Chief Credit Risk Officer, Business Bank, Absa Regional Operations- P- Level

The Chief Risk Officer (CRO) is the executive responsible for providing effective independent oversight of risks arising from the business banking across the African regional operations (10 banks). The CRO's key role is to create and implement risk management frameworks, policies, and standards that include adequate measurement, reporting, and management of financial and non-financial risks. The CRO will also monitor risk-taking activities and report on adherence to limits, regulations, and standards. The role within ARO business bank will place a strong emphasis on credit risk, including credit appetite setting, business bank commercial, sme and private wealth sanctioning, risk reporting, model risk management, and impairment and recoveries control. Furthermore, in an ARO RBB setting, the role will also be responsible for consolidated RBB credit reporting, chairing the RBB credit committee, and assisting with independent evaluation and challenge of impairment estimates, rate updates, and technical model risk matters.

• Credit Appetite: setting of credit appetite through sector and segment limits that is aligned to the business strategy, returns hurdles and earnings volatility.
• Sanctioning: sanctioning support aligned to mandate, structuring of transactions with a risk focus and voting member of the credit approval committee and independent member of country level credit committee.
• Risk Reporting: credit risk reporting at ARO level credit committees and Group credit committees related to new business, existing portfolio, impairments and recoveries.
• Actively partake and provide input into Deal Forums ensuring that credit risk associated with business opportunities are pro-actively highlighted and managed.
• Network with stakeholders and clients to obtain a commercial awareness of the regional market and industry specifics leading to improved customer solutioning.
• Manage and report on the end-to-end credit process ensuring service delivery exceeds the expectations of stakeholders (Turnarounds, client visits).
• Proactively manage the credit risk on the portfolio by ensuring timely reviews, ensuring securities and conditions are up to date and monitored. Understanding of legal documents relating to securities and traded product, including ISDA and CSA.
• Obtain an in-depth industry understanding of local markets to better understand the risk profile of our portfolio.
• Remain up to date on legal changes as well as Basel requirements to reduce the risk associated with the portfolio.
• Client: Conduct client visits on material new business sanctioning and business support cases.
• Control Environment: Ensure control environment is tracked and remediated to target risk appetite through recovery plans.
• Capability: shape, influence and improve business banking credit process, technology and capability to improve automation, efficiency. Ensure people skills are appropriately aligned to business strategy. Lead motivations for investments through business cases as required.

• Voting member of ARO Business Bank Credit Committee and alternative chair.
• Responsible for the setup and management of credit committees (i.e. sanction, watchlist, impairment, portfolio reviews).

• Ensure all models are compliant with the Group’s models and standards.
• Identify model related gaps with appropriate compensating controls.
• Provide appropriate business bank business insight into new model construction.

• Responsible for the independent assessment of performing and non-performing balance sheet Impairment with monthly review of ECL
• Manage Impairments to plan within acceptable level of portfolio levels.
• Test appropriateness of staging and restructure assumptions, forward-looking impairment and management overlays.
• Responsible for robust Group and BU impairment report with a strong forward guidance on material matters.

• Review the reporting for ARO RBB to Group Credit, Board, regulatory, internal business and finance committees to ensure the numbers presented and messaging is fit for purpose and represents the portfolio position.
• Chair RBB Credit committee.
• Provide retail credit with support on independent review and challenge of impairments, rate update and model technical matters.

• Build and manage the In Country credit Head ensuring the delivery and compilation of high quality and to achieve excellent business results through continuous people development and mentoring activities.
• Enhance the skill base of the credit analyst pool through active management initiatives and leading by example, on the strength of technical proficiency.
• Ensure the development of a high-performing team through embedding formal performance.
• Development and informal coaching.
• Determine and analyze training and development needs for direct reports. Ensure that identified training is budgeted.
• Develop workforce planning and ensure recruitment strategy supports it.
• Address performance issues promptly using the correct channels.

• Build strong relationships with both ARO and Centre Absa internal and external stakeholders.
• Effectively communicate developments within areas of activity to all relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure impeccable and timeous service levels.
• Ensure that all teams within the pod work closely together to deliver a high level of client service.

Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required)