With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

Job Summary

Job Purpose

The function reports into the Head of Markets Sales within the CIB Markets function in the country. This is a management role requiring the holder to be a mature member of the CIB Markets Sales team, in a customer facing relationship management role. Responsibilities include: developing a portfolio of clients taking up derivatives products, operating with business flair; sound understanding of the Markets functions and the Bank’s customer base. The incumbent should have full knowledge of Markets products and services and proactively apply the same in the provision of value adding Markets solutions to customers identified needs, while also balancing interaction with the other two key areas of CIB Markets in driving the overall business strategy. The role calls for interaction with colleagues from other functional areas of the bank primarily Corporate Banking, Business Banking, Investment Bank, Trade Finance and Retail, while focusing on contributing to the bank’s overall business strategy, risk, cost and revenue targets.

Job Description

Job Purpose

The function reports into the Head of Markets Sales within the CIB Markets function in the country. This is a management role requiring the holder to be a mature member of the CIB Markets Sales team, in a customer facing relationship management role. Responsibilities include: developing a portfolio of clients taking up derivatives products, operating with business flair; sound understanding of the Markets functions and the Bank’s customer base. The incumbent should have full knowledge of Markets products and services and proactively apply the same in the provision of value adding Markets solutions to customers identified needs, while also balancing interaction with the other two key areas of CIB Markets in driving the overall business strategy. The role calls for interaction with colleagues from other functional areas of the bank primarily Corporate Banking, Business Banking, Investment Bank, Trade Finance and Retail, while focusing on contributing to the bank’s overall business strategy, risk, cost and revenue targets.

Purpose of the Role

• Actively participate as a team member of the CIB Markets Sales function;
• To become the preferred point of contact both externally and internally for provision of Markets Sales derivatives products;
• To become the bridge between the interests of the Corporate and Commercial and the market place for Markets products, strategies and structured solutions;
• Exploring and developing business opportunities in the Markets Sales function specifically Risk Management Products proposition;
• Balanced interaction with the other two key areas of CIB Markets in driving forward the Markets business strategy.

Main accountabilities and approximate time split

Key Responsibilities

• Managing a portfolio of customers to offer Markets’ Risk Management Products (RMPs) proposition and understanding to clients (including internal customers);
• Product and Technology sales including Africa Access FX Trading, Investment and Risk Management Products
• Trading with customers directly as required;
• Develop close contacts with both CIB and Commercial Relationship Managers and customers;
• Promote the expansion and penetration of CIB Markets business into customer segments i.e. RBB and Corporate and expand the customer base;
• Meet the various delegated volume and profitability targets;
• Ensure that Absa Group Limited (AGL) policies and procedures and relevant credit limits are adhered to at all times;
• To identify personal knowledge gaps and ensure that a self-training and development plan exists;
• Assist the Head of Markets Sales in compiling an annual Markets Strategic business plan and ensure that regular monthly feedback on performance is available.

Personal Attributes

• Business awareness;
• Quick thinker who is not afraid to act decisively;
• Strong ability to manage relationships;
• Ability to work in a dealing room environment;
• Innovative;
• Be able to use own initiative and take decisions with authority and confidence;
• Have a high ethical and moral code;
• Behave professionally at all times;
• Show effective marketing, negotiation and influencing skills;
• Be a first class verbal and written communicator.

Required Skills and Experience

• Effective trading ability and good track record;
• Exposure in Global Markets Sales;
• Degree to honours level, postgraduate qualification preferred;
• Sound understanding of balance sheet and income statement analysis;
• Basic level ACI Dealing Certificate;
• 2 years banking experience 1 of which should have been in a Global Markets environment;
• An understanding of financial risk management strategies and tools;
• A good knowledge of Financial Markets products, services, strategies and back office operations;
• A good general knowledge of other bank products, in particular trade and structured trade finance, forfaiting and merchant banking products;
• A general knowledge of merchant banking products.

Risk and Control Objective

• Manage risk and control effectively by applying applicable risk frameworks and embedding a positive risk culture
• Understanding of own role in the end to end processes in which you play a part, including applicable risks and controls.
• Adhere to Absa’s policies and procedures applicable to own role, demonstrating sound judgement and responsible risk management.
• Report all risk events / incidents / issues using the defined process for your business area and help to understand why these happened and how to prevent them in future.
• Proactively look for ways to improve the control environment by considering what could go wrong in the processes you operate and how errors could be prevented.
• Continuous and proactive engagement with regulatory bodies, unions where applicable
• All mandatory training completed to deadline

Knowledge Required

Knowledge of a Bank’s products, services and/or other specialist knowledge

A full understanding of the policies, processes and ethical issues surrounding CIB Markets business.

Other Requirements Specific to the Role

• Knowledge of other parts of the CIB Markets ;
• A good understanding of the workings of the Corporate, Retail and Merchant Banking operations;
• A willingness and ability to pro-actively manage customer relationships through on-site visits, presentations and social gathering.

Exceptional Aspects of the Role

Exceptional Aspects of the Role

A high level of self direction is expected at this level; A total commitment to sales and customer orientation; Frequent need to work outside the normal working hours; Assisting in the management of customer bank relationships across different lines; The role is expected to be increasingly risk oriented with an increasingly dynamic market presence.

Absa Values

Absa’s  Values and Behaviors represent the set of standards which governs the actions of all of us who work for the bank and against which the performance of every one of us in Absa are being assessed and rewarded:

• I drive high performance to achieve sustainable results
• I’m obsessed with customer
• I have an African heartbeat
• I believe our people are our strengths

Education

Bachelor’s Degree (Required)