Jobs at Land Bank Careers

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE JOB

• To provide a professional agriculture, economics and technical specialist service to support the Province in effectively evaluating the business case viability of financing customers, including conducting on-site visits to familiarize the Bank with the business operations in which the Bank will be investing its funds, with the additional objective of minimizing potential risks and financial losses.
• To conduct on-farm agronomical and financial assessments for high-risk and delinquent clients and make recommendations to remediate as well as rate the farm/business according to the approved bank’s risk rating models, schedule inspections of the bank security and re-valuations, effectively manage the collateral in terms of the loan agreement and Collateral Management System (CMS) policy thereby identifying collateral shortfalls to minimise risk and prevent financial losses, refer farmers to service providers for technical support and make recommendations to improve the overall Farm status and mitigate potential risks
• To provide ongoing technical advice to the provincial team to ensure the submission of high-quality applications for both new and distressed loans.

Key Performance Areas    

Specialist Inputs into Business Case Viability

• Provide specialist support to Bankers to enable the structuring of appropriate financial solutions and feasible transactions.
• Determine the development phase of the farming venture and conditions of the infrastructure, management skills, topography, accessibility, development potential of the farm, grazing component and carrying capacity and any other relevant general conditions.
• Responsible for conducting the required valuation of the entity’s assets through an on-site visit to the business property to evaluate the viability of financing customers, based on the strength of their assets.
• Inspect crops on the land and calculate the net realisation and impact on financial position.
• Determine the realisable value of movable assets, and identify and locate the security offered.

Provincial Agricultural Knowledge Database and Knowledge Sharing

• Keep the database up to date as appropriate and share at a divisional level
• Contribute information to the national agricultural specialists’ database
• Ensure availability and access to identified users.
• Transfer knowledge to the team to empower them in understanding the technical context.

Customer and Stakeholder Relationship Management

• Build, foster and maintain consistent, effective and strong relationships with key role players and strengthen relationships with the potential to secure new business opportunities for the bank.
• Participate in agriculture events in the province, and contribute to research and insights as a subject matter specialist respected by peers in the industry.
• Represent Land Bank in appropriate forums and events as appropriate.
• Ensure that all stakeholders remain aware of the value of the Land Bank’s products, processes and principles related to agricultural financing within the Land Bank environment.

Monitoring, Advisory and Support

• Implement Effective Collateral Management by conducting inspections following the relevant Land Bank policy and procedures and ensure that the bank’s collateral has the most up-to-date collateral valuations as per the banks’ requirements per asset class.
• Engage external stakeholders including cooperatives, commodity associations, provincial government departments and farmer’s associations as required in respect of distressed accounts.
• Compile the farm inspection report and ensure all identified and potential risks are clearly articulated and list remedial actions to mitigate them.
• Provide management with monthly consolidated collateral management status reports on the allocated portfolio. 

Conduct Agronomical and Financial Assessments

• Perform farm visits to ascertain whether the farm funding was utilised as intended:
• Ensure that the funds have been used for their stated purpose
• Monitor and evaluate the progress and financial position of the client for any early warning signs of distress
• Advise with subject matter experts and link clients with relevant stakeholders to provide technical advice to clients where necessary.
• Conduct in-depth farm Agronomical Assessment specifically for High Risk, Delinquent and Non-Performing Accounts
• Determine factors for delinquency or default.
• In the event of an identified default or arrears client account make proposals for rectifying the problem
• List possible interventions for rehabilitation or referral to Legal.
• Provide possible solutions and recommendations with motivation.

