Our client, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is seeking to recruit a Manager, Client Relations for the Caribbean Office based in Barbados. This is a permanent full-time position. For more information on the Afreximbank please visit their website www.afreximbank.com.
Nature & Scope:
Reporting to the Regional Representative – Caribbean Representative Office (Barbados), the Manager is responsible for the implementation of business plans, client account plans and strategies.
The Client Relations Department provides integrated financial solutions namely Corporate Finance, Project Finance, Specialised Funding including ECA Finance, Syndications, Trade Finance and other financial advisory products/services to clients of all industries/sectors in the Caribbean, North and South America.
During the business development process, the client relations bankers will work closely with the product expert teams and execution teams and external professional consultants to deliver viable product/financial solutions to clients.
The main focus of this position is to proactively engage the Bank’s clients in the Caribbean, North and South American Region on an individualised basis to deepen relationships and deliver the Bank’s full product offering.
The role is responsible for building deep relationships with the Bank’s corporate customers and government officials in the region, providing them with the excellent service they have come to expect.
The aim will be to manage an extensive portfolio of customers, acting as a trusted advisor to each of them. The candidate will also be expected to add to this portfolio, by targeting prospective customers and building strong relationships with them.
Key Responsibilities:
• Identifies the Bank’s key/core customers in the region by sector and prepares Account Management Plans for the purpose of maximising cross selling of the Bank’s products and services.
• Implements client coverage for a given portfolio of clients with deliberate cultivation based on proactive individualised plans. These plans would be developed in coordination with the product teams and should be designed to increase client engagement.
• Implements regional service coverage for provision of an impeccable client service to each client or government organisation. This includes timely turn around in terms of responses to client inquiries.
• Works with other deal team members across the Bank’s products and geographies to ensure timely transaction processing.
• Generates bankable leads through anticipating customer needs and finding out what information, products or services the customer requires to meet his/her needs, providing clear, accurate and relevant information.
• Ensures a strong working knowledge of client portfolios / products with the Bank. • Resolves customers’ queries within agreed authority.
• Produces call reports and file notes after any client meetings, summarising any additional actions required, including follow-up calls and reviewing call reports produced by team members.
• Plans sales activity, including reviewing existing customer files to identify sales opportunities.
• Undertakes commercial negotiations.
• Manages new business pitches.
• Complies with legal requirements, industry regulations, organisational policies and professional codes.
• Assists in the preparation of annual Regional Strategic and Marketing Plans derived from the Bank’s Strategic Plan for Management’s Approval.
• Prepares new business Pre-Assessment Memos and Credit Proposals from the region, Product teams and Head Office and makesrecommendations on the same to the Regional Chief Operating Officer and Director, Client Relations.
• Represents the Bank, where required, in high level meetings, fora and makes presentations in conformity with the high standards for which the Bank has become known.
• Maintains and improves the Bank’s image within the region.
• Other responsibilities include managing risk within the your portfolio. •
Knowledge and Skills Requirements
• A Master’s degree or equivalent in Business Administration or other related field from a recognised University.
• A Bachelor’s degree and post graduate degree in Business, Banking, Finance or other relevant field from a recognised University.
• Sound experience of at least 8 years with a leading financial services organisation and familiarity with the major trade finance products to be offered to clients especially syndication, co-financing, club deals, correspondent banking products including letters of credit, factoring, forfaiting, structured trade finance, carbon financing, corporate finance risk participations, project-related financing and considerable knowledge of how these work.
• Ability to communicate and function in a culturally diverse and change oriented setting with good knowledge of banking practices in the Caribbean, North and South America region;
• Ability to interact with senior officials of banks, corporates and governments and to represent the Bank in important professional fora where oral presentation of papers will be necessary to high level technical and professional audiences.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English. Knowledge of the Bank’s other working languages is an added advantage (French, Arabic and Portuguese). • Demonstrated leadership capabilities, including ability to organize and manage human resources to attain goals.;
• Ability to demonstrate proof of passion and commitment to the socio-economic empowerment of African countries and the ability to support the achievement of Afreximbank’s mandate.
Candidates interested in this exciting opportunity should send their Curriculum Vitae with full details of their experience, qualifications, and the names and contact details of two business references to reach no later than August 3, 2023.