Jobs at Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA)

Job Description    

• The purpose of the role is to support the credit risk management and portfolio oversight of the Bank’s investments across South Africa, the Rest of Africa and High Impact. The role involves conducting detailed credit assessments, financial analysis, credit monitoring of the portfolio; further contributing to early warning identification and risk mitigation strategies across the Bank’s investment activities. Applying technical and commercial expertise and legal knowledge, the role supports strategic decision-making, contributes to credit compliance, portfolio management and ensures that exposures remain aligned with the institutional risk appetite. The role interacts closely with the Credit Origination responsible for new transactions while maintaining dedicated focus on the post-approval performance of the existing portfolio.

Key Responsibilities    
Credit Review and Monitoring

• Undertake credit assessments of clients for annual credit reviews according to internal annual review cycle for sovereigns, public entities, infrastructure and high impact projects.
• Prepare credit memos, with opinions and recommendations for clients in the portfolio.
• Prioritise and manage the portfolio to ensure that annual reviews do not expire beyond the policy prescripts.
• Prepare credit opinions for additional lines of credit for public sector clients, as part of the annual review.
• Regularly engage other teams to obtain latest collateral values from the collateral register, as inputs into the credit assessment and risk rating process.
• Monitor the adherence to credit conditions, loan covenants, and risk triggers; taking appropriate action.
• Track, manage and report on credit amendments, waivers, and restructuring activities.
• Initiate/review rapid risk reviews in response to emerging external or internal risk signals, collaborating with internal and external stakeholders for effective intervention.

Financial and Credit Analysis

• Conduct financial statement analysis, cash flow modelling, and creditworthiness assessments.
• Perform peer benchmarking and sectoral credit comparisons as part of the financial modelling assessment.
• Build and/or challenge financial model assumptions for reasonableness based on financial, technical and market insights applied.
• Conduct stress testing and scenario analysis to test financial viability and draw conclusions / make recommendations to mitigate risks identified.

Portfolio Reporting and Compliance

• Maintain accurate records of credit decisions outcomes, risk ratings, loan classifications, and covenant compliance; store records in compliance with the Bank’s records management and specified electronic drives.
• Contribute to the preparation of regular portfolio reports for management and stakeholders.
• Support the development of enhancing portfolio monitoring reports and dashboards.
• Validate and assess data for accuracy, reliability and completeness on all relevant credit and risk systems.
• Uphold compliance with internal credit policies, investment mandates and regulatory requirements.
• Liaise with teams to ensure seamless handover and continuous oversight of transactions post-disbursement.
• Support the disbursement process, post-handover, to ensure facility conditions are met as required.

Credit Mitigation and Restructuring Support

• Monitor portfolios to identify early warning signals and potential credit deterioration and escalate potential risks in accordance with the policies and delegation of authority prescripts.
• Execute light restructuring and rescheduling processes under supervision and in collaboration with other teams.
• Review ongoing financial compliance of updated financial models and/or recommend and implement new credit risk mitigants (e.g. conditions, collateral, guarantees), as required.

Reporting

• Produce accurate, insightful reports and continuously monitoring key financial and non-financial metrics to assess performance and credit migration risk.
• Establish and adhere to deadlines to ensure management has up-to-date information for decision-making.
• Maintain high standards of accuracy and timeliness to deliver reports that are timely and precise.
• Utilise appropriate technologies and tools to enhance reporting efficiency and clarity, while also safeguarding the confidentiality and sensitivity of the information included.

Stakeholder Management and Problem-Solving

• Collaborate effectively with stakeholders to achieve common goals, facilitating open and clear communication.
• Actively listen, share information, and foster a cooperative environment that encourages diverse perspectives and collective problem-solving.

Key measurement of output:

• Percentage of credit review documentation prepared without errors / deferred.
• Timeliness of credit review documentation submissions reviewed and approved (annual review % not expired).
• Number of covenant breaches or risk triggers identified and escalated; compliance rate across the monitored portfolio.
• Timely monitoring updates in accordance with facility and/or risk requirements; number of loan facility terms and conditions compliance checks completed and actioned (where appropriate).
• Quality of financial analyses or models built / assessed and quality of inputs to credit assessments, stakeholder feedback on model accuracy and usefulness for decision-making.

Expertise & Technical Competencies    
Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in finance, Economics, Accounting or a related field.

