are ready to take the first step in their careers by joining our ARISE Programme — an exciting full-time, permanent opportunity across Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria designed to accelerate your career at Merchant West! 
• This rotational journey will give you hands-on experience across our Lending businesses, equipping you with essential skills in credit analysis, operations, legal, compliance and ultimately sales. You'll gain invaluable insights, setting the stage for you to become a top-tier Portfolio Manager within one of our dynamic lending solutions. 
• By the end of the programme, you'll step into a full-time Portfolio Manager role, specialising in the product area that fuels your passion and aligns with your strengths. If you're ready to kickstart a rewarding career with us, this is your opportunity! 

Main Accountabilities:

• Play a crucial role in expanding our business, enhancing profitability, and building robust client relationships through proactive new business development, meticulous financial analysis, and strategic cross-selling
• Identify and pursue fresh business prospects within your chosen product area 
• Develop and sustain a dynamic pipeline of potential clients and deals, ensuring a steady flow of opportunities 
• Analyse market dynamics to seize emerging opportunities and stay ahead of the curve 
• Conduct in-depth assessments of client needs and propose customised financial solutions that align with their goals 
• Work closely with internal teams to craft deals that meet both client needs and company objectives 
• Engage in negotiations to secure terms and conditions that are advantageous for both clients and Merchant West 
• Assess the financial feasibility of proposed deals and their potential impact on overall profitability 
• Oversee the smooth and timely execution of new business transactions from start to finish 
• Cultivate strong connections with existing clients to uncover additional business needs and promote complementary products and services from the Merchant West Group
• Focus on delivering high-quality leads to other business units within the Merchant West Group, prioritising quality over quantity 

Qualifications:

•  Bachelor’s degree in commerce, with a preference for Accounting, Economics, or Finance 

Experience: 

• No prior work experience required – we’re looking for motivated individuals eager to learn and grow within a dynamic environment
• Clear criminal and credit record 

Skills: 

• Demonstrated enthusiasm for selling financial products and engaging in client-facing roles 
• A strong interest in financial services and a drive to develop a career in sales within this sector
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to build and maintain client relationships 
• Strong analytical skills to understand and interpret financial data and market trends 
• Ability to quickly learn and adapt to new processes and financial products 
• Collaborative mindset with a readiness to work closely with internal teams and stakeholders 
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail in all tasks and responsibilities 
• Demonstrated willingness and eagerness to continuously learn and grow in a fast-paced environment 

Competencies: 

• Stakeholder management 
• Communication
• Problem-solving 
• Collaboration 
• Attention to detail 
   

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Role Purpose:

• The Portfolio Manager is responsible for managing and maintaining a portfolio of client facilities by ensuring strong portfolio performance, effective risk management, and high levels of client service. The role involves monitoring client exposures, maintaining ongoing client relationships, and ensuring compliance with Merchant West credit policies and governance frameworks. The Portfolio Manager works closely with business units to support deal execution, manage risk, and identify opportunities for portfolio growth and optimisation.

Main Accountabilities:

Portfolio Management and Performance

• Manage and monitor a portfolio of client facilities to ensure strong financial performance and asset quality.
• Track client exposures, repayment behaviour, and overall portfolio health.
• Ensure portfolio performance aligns with Merchant West risk and profitability targets.

Client Relationship Management

• Maintain strong relationships with clients to ensure ongoing service delivery and satisfaction.
• Engage with clients to understand business needs and identify additional opportunities.
• Resolve client queries and manage relationship issues in a timely manner.

Portfolio Risk Monitoring

• Monitor client financial performance and identify potential credit risks.
• Ensure compliance with approved credit terms, covenants, and facility conditions.
• Escalate risk concerns and recommend corrective actions where required.

Deal Support and Portfolio Growth

• Support business units with deal structuring and execution within the portfolio.
• Assess financial impact of restructuring or additional funding requests.
• Identify opportunities to grow and optimise the portfolio.

Reporting and Portfolio Administration

• Prepare and maintain accurate portfolio reports and documentation.
• Ensure all client records and portfolio data are up to date and compliant.
• Provide regular updates on portfolio performance to management.

Credit Governance and Compliance

• Ensure adherence to credit policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.
• Maintain proper documentation and audit trails for portfolio activities.
• Support audit and compliance processes related to portfolio management.

Qualifications:

• BCom degree with Finance and/or Mathematics, Accounting as a subject(s)

Experience:

• 4+ years’ experience in a client facing role with a financial background/ solution selling
• Relationships and client/ dealer base within the sector

Skills:

• Portfolio management and performance monitoring
• Financial statement analysis and credit risk evaluation
• Deal structuring and transaction assessment
• Client relationship and stakeholder management
• Portfolio reporting and financial analysis
• Credit policy interpretation and application
• Financial modelling and cash flow analysis
• Portfolio systems and financial software utilisation

Competencies:

• Commercial judgement and financial acumen
• Analytical thinking and problem solving
• Decision making and sound risk judgement
• Stakeholder engagement and collaboration
• Negotiation and influencing capability
• Accountability and ownership
• Results orientation and performance focus
• Integrity and governance discipline