Assistant Manager, Information Technology (Solution Management)

About Afreximbank African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra-and extra-African trade.

For 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialization and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank is setting up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries to effectively participate in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2023, Afreximbank’s total assets and guarantees stood at over US$37.3 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$6.1 billion. The Bank disbursed more than US$104 billion between 2016 and 2023. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody’s (Baa1), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure, (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.

Job Purpose

Main Responsibilities:

• Lead the design, development, and enhancement of digital solutions in Payments, Trade Finance, Loan Administration, and Financial Messaging.
• Define and execute product roadmaps aligned with the Bank’s strategic objectives.
• Manage digital workflows to support enterprise-wide financial services.
• Ensure the scalability, security, and resilience of financial systems through modern technology adoption.
• Drive the implementation of SWIFT Standards Releases, ensuring seamless upgrades to ISO15022, ISO20022, CBPR+ standards or any future standards/
• Oversee financial messaging enhancements, including SWIFT GPI, other payment channels and CIPS (Chinese Cross-Border Interbank Payment System).
• Maintain compliance with global financial messaging standards, regulatory guidelines, and risk management frameworks.
• Serve as the technical liaison for SWIFT, CIPS, and other financial networks, ensuring successful integration and adherence to best practices.
• Develop and optimize real-time payment processing, trade finance automation, and cross-border transaction capabilities.
• Ensure the integration of digital banking channels with internal and external financial ecosystems.
• Work with treasury, risk, and compliance teams to ensure seamless transaction execution and regulatory alignment.
• Monitor industry trends and recommend innovation strategies for digital payments and trade services.
• Lead the Bank’s participation in the Chinese Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS).
• Manage the technical integration and compliance framework for CIPS transactions. Continuously evaluate and improve the efficiency, security, and scalability of financial digital solutions.
• Identify emerging financial technologies, automation tools, and AI-driven innovations to enhance operational effectiveness.
• Drive process automation and digital enablement across key financial services.

Compliance Responsibilities:

• Understand and adhere to the Bank's AML, Regulatory and Conduct Compliance policies and procedures, notably :
• Staff Handbook (has code of conduct provisions)
• Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Counter Financing of Terrorism and Counter Proliferation Financing
• Conflicts of Interest and Policies on Staff Involvement in External Engagements/Activities
• Anti-Bribery & Corruption
• Insider Trading Guidelines
• Report any suspicious or non-compliant activities or matters relating to the Bank’s staff or the customers to the Compliance Department.
• Complete the Annual Compliance Training/Assessment.

Qualifications and Experience

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in financial technology, digital payments, trade finance solutions, or loan administration systems
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in product management and/or business analysis.
• At least three years of professional experience in data analytics, with a strong ability to interpret complex data, generate insights, and support strategic decision-making.

Years & Nature of Experience

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to think strategically and creatively.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build and maintain strong relationships.
• Strong understanding of the cloud, application architectures, databases, and operating systems
• Experience in developing and managing digital banking platforms, payment processing systems, or SWIFT-based financial messaging solutions.
• Proven track record in leading large-scale digital transformation initiatives in financial institutions.
• Experience with cross-border payment systems, such as SWIFT GPI, CIPS, Mastercard, Currency Cloud, and financial APIs.
• Prior involvement in regulatory compliance and governance for digital financial solutions (e.g., SWIFT SR2025, ISO15022/ISO20022).
• Proven experience in working with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Good understanding of software development methodologies (e.g., Agile, Scrum, DevOps).
• Excellent project management, organizational, and communication skills.

Technical Competencies:

Proficiency

• Experience working with cross-functional teams, including engineering, sales, marketing, and operations, in a dynamic environment to drive product strategy and implementation.
• Strong proficiency in data-driven methodologies, leveraging analytics to inform decision-making, optimize processes, and drive business outcomes.
• Proficiency in identifying market shifts, fostering cross-functional collaboration, and translating vision into actionable strategies.
• Deep understanding of Software Lifecycle Management.
• Deep experience in defining business requirements
• Experience working with development teams
• Deep experience with SWIFT CBPR+ Standard
• Good understanding of messages formats and their orchestration.

Leadership Skills

• Maintains executive level interactions with a range of internal and (where relevant) external stakeholders, establishing effective working relationships and networks with other functions and dealing conflicts.
• Contributes to negotiations with firm-wide impact and represents Afreximbank Group at third party events and meetings.
• Regularly contribute to innovative concepts to gain executive approval.
• Can influence others outside own line of authority to drive and achieve results.
• Building strong relationships across units/departments/divisions and with external partners.

Interpersonal Skills

• Builds and manages effective working relationships both internally and externally at different organisational levels.
• Influences decisions at functional level and support external negotiations.
• Presents complex technical information to diverse audiences in a clear and concise manner for purposes of driving results.

Problem Solving & Business Impact

• 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 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.

Supporting Afreximbank Mandate

• 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.

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

• Banking Operations
• Credit Assessment
• Treasury and Markets
• Client Relations
• Digital Banking

External

• Software Factory partners
• Software providers
• Cloud Infrastructure providers
• Banking Solutions providers
• Security Solutions providers
• Fintech Leading companies