Head, SME Banking Bank of Africa

Position function
Drive the SME Business to achieve and exceed Business goals through a dynamic business growth strategy and vigilant Relationship Management within SME market segment that is aligned with the overall Bank’s Mission.

Key responsibilities
1. Provide strategic leadership to SME Banking and guide all its activities to support the Bank’s growth strategies and achieve projected business goals
2. Develop and drive the Bank’s value chain strategy through innovative demand-driven SME & Value chains solutions, products and services in line with targeted business goals and growth sectors.
3. Drive vigorous sales process management; from prospecting to closure so as to ensure a vigorous pipe-line of SME business with the aim of attaining continuity and meeting agreed business growth objectives across all product ranges and the SME market segments
4. Lead the creation of customer insight through on-going portfolio analysis and formulation of focused and value-driven customer relationship management strategies
5. Drive a culture of excellent service and quality relationship management in order to retain and develop customers, and expand the Bank’s wallet-share by ensuring compliance with the Service Charter.
6. Actively guide the negotiation and structuring of business deals through the sales process with the aim of attaining value for the client, while protecting the business interests of the Bank.
7. Establish inter-departmental collaboration and work hand-in-hand with other stakeholders to implement timely and efficient preparation of high quality credit proposals, and drive turn-around time to meet the Bank’s promise to customers.
8. Continuously monitor the business portfolio to ensure vigilant covenants and arrears management in line with BOA policies in order to spot early-attention areas. The objective is to maintain the loan portfolio’s NPA percentage within agreed parameters and ensure customers meet the contractual obligations to the Bank
9. Constantly explore the enhancement of the Bank’s brand so that the Bank holds out in the target markets as one of the preferred Bank in the SME Market in terms of service, innovation and customer awareness/responsiveness.
10. Vigilantly monitor the market and industry trends, and competitor behavior to gather market intelligence, in order to advise and shape management response and the actions of the SME team to effectively manage opportunities and threats, with the aim of maximizing business performance
11. Manage, motivate and develop the SME Banking team through rigorous performance management, coaching, mentoring and learning interventions to create a team able to deliver the enterprise mission.

Knowledge and experience
• Masters’ Degree in Business, Finance, Banking, Marketing or a related field.
• Professional qualifications in Finance or Marketing or related field e.g. ACCA, CFA, CIMA, CPA;
• 8 years’ experience in Financial Services Business Development; 4 of which should be at senior management level;
• Strong track record in Direct Selling, Sales Management and Relationship Management;
• Solid grasp of the Bank’s Policies, Processes and Procedures relating to Credit and Business;
• Solid grasp of the Bank’s business model, its strategy and all of its products and services;
• Solid grasp and interpretation of industrial and national economic trends;

Required Competencies
• Strong strategic and conceptual skills
• Leadership and team management skills
• Customer centricity, with a strong appreciation for client behavior
• Solid business acumen and financial skills
• Solid and proven credit risk management
• Advanced facility structuring and negotiation skills
• Strong decision-making, conflict resolution and problem solving skills
• Networking skills, tact and diplomacy; with ability to influence key people inside and outside the Bank
• Very strong presentation, verbal and written communication skills
• Team player with strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build internal and external networks
• Ability to work under pressure, and exercise excellent judgment