Manager, Trade Finance (Anglophone West Africa)

Job Description

About the organisation

The African Export Import Bank (the “Bank”) was established in Abuja, Nigeria in October, 1993 by African Governments, African private and institutional investors as well as non-African financial institutions and private investors for the purpose of financing, promoting and expanding intra-African and extra-African trade. The Bank was established under the twin constitutive instruments of an Agreement signed by member States and multilateral organizations, and which confers on the Bank the status of an international multilateral organization; as well as a Charter, governing its corporate structure and operations, signed by all Shareholders. The authorized share capital of the Bank is Five Billion United States Dollars (US$5 billion).

 

About the role

The role is supposed to help the Bank to achieve its mission “stimulating  a consistent expansion of and diversification of African trade so as to rapidly increase Africa’s share of global trade, while operating as a first class, profit oriented, socially responsible financial institution and a centre of excellence in African trade matters” by finding and developing opportunities for business development in trade finance, corporate finance and investment banking across all member states and participating states.

 Nature & scope

The role of the position holder will be to participate in drawing up annual business development plans in trade and corporate finance and to implement these plans with support from the Head of Trade Finance. 

Duties and responsibilities

  • Originating and completing trade finance transactions across a spectrum of sectors in different countries in liaison with the branch teams and with support from the Head of Trade Finance;
  • Structuring transactions, developing and negotiating term sheets to execution;
  • Participate in the preparation of annual business development plans, covering all aspects of international trade finance;
  • Translate business development plans into real business for the Bank from all segments of trade finance market e.g.
    1. Factoring;
    2. Forfaiting; 
    3. Remittance-backed business;
    4. Investment Banking etc.
  • Developing, marketing and managing product programmes such as Africorrbanking and CONTOUR
  • Design schemes and road-shows for establishing market presence with emphasis on broadening the geographic scope of the Bank’s activities;
  • Manage given portfolios, from the process of origination, credit approval and contracting to ensure that the process is finalised within optimal time;
  • Supporting the credit department with information to facilitate the credit process and the legal department in the facilitation of transaction documentation;
  • In line with the above, liaise with the Banking Operations department to ensure that once approval is got, disbursement is done within the required timelines and that the portfolio is managed according to the terms of the agreement and to the client’s satisfaction, until expiry of the same;
  • Establishing ties with market participants including international banks, African financial institutions, (trade finance intermediaries), corporates and commodity boards and organizations;
  • Any other duties as may be assigned by senior management.

Skills, Knowledge and Attitude

  • First and Post graduate degrees in Business Administration, Banking or Finance from a recognized University or a professional qualification in Banking or International Trade Finance;
  • Sound experience of at least 8 years with a leading 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 and therefore knowledge of the workings of the main segments of the trade finance markets and the participants in major regions of Africa;
  • Ability to meet senior officials of banks, corporates and governments and win their confidence that the specialist’s products will meet the needs of these parties;
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English. Knowledge of the Bank’s other working languages is an added advantage (French, Arabic and Portuguese).
  • Proven experience in marketing trade and project finance products.  The candidate must demonstrate experience and knowledge of designing and selling structured trade finance products;
  • 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 organize and manage human resources to attain goals.