Preferred Minimum Education and Experience    

• A relevant 3-year qualification in Agriculture or an equivalent
• Experience in Agricultural Extension Services - 5 years or
• Experience in Agricultural businesses, a Co-op, or similar organisations - 5 years

Critical Competencies    

• Microsoft Office
• Knowledge / Experience of financial and business analytical principles, tools and systems
• Property Valuation Principles
• Agricultural Economics
• Risk Management Principles
• Lending / Credit Assessment Principles
• Financial and Business Acumen

Additional Requirements    

• Extended hours as and when required
• Travel as and when required
• Needs to keep abreast with agricultural economic trends

Closing Date    

• 2025/07/21

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MAIN PURPOSE OF THE JOB

• To find innovative commercial restructuring solutions for Banking clients identified as in need of a proactive intervention to mitigate risk and prevent or minimise losses.
• To give technical expertise using the turnaround methodologies to develop, implement and monitor business rescue plan.
• To manage the end-to-end process of identified distressed Banking clients.

Key Performance Areas    

Innovative restructuring solutions to Banking accounts

• Assume a portfolio management responsibility for allocated Banking clients that have been transferred to Workout and Restructuring Unit.
• Engage internal stakeholders such as the Banking, Credit team, Legal and collections teams to obtain an understanding of the client and the client’s business.
• Obtain all the necessary and required information to conduct a full diagnostic analysis and undertake a preliminary due diligence and recommend procuring an external due diligence where necessary and justifiable.
• Conduct research through engaging various stakeholders and sources to determine long term business and financial viability
• Engage client and conduct a high level review to establish if the client matter requires critical urgent attention by the Bank and report the position accordingly.

Manage the implementation of the approved restructure of customer accounts

• Engage clients, all relevant internal and external stakeholders on the outcome of the restructure proposal.
• Negotiate an equitable deal considering the Bank’s interest.
• Gather all the necessary documents required in drafting the new agreements.
• Provide input to the drafting of loan agreements, equity agreements and security documents in collaboration with the Legal Team and in line with the approved Terms and Conditions by the various Credit Committees.
• Issue the client with signed agreements.

Monitoring and Evaluation of restructured customer accounts

• Monitor all accounts within given portfolio to ensure that desired results are achieved pertaining to the approved turnaround and performance and ensure that all subsequent terms and conditions of approval are met.
• Obtain management information from client within prescribed timelines, analyse and engage clients regarding performance variances ensuring that action plans are in place to close the gaps of any negative variances.
• Provide regular (as prescribed) performance status update for each client and represent the account at the various governance structures (EXCO, Credit Committee or Board).
• Provide portfolio and client information to Finance Division for consideration in impairment calculation.

Provide advisory services to internal and external stakeholders where required

• Provide advice and guidance to the collections teams and the Banking team with respect to the identification of client accounts that should be flagged for a workout intervention based on lessons learnt in managing high risk clients.
• Participate in the reviewing of policies and procedures where workout and restructuring subject expertise may be required.
• Accompany Banking team members on request to client meetings to provide support and expert opinion on possible workout and restructuring related issues, processes and procedures.
• Attend internal and external forums at request where subject expertise is required on turnaround, workout and restructuring matters.

Record Keeping and Reporting

• In consultation with Client Administration, Performance Analytics and Reporting, ensure that client information is managed in terms of the Bank’s record management policy.
• Compile reports as required for the different governance structures and management.
• Ensure that client’s information is updated on the relevant systems as and when required in collaboration with the Specialist: Client Administration.
• Furnish various trend reports to various governance structures on matters that will potentially be worked out and those that are currently being worked out.
• Attend to audit findings providing corrective actions.

Preferred Minimum Education and Experience    

• 3 years Business / Agriculture/ Commercial Qualification (BCOM).
• Banking experience of 3 to 5 years' which includes:
• Finance/Banking deal structuring
• Primary agriculture
• Structured trade and commodity finance
• Strong Financial and Credit Analysis and Assessment background
• Formulating business turnaround plans
• Evaluation of business restructures or workouts
• Managing turnaround of distressed clients.

Critical Competencies    

• Microsoft Office
• Business Acumen
• Legal procedures
• Deal structuring
• Turnarounds, workout and restructuring
• Credit and Financial Analysis
• Credit assessment / evaluation

Additional Requirements    

• Travel as and when required.
• Extended hours as and when required / Time management.
• Willing to work outdoors.
• Valid SA Driver’s License.
• Stress management.

Closing Date    

• 2025/07/21