Manager, Guarantees & Specialised Finance (Guarantees)

Key Responsibilities

The position holder will be part of the Guarantee and Specialised Finance function, whose main objectives include:

(a) Managing the Afreximbank Guarantee Programme (AFGAP) under which the Bank deploy its risk bearing instruments to promote trade and trade-related investments in Africa in line with the Bank’s Exim-plus objectives.

(b) Fostering partnership with relevant institutions including commercial banks, ECAs, DFIs, Multilaterals, insurance entities, guarantee and other specialised finance institutions to advance the realization of AFGAP objectives.

(c) Using the Bank’s guarantee programme and other instruments to leverage resources (local and international), to create capacity to support growing demand for trade finance in Africa.

(d) Structuring bankable guarantee transactions using the Bank’s risk mitigation products to support overall achievement of the Bank’s strategic goals.

(e) Ensuring that appropriate guarantee instruments are used to help de-risk the Bank’s balance sheet for effective and optimal capital usage.

(f) Working closely with key internal parties to ensure seamless and successful implementation and operation of the Bank’s guarantee programme.

(g) Acting as AFGAP Champion by growing the Bank’s guarantees portfolio including identifying and vetting prospective clients in partnership with relevant internal deals team.

(h) Managing the relationship between the Bank and relevant industry associations including thought leadership organisations in line with the Bank’s Exim-plus objectives.

(i) Marketing of the Bank’s Guarantee Programme by actively working with relevant internal and external partners to market the Bank’s guarantee programme to clients including potential clients and other users of the programme.

Specific responsibilities include:

Deal Origination and Structuring:

• Work closely with client relationship team to secure guarantee and other unfunded risk mandates from existing and potential clients of the Bank

• Identify, negotiate and execute profitable transactions including trade, capital market, projects and export development transactions using the Bank’s guarantee programme and other related arrangements.
• Co-ordinate borrower due diligence, deal structuring and pricing negotiations.

• Build and or evaluate financial models, specifically project cash flow models, relating to guarantees and other specialised finance transactions.

Marketing:

• work closely with client relationship team, AFGAP-TFIs, guarantee and other unfunded risk partners, commercial banks, DFIs, multilaterals and Africa focused deal originating entities to identify transactions to be supported using the Bank’s guarantee instruments.
• actively market the Bank’s guarantee product to African corporates, non-African corporates, commercial banks (African and non-African), multilaterals, DFIs, ECAs and other specialised financial institutions including insurance and global guarantee institutions.

• coordinate and/or participate in deal roadshows and co-financing partner calling programmes to support expansion of the Bank’s guarantee and other specialised finance activities.

• provide feedback and lead to other origination team on potential opportunity that you come across relating to projects, export development, capital market and trade transactions that you will help the Bank in the realisation of its strategic objective.

Relationship Management:

• Establish and maintain a diversified network of guarantee and other specialised risk mitigation solution partners including insurance market, development agencies, DFIs, ECAs, multilaterals, commercial banks (local and international), industry associations, among others.
• Work closely with Client Relationship team to develop and maintain strong network of senior level African financial institutions, corporates, sovereign and sub-sovereign, African exporter, importer and project sponsor contacts to facilitate securing of guaranteed mandates.
• Manage the Bank’s relationships with wide network of professional advisors, consultants and deal originators to facilitate deal due diligence.
• Manage the Bank’s relationships with wide network of professional associations including industry thought leaders, academia, and other relevant bodies to help advance the Bank’s Exim-plus objectives.
• Devise and implement enhanced cooperation in projects, capital market offering, capital goods and services import and export finance, trade finance transactions within and across Africa and between Africa and the rest of the world.
• Work closely with internal parties including relevant committees to ensure effective deployment and utilisation of the Bank’s AFGAP programme.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Minimum

Qualifications

Master’s degree in Finance, Banking, Economics, Management or a related field from a good university. A professional qualification in Finance, Banking, Risk Management, Accounting or International Trade Finance or related disciplines may be accepted in lieu of the Master’s degree. Certificate for Specialists in Demand Guarantees (CSDG®) is an added advantage.

