Senior Relationship Manager - Wholesale Banking – DIFC

Bank ABC seeks to recruit a Senior Relationship Manager in the Wholesale Banking Department based in our DIFC Branch, in the UAE.

The Senior Relationship Manager will be responsible for supporting UAE Local Corporate Unit’s growth in delivering on a UAE strategy aimed at leveraging existing and new capabilities across the Bank’s core markets and sectors by offering a full range of solutions and services to its clients. The candidate will be responsible for:

• Sourcing new accounts, with an emphasis on onboarding Mid to Large Corporates in targeted sectors in line with UAE Risk Acceptance Criteria.
• Independently dealing with all the stakeholders and presenting the proposals on relevant internal senior management committees.
• Growing and retaining an assigned portfolio of UAE Local Corporate clients (“LCs”)
• Contributing towards achieving the Unit's overall targets.

The candidate must work integrally and collaboratively with the Unit/Group’s Wholesale Banking product lines and Coverage teams managing the bank’s Group-wide client centric coverage effort in order to achieve overall relationship financial targets within acceptable risk parameters.

Responsibilities of the role:

Reporting to the Unit Head, Local Corporates, the job holder will:

• Contribute in UAE Corporate Coverage activities to ensure coordinated and seamless delivery of all WB Products and Coverage lines in UAE and ensure that the internal stakeholders are engaged effectively to deliver “One-Bank” to the Client;
• Plan and co-ordinate marketing of products and services to UAE Local Corporates within the portfolio with the objective to maximize revenues/returns;
• Develop, enhance and maintain relationships with existing and new UAE Local Corporates to ensure revenue/profit targets are met/exceeded;
• Prepare relationship account plans for assigned UAE Local Corporates and prospects. Implement structured calling program to give effect to these plans;
• Keep up-to-date with industry and economic indicators;
• Monitor UAE assigned Corporate account activity and early warning indicators in order to identify potential risk deterioration;
• Ensure provision of high quality and timely service to clients;
• Ensure that all documentation for a credit proposal is complete and work effectively with Credit Admin to ensure that there is no security shortfall;
• Verify/inspect any pledged inventory, mortgages, other collateral periodically to ensure minimum credit risk;
• Develop and maintain a strong working relationship with WB Middle Office;
• Ensure adherence to guidelines and rectification of discrepancies pointed out in any exception report or by internal/external auditors;
• Maintain contact with competitor bank counterparts in order to identify risk sharing opportunities;
• Ensure delivery of sustainable revenue growth whilst effectively managing operating expenses, grow the UAE Corporate Coverage base, Client share of wallet, increase overall portfolio and Client RAROC;
• Meet annual UAE Corporate Coverage budgets with the guidance received from the unit managers in Local Corporates;
• In collaboration with Group Risk, effectively manage the overall credit risk weighting of the UAE Corporate Coverage portfolio to within the limits agreed by the Board of Directors;
• In collaboration with Group Compliance, effectively manage the overall compliance risk weighting of the UAE portfolio to within the limits agreed by the Board of Directors;
• Represent Corporate Coverage on relevant internal senior management committees;
• Coordinate with Group Coverage heads and drive business integration across Wholesale Banking Coverage, ensuring necessary changes in culture and operating manner across the Group to enhance overall profitability of the Bank;
• In collaboration with Unit Managers, Local Corporate support the effective implementation of the UAE strategy for Corporate Coverage;
• Regularly recommend refinements to the UAE Corporate Coverage strategy as necessary to ensure the Group retains a competitive proposition in core markets and operates a best market practice model to the extent practicable;
• In collaboration with the relevant Senior Executives and Compliance, provide representation of UAE Corporate Coverage to the relevant regulators and effectively manage the overall regulatory position of Corporate Coverage to within satisfactory parameters.

Areas of Knowledge, Qualification and Experience

• A minimum of 12 years’ professional experience of which 10 years in corporate and or investment banking or related areas
• A minimum of a Bachelors degree in business administration, economics or equivalent; additional tertiary qualifications would be considered as a plus
• In-depth knowledge, understanding and track record of delivering ‘client to bank’ in the UAE LC client segment, including having excellent demonstrable relationships with senior managers/decision makers
• Successfully worked and developed their career with at least 10 years’ experience in local corporate coverage in the UAE
• Multinational experience would be advantageous but local UAE experience is a must.
• A strong understanding of overall UAE market with a solid understanding and knowledge of the GCC region.
• Well experienced in the WB banking product landscape, including working capital and receivables financing, global trade finance, Islamic finance structuring, capital markets (debt capital markets and loan syndications), project finance, structured finance, custody, treasury products, cash management and distribution across all asset classes.