Trade Finance Specialist at Absa Bank Limited in Nairobi, Kenya

    Absa Bank Limited logo

    Trade Finance Specialist

    Absa Bank LimitedNairobi, Kenya

    Posted

    2 days ago

    Apply by

    27 Aug

    Full Time
    On Site
    Senior
    Banking, Insurance & Financial Services
    Banking, Insurance & Financial Services

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    Job Description

    Assist in articulation, ownership and execution of the TB strategy for Business Banking in the commercial banking segment. Lead and manage senior level client interaction and sales. Manage and deliver business objectives through the BB sales team in the commercial banking segment. Manage and grow TB business each year across the BB clients in the commercial banking segment. Manage the returns while employing sound risk management disciplines.

    Key Responsibilities

    • Accountable for the delivery of TB revenues from Business Banking clients in the commercial banking segment.
    • Develop and execute the sales strategy to deliver the revenue ambition through a portfolio of existing and target list in BB.
    • Increase client penetration and revenues for the bank by actively promoting the bank's network and product capabilities cross selling.
    • Replicate TB solutions and successes within the portfolio.
    • Lead the team to achieve quantitative and qualitative performance objectives for your portfolio.
    • Leverage the existing sales tools and techniques to identify opportunities for new/incremental business - account planning and pipeline management to achieve sales/revenue targets.
    • Maintain a detailed and up to date knowledge of the bank's comprehensive products capabilities and their application to clients' needs and use this knowledge in structuring of solutions.
    • Ensure smooth interaction and communication with the Customer Support team, product development and customer services teams within Business Banking team.
    • Drive alignment with key stakeholders; TB teams across multiple geographies, Business Banking and operations to achieve TB priorities.
    • Lead client insight events and industry forums to showcase ABSA's leadership in Transaction Banking and also to build the brand awareness.
    • Maintain high performance standards and role model behaviours that demonstrate the bank values.
    • Working with the BB service team ensure delivery of world class customer service practices and ensure adherence to ABSA Service standards.
    • Lead the team in assisting the BB coverage teams in the commercial banking segment develop relationship account plans for their customer portfolios.
    • Achieve operational rigor excellence in all aspects of procedures and processes undertaken to ensure 100% compliance.
    • Minimize potential of fraudulent applications by following each product criteria.
    • Ensuring that pricing is authorized by as per mandate Business Banking Director and Transactional Baking Director, agreed with Customer, and properly set up to ensure 100% collection upon product/customer set up.
    • Follow the TB end-to-end product set-up process ensuring new set-ups are authorized and properly set up.
    • Ensure compliance with operations risk & rigour requirements e.g. Health & Safety standards and security of premises.
    • Set SMART individual objectives that are in line with and seek to achieve the teams overall objectives.
    • Review and drive performance of the team against the objectives on a regular basis, Identify training needs and recommend training plans to satisfy those needs for the CSAs.

    Required Qualifications

    • Bachelor's degree or equivalent academic qualifications
    • Post graduate or equivalent academic qualifications
    • Over 5 years' experience in BB or CIB
    • Strong people and sales management skills experience
    • Frontline Transactional sales experience
    • Must be willing to be stationed outside Nairobi.
    • Relevant work experience outside Nairobi will be an added advantage
    • Strong people and sales management skills, and experience in banking.
    • Solid and proven frontline transactional sales experience across Working Capital, Trade Finance documentary trade products i.e. LCs, bonds & guarantees; bank & country risk products, Supply Chain Financing & Cash Management Regional/Local payments, receipts and liquidity management structures, system infrastructure, etc.
    • Skills for analysing and formatting data provided by Finance and other sources
    • Strong sales management skills and experience, ideally with relevant banking or business/corporate banking background
    • Proven treasury, credit and country risk exposure

    Job Details

    Job Function

    Banking, Insurance & Financial Services

    Minimum Experience

    5 years

    Education Level

    Bachelor’s Degree

    Area of Study

    Business

    Field of Study

    Finance

    Additional Information

    How to Apply: Visit the application link provided on this page to submit your application.

    Master the Trade Finance Sales Conversation

    This role sits at the intersection of deep product knowledge and frontline sales leadership. Hiring managers will probe how you've grown revenue from trade products while managing risk and leading a team.

    1. Quantify your trade finance wins: On your CV, show specific revenue growth numbers from trade products like LCs, guarantees, and supply chain finance. Use percentages and absolute figures to demonstrate impact.

    2. Show product depth: Be ready to discuss how you've structured solutions across working capital, documentary trade, and cash management. Prepare a few examples of complex deals you've closed.

    3. Prove your leadership: This role involves managing a team, so highlight your people management experience. Talk about how you've coached sales teams to hit targets.

    4. Highlight risk management: Trade finance is risk-heavy. Emphasize your experience with credit and country risk, and how you've balanced revenue growth with compliance.

    5. Prepare for stakeholder questions: You'll work with TB teams, operations, and coverage. Expect questions on how you've aligned these groups to achieve priorities.

    6. Show willingness to relocate: The posting stresses being stationed outside Nairobi. If you're open to this, state it clearly in your application and interview.

    7. Know the bank's products: Research Absa's transaction banking offerings and be ready to discuss how you'd leverage them for client penetration.

    8. Demonstrate data skills: You'll need to analyze finance data. Prepare to discuss how you've used data to identify opportunities and drive decisions.

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    Tags

    trade finance
    transaction banking
    sales management
    working capital
    documentary trade