Years & Nature of Experience

· Sound experience of at least 8 years with a leading organisation and familiarity and working knowledge in guarantees and risk underwriting involving trade and project finance products.

· At least 8 years of experience in dealing with risk mitigation products, project and export & international trade finance and good understanding of the medium to long-term cross border debt markets, with proven background in risk management, financial modelling, credit analysis, loan documentation and corporate finance.

· Good knowledge of the ICC and other international rules governing guarantees including URDG 758 and ISP98.

· Ability to communicate and function in a culturally diverse and change oriented setting including knowledge in the workings of the main segments of the African project and export finance markets including risk mitigation markets.

· Constructive deal team leadership and strong teamwork approach.

· Ability to engage senior officials of banks, corporates and governments to leverage the Bank’s guarantee and specialised finance products.

· Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English. Knowledge of the Bank's other working languages (French, Arabic and Portuguese) is an added advantage

· Willingness to travel extensively and to work long hours where required in order to achieve the Bank's objectives.

· Demonstrated leadership capabilities, including ability to build and nurture relationships with internal and external counterparties to attain goals.

· Sales, marketing and negotiation skills.

· Knowledge and understanding of the financing programmes offered by specialised guarantee institutions, export credit agencies, insurance institutions, development agencies offering guarantees especially those with focus on Africa project, export and buyer credit financing arrangements.

· Proven ability to win mandates with minimal supervision and proven ability to execute and close strategic transactions.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

Proficiency level:

As shown in Table 1 below:

PROFICIENCY

LEADERSHIP SKILLS

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

PROBLEM SOLVING & BUSINESS IMPACT

SUPPORTING

AFREXIMBANK MANDATE

• Experienced professional with significant experience in own field.

• Operates autonomously and is generally responsible for an end-to-end process within its own area, including managing and coordinating people and resources.

• Acts as a first escalation point across Afreximbank for technical queries in its own area and is expected to produce finalised technical material.

• Acts as a subject matter expert in own area, providing technical guidance to colleagues across Afreximbank while maintaining required integrity.

• Coaches, motivates and mentors junior colleagues.

• May have formal line management responsibilities for a limited number of junior professionals and clerical staff.

• Identifies and addresses training needs for the team, including preparing and delivering training programmes as directed by senior management.

• Builds and manages effective working relationships both internally and (where relevant) externally at different organisational levels.

• Influences decisions at functional level and may support external negotiations.

• Presents complex technical information to diverse audiences in a clear and concise manner for purposes of driving results.

• Solves non-routine and occasionally complex problems based on sound critical analysis, technical knowledge and prior experience.

• Acts with flexibility as an escalation point for technical issues encountered by junior colleagues.

• Impacts its own function by managing a specific area or sub-function, including inputting to functional strategy and policies and providing technical expertise, advice and guidance across the organisation.

• Has a solid understanding of Afreximbank’s products and services and how their own area contributes to Afreximbank’s values and mission.

• Has a good knowledge of the Continent’s political, economic and trade landscape and is able to offer well informed opinions on the subject internally and to external counterparts.

• Identifies practical ways in which Afreximbank’s values and mission can be cascaded to junior colleagues and external parties.

Behavioural Competencies

Afreximbank’s Core Values:

● Commitment to Africa and supporting the emancipation and empowerment of Africans

● Uncompromising integrity

● Passion for Learning and Drive

● Teamwork

● Trust and Respect for the Individual

● Innovation, Excellence and Flexibility

● Professionalism and Responsiveness

KEY INTERACTIONS

Internal

External

All Origination departments of the Bank; Legal, Trade Services, Agency, Loan Administration.

Co-Guarantee and Re-Guarantee partners, including political and credit risk insurance market., Berne Union members, etc. External legal advisors, insurance brokers, etc.