Experience

• Minimum of 8 years’ experience in credit risk analysis, portfolio monitoring, or financial analysis within a wholesale, investment banking, or development finance environment.
• Strong proficiency in credit analysis, financial modelling, credit rating methodologies, and monitoring of comparable credit portfolios.
• Solid expertise in financial statement analysis, credit risk assessment, and the application of risk mitigation strategies.
• Knowledge of development finance instruments and the end-to-end credit lifecycle and loan value chain.
• Awareness of macroeconomic and political risk factors influencing country and credit risk, particularly in emerging markets.
• Demonstrated strength in credit reasoning, with excellent credit writing and report development skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication abilities, including effective presentation skills and the capacity to convey complex concepts in clear business terms.

Desirable Requirements

• Experience working with municipalities, government programmes, or development finance institutions.
• Understanding and experience of sovereign risk, infrastructure finance, and public sector lending.
• Postgraduate degree in Finance, Economics, Accounting or a related field.
• Professional certification in Financial Risk Management, Chartered Financial Analysis or CA (SA) or equivalent.

Deadline:30th January,2026

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Job Description    

• The role is responsible for the origination and structuring of complex credit transactions across various sectors, e.g.  infrastructure, sovereign, sub-sovereign, public sector projects for investment considerations in South Africa, the Rest of Africa and High Impact. This role is instrumental in ensuring that new transactions align with the DBSA’s mandate, risk appetite and strategic objectives. Applying technical and commercial expertise, and legal knowledge, the role supports decision-making by appraising new transactions, through conducting due diligence, credit assessment of financial and non-financial risks, financial modelling and well-structured credit risk mitigation strategies. This role interacts closely with  the Business teams and various Sector and Country Specialists in the origination process.

Key Responsibilities    
Key Performance Areas:

Deal Origination and Structuring

• Appraise the origination of complex credit transactions from a pipeline of potential projects sourced by the Business teams, assessing transactions against the Bank’s risk appetite.
• Appraise, structure transactions to optimise risk-adjusted returns whilst achieving development impact.
• In conjunction with the Business teams, engage internally with project teams and externally with borrowers, government entities, project sponsors, and other key risk-transfer / credit enhancing stakeholders to assess optimal financing needs and develop tailored solutions.
• Provide credit advisory at inception, deal screening or early review stages for indicative quantification of credit.
• Serve as a key member of the project team during appraisal stage, deal implementation and financial close stages in pursuit of achieving the Bank’s key corporate and strategic objectives.
• Serve as a key member of the project team to develop innovative risk mitigation structures (e.g. blended finance instruments, sustainable finance instruments, credit enhanced structures).
• Conduct market and industry research as needed to inform risk assessment and credit decision-making.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary sector experts and other teams to support client solutioning and the credit application process.

Credit Assessment, Financial Analysis and Risk Mitigation

• Undertake in-depth credit and financial analysis and due diligence on prospective transactions.
• Identify, mitigate and manage key quantitative and qualitative risks facing a prospective transaction.
• Apply credit rating methodologies aligned to underlying transaction structures to ensure that the credit profile is adequately encapsulated the risk-adjusted returns per policies.
• Contribute to due diligence activities, where required, including site visits, stakeholder interviews and due diligence data collection and synthesis.
• Collaborate with business, legal, technical and ESG teams to ensure comprehensive transaction evaluation.
• Prepare investment memos for new appraisals that succinctly communicates the overall credit opinion and recommended terms and conditions of the prospective transactions.
• Undertake in-depth financial and cash-flow analysis of portfolio companies, evaluating performance against initial projections and market benchmarks.
• Review portfolio performance reports, incorporating peer comparisons, sectors developments, and macroeconomic conditions affecting the Bank.
• Assess amendments to credit terms and provides recommendations for restructuring, covenant waivers, or rescheduling proposals as required.
• Conduct scenario analysis and stress testing on key exposures, feeding insights into credit risk appetite and capital allocation decisions.
• Support efforts to enhance risk-adjusted return through innovative solutioning of the prospective deal flow.

Financial Modelling and Analysis

• Build and/or review and challenge model assumptions in financial models for prospective transactions.
• Conduct cash flow analysis, stress testing, and scenario analysis to test financial viability and draw conclusions / make recommendations to mitigate financial risks identified.
• Assess financial compliance of key financial terms and/or recommend and implement credit risk mitigants (e.g. conditions, covenants, collateral, guarantees), as required.
• Perform peer benchmarking and sectoral credit comparisons in order to provide valuable insights for the review of the financial modelling assessment.

Portfolio Integration

• Ensure seamless transition of approved transactions into portfolio management.
• Monitor early-stage performance, facility and/or covenant compliance during onboarding of new clients.
• Provide feedback to portfolio, origination and risk teams on original learnings and risk signals.
• Maintain credit-related compliance with internal policies, regulatory standards, and investment mandates across all geographies.
• Maintain up-to-date credit ratings and internal loan classifications of new transactions, where required, prior to transition into portfolio management.

