Trade Sales Manager: CIB - Absa Bank

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.

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Job Summary

• To support the growth of Corporate Banking Trade business to meet business targets by developing & driving the delivery of a market leading joined-up sales strategy for the trade corporate portfolio.
• The primary objective of this role is to maximize the bank’s earnings through the sale of trade solutions to targeted commercial clients.
• This is to be accomplished by winning new client mandates and deals, expanding existing relationships, and protecting current business flows. To ensure new Trade income streams are sustainable, this individual must support the establishment of strong, long-term client relationships in conjunction with the RM/RD responsible for these accounts.

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Job Description

Sales Performance

Time split 70%

• Achieve sales performance targets as specified and agreed to within annual objectives.
• Segment each client/prospect based on anticipated needs and forecasted growth potential.
• Agree on annual client sales objectives and action plans with RM/RD organization for all ‘Priority Accounts’ and review progress quarterly.
• Plan specific call objectives required to ‘advance’ the sales process with each client.
• Complete call reports for all client sales calls.
• Develop a TWC value proposition for both existing and new exporters, with needed TWC funding and non-funding solutions to win more business from existing exporters within the portfolio and new business from exporters not banked.
• Implement a value chain strategy to target both high-potential sectors as well as high growth & future high-potential sectors
• Digitization: Rollout of Pan African Payment and Settlement system and a digital platform to facilitate trade amongst exporters/importers across the Africa region.
• Undertake capacity building & Thought leadership programs through partnerships with key stakeholders such as AfCFTA, multilateral institutions like British International Investments etc. to build the capacity of our existing and target exporters.
• Build expertise in core sectors Absa will pursue.
• Without focused role CIB risk meeting its target as there is limited FX availability to drive the import demand side of the business (Importers customer base) which drive these importers to move some of their business to competition due to limited FX inflows.
• Maintain updated and accurate ‘Trade Maps’ for all ‘Priority Accounts’ accounts as new information is identified during the sales process.
• Uncover client dissatisfaction with current situation in areas where Absa can provide alternative solutions.
• Update sales pipeline system on a weekly/periodical basis as new business opportunities are identified and existing deals are moved forward.
• Determine unique decision criteria, roles, and priorities of each client ‘buyer’ involved in the sales process.
• Influence relative importance of client decision criteria to maximize fit of Absa’s proposed solutions.
• Structure compelling solution proposals to demonstrate a thorough understanding of each client’s requirements and objectives.
• Monitor progress of all implementations and provide appropriate support to ensure all client expectations are met or exceeded.
• Develop links with other related companies and product areas to maximise cross-selling opportunities.
• Arrange customer seminars and conferences or be a part of customer get-to-gathers to enhance and value-add the sales and product education to customers.

Team Work Output

Time split: 20%

• Monitor the progress of all implementations and provide appropriate support to ensure all client expectations are met or exceeded.
• Develop links with other related departments and product areas to maximise cross-selling opportunities and client solutions.
• Attend selected seminars and conferences to promote trade solutions to targeted customers and prospects
• Coach and upskill team members in regard to trade products

Compliance/Risk

Time Split: 10%

Output

• Ensure that all potential and actual business activity and transaction comply fully with the Banks sanctions and prohibition policy.
• Take personal responsibility to ensure that all training as laid down by the bank's standard guidelines is adhered to and completed within the stated timescales.

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Technical Skills / Competencies

• Demonstrated trade industry expertise and excellent trade knowledge.
• Detailed local market knowledge
• Strong interpersonal, negotiation and selling skills.
• Ability to work across a virtual environment and across a demographic split.
• Self-starter and performance-driven
• Good presentation skills, Oral and written
• Positive attitude, integrity, and team player

Knowledge, Expertise & Experience

• The job holder will need to have some experience with regard to Credit and Operational Risk management to enable him/her to warrant the enhanced personal discretion.
• The job holder will be required to have a detailed knowledge of the core set of corporate products.
• In-depth knowledge and expertise in Export Trade.
• Recognize the changing needs of the customer.
• Identify products/services that best satisfy customer needs.
• Introduce a product/service.
• A good knowledge of the products & services available in the Personal Sector is also required to satisfy the individual financial needs of business owners/key individuals.
• The Jobholder needs to understand the Central Bank’s regulations with regard to account opening and AML
• The job holder will require a broad understanding of policies and strategies across the Group as they relate to the demands of the customer base

Educational Background & Work Experience

• Basic requirements – A degree holder with an  appreciation for numerical and statistical analysis
• Preferably a Master’s Degree holder in Finance or a related field e.g. Economics, Business, Commerce, etc.
• A minimum of 3 years work experience in a similar role would be an added advantage

Education

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