Strategic Engagement and Governance

• Liaise with teams to ensure seamless handover and continuous oversight of transactions post-disbursement.
• Support governance reporting by contributing to reports for Board committees, EXCO, and relevant committees.
• Participate in the maintenance and improvement of the credit value chain, identifying process inefficiencies and supporting enhancements to credit systems.
• Support audits by preparing necessary reports and documentation in line with best practice and standards.

Reporting and Monitoring

• Produce accurate, insightful reports that express key financial and non-financial metrics and analysis to support credit opinions for decision-making.
• Analyse data to identify trends, inform strategic decisions, and provide stakeholders with clear, actionable information that supports ongoing performance improvement and accountability.
• Utilise appropriate technologies and tools to enhance reporting efficiency and clarity, while also safeguarding the confidentiality and sensitivity of the information included.
• Maintain high standards of accuracy and timeliness to deliver reports that are timely, relevant and precise.

Key Measurements of Outputs:

• Percentage and number of credit memos for appraisals completed on time and in line with internal standards.
• Precision of internal credit ratings aligned with appropriate model methodologies and validated through backtesting or audit reviews.
• Timely identification of early warning indicators, escalating and actioned for new transactions in appraisal or deal implementation stage.
• Number of breaches identified and resolved and compliance rate for new facility agreements being onboarded.
• Average time taken to complete normal urgent risk assessment and recommend amendments or waivers.
• Quality of financial models built or reviewed, stakeholder feedback on model accuracy and usefulness for decision-making.
• Percentage of reports submitted on time with no material errors; percentage of submissions deferred as a result of substandard quality.
• Feedback from internal and external stakeholders on quality, communication, responsiveness, and problemsolving support.

Expertise & Technical Competencies    
Qualifications and Experience:

Qualifications

• Degree in Economics, Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or Risk Management or related field.

Experience

• Minimum of 8 years’ experience in credit risk analysis, portfolio monitoring, or financial analysis within wholesale/investment banking or a development finance environment.
• Proven proficiency in credit analysis, financial modelling, and application of credit rating methodologies across similar credit portfolios.
• Strong capability in financial statement analysis, credit risk assessment, and the application of risk mitigation principles.
• Familiarity with development finance instruments and structured finance solutions is advantageous.
• Sound understanding of the credit lifecycle and loan value chain processes.
• Awareness of macroeconomic and political risk factors impacting country and credit risk is beneficial.
• Experience in credit origination, investment analysis, or structured finance is a plus.
• Demonstrated credit reasoning and credit writing skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present complex concepts clearly and effectively.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships, collaborate in teams, and manage stakeholder interactions effectively.

Desirable Requirements

• Experience working with municipalities, government programmes, or development finance institutions.
• Understanding and experience of sovereign risk, infrastructure finance, and public sector lending.
• Postgraduate degree in Finance, Economics, Accounting or a related field.
• Professional certification in Financial Risk Management, Chartered Financial Analysis or CA (SA) or equivalent.
• Familiarity with ESG, blended finance, and development impact frameworks.

Deadline:30th January,2026

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Job Description    

• The Public Relations Officer is responsible for developing and executing strategic communication and public relations functions that enhance and protect the Bank's reputation, manage its public image, and foster positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders. This role involves overseeing internal and external media relations, and crisis management to support the Bank's mission and objectives.

Key Responsibilities    
Strategic Planning

• Develop and implement integrated public relations and communication strategies aligned to the Bank’s corporate strategy and market positioning.
• Formulate and implement comprehensive annual and multi-year communication plans with clearly defined objectives, performance indicators, priority audiences, and coherent messaging frameworks that support the Bank’s strategic and developmental outcomes.
• Provide strategic counsel to management on public relations priorities, reputational considerations, and emerging communication risks and opportunities.
• Plan, manage and optimise the public relations and communications budget responsibly to ensure alignment with the Bank’s priorities, efficient allocation of resources and maximum impact.

Communication Management

• Manage and proactively strengthen the Bank’s reputation across traditional, digital, and stakeholder platforms.
• Oversee consistent corporate messaging and brand positioning across all internal and public-facing communications.
• Develop high-quality content and communication for press releases, reports, speeches, website content, and communication materials.
• Manage internal communication initiatives where external messaging alignment is required.
• Drive compliance with governance, regulatory, and approval processes for internal and external communications.

Media and Public Relations

• Build and maintain strong relationships with media outlets to ensure positive coverage of the Bank’s activities.
• Draft and distribute press releases, ensuring timely and accurate dissemination of information.
• Monitor media coverage and analyse its impact on the Bank’s reputation, and where required, implement responses to mitigate adverse impact.
• Support engagement with key internal external stakeholders, including employees, government, regulators, investors, partners, and communities.
• Manage responses to public, media, and stakeholder enquiries in a manner that upholds the brand and reputation of the Bank.
• Advise executives and management on public relations, media engagement, and reputational risk matters to ensure informed and consistent external communication.
• Provide training, coaching, and awareness sessions to executives and employees on media protocols, brand positioning, crisis communication, and appropriate public engagement.
• Develop and disseminate communication guidelines, toolkits, and key messaging to support staff in representing the Bank effectively across all platforms.
• If required, act as a spokesperson for the Bank, delivering clear, accurate, and consistent messages to the media and stakeholders in line with approved communication strategies and governance protocols.
• Coordinate and manage spokesperson activities, including preparing talking points, key messages, and briefing notes for executives and designated representatives.
• Oversee and direct all public statements, interviews, and responses to media enquiries in line with the Bank’s strategic objectives, brand positioning, and reputational risk management requirements.

Crisis Management

• Develop and implement crisis communication plans to protect the Bank’s reputation during adverse events.
• Maintain clear and consistent communication with stakeholders during crises.
• Coordinate communication responses during reputational risks or crises to protect the Bank’s credibility.
• Provide rapid, accurate, and consistent messaging during high-risk or sensitive situations.

Stakeholder Management

• Foster positive relationships with key stakeholders, including government entities and the public.
• Implement mechanisms to gather and respond to stakeholder feedback.
• Support engagement with key internal and external stakeholders, including employees, government, regulators, investors, partners, and communities.
• Coordinate public-facing events, briefings, and stakeholder communication initiatives.
• Manage responses to public, media, and stakeholder enquiries in a timely and professional manner.

People Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning to maximise individual and collective potential.
• Drive talent development initiatives, including coaching, performance management, and career pathing, to build and retain a skilled and motivated team.
• Provide direction and management to the team, to enable strategy execution.
• Attract, retain, develop talent and ensure sufficient capacity and capability in critical functions, supporting diversity strategies and initiatives as well.
• Promote DBSA values and a culture of high performance through implementing performance management in line with the planned strategic objectives, goals, quality standards and agreed key performance measures using sound performance management principles.
• Contribute to building synergies and cooperation across functions in the DBSA.
• Live the DBSA values.

Reporting and Monitoring

• Produce accurate, insightful reports and continuously monitor key metrics to assess progress against objectives.
• Analyse data to identify trends, inform strategic decisions, and provide stakeholders with clear, actionable information that supports ongoing performance improvement and accountability.
• Prepare reports for committees and governance structures on critical public relations events.

Key Measurements of Outputs

• Delivery of integrated public relations and communication strategies and plans that demonstrably support the Bank’s corporate strategy, development mandate, and market positioning within approved timelines and budgets.
• Measurable improvement and sustained strength in the Bank’s reputation, brand consistency, and media sentiment across traditional, digital, and stakeholder platforms.
• Quality, clarity, and consistency of internal and external communications, including effectiveness of messaging, content standards, and alignment across all communication channels and platforms.
• Effectiveness and quality of media relations, including timely, accurate media outputs, constructive media coverage, and professional handling of media and public enquiries.
• Compliance with governance, regulatory, and approval processes, including effective management of reputational risk and credible communication responses during crises or sensitive situations.
• Quality and impact of stakeholder engagement, reflected in positive stakeholder feedback, successful public-facing initiatives, and responsive, professional communication with key audiences.
• Performance, capability, and engagement of the communications team, evidenced by achievement of objectives, talent development, collaboration across the Bank, and demonstration of organisational values.

Expertise & Technical Competencies    
Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations or Communications or Journalism, or Marketing

Experience

Minimum Experience

• A minimum of 10 years’ progressive experience in public relations, corporate communications, or journalism within medium to large organisations, including demonstrated responsibility for strategic communication planning, media relations, reputation management, and stakeholder engagement.
• Experience in acting as a spokesperson or communicating on behalf of the organisation.
• In-depth demonstrated experience in media engagement, reputation management, and crisis communication.
• Excellent stakeholder and media relationship management.
• Proven track record in a leadership role managing PR teams and projects within the corporate environment.
• In-depth understanding of PR practices and methodologies.
• Familiarity with the media landscape in South Africa and a strong network within the environment.
• Extensive experience engaging with the CEO, Executives, Board members, and senior stakeholders across multiple sectors.

Desired Requirements

• Previous experience in the financial services or development finance sector.
• A postgraduate degree in Public Relations or Communications or Journalism, or Marketing
• Public relations experience at international level