AVP, Credit Risk

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Planning

• Lead in the strategic planning and management of KWAP’s Risk framework to ensure the appropriate structure, people, and processes are in place to support effective implementation of credit risk activities to meet departmental KPIs and strategic outcomes.
• Conduct benchmarking studies on relevant areas to identify industry best practices related to credit risk policy, procedures, and processes.
• Ensure that KWAP’s business operations and processes are robust and keep abreast of current developments in economic, political, technological, and social landscapes, in line with KWAP’s strategic objective to become thought leaders.

Credit Risk Management

• Review investment proposals or notifications related to fixed income, loans, private credit, treasury activities, and fund level investment strategies.
• Provide guidance to direct reports on the preparation of risk review to facilitate decision making at Investment Committee and Investment Panel.
• Review the compliance of investment risk exposure against approved risk limits and lead a discussion of a mitigation plan with the compliance unit and fund managers in the event of non-compliance.
• Review periodic or ad hoc stress simulations on fixed income risk for investment portfolios.
• Review and assess risk exposures Vis a Vis risk appetite external factors and internal capabilities or strategies.

Organising and Implementation

• Lead and coordinate the development and overseeing credit risk management activities, including enhancing risk culture and awareness, to meet commitments aligned with organisational goals and business objectives.
• Provide oversight and guidance and facilitate the identification and analysis of inherent and material risks and impacts on KWAP’s environment, business operations, and activities.

Stakeholder Management, Communication, and Reporting

• Lead the credit risk team to identify and manage stakeholders (Board, Board-level committees, Management-level committees, Senior Management, and other identified stakeholders), and ensure timely and effective communication of risk issues.
• Guide the credit risk team to understand stakeholders’ needs, issues, or concerns and react to these by leading, coordinating, and implementing the required action plans.
• Develop structured communication that is aligned with the desired objectives and deploy different styles of influence to persuade relevant stakeholders and gain internal and external consensus.
• Manage timely and effective reporting of all risk concerns via preparation of management reports for the Board, Board-level committees, Management-level committees, Senior Management, and other identified stakeholders.

Integrated and Analytical Thinking

• Lead the credit risk team to apply integrated and analytical thinking in implementing credit risk management activities to ensure effective problem-solving and holistic decision making.
• Gather relevant information from different sources to identify issues and opportunities.
• Analyse information and use a methodical step-by-step approach to break down complex problems or processes into their constituents’ parts (if relevant) to identify causes and propose appropriate solutions.
• Evaluate possible implications of solution options and arrive at a decision contextual to the situation.
• Provide guidance and training to others on analysing fixed income and credit risk data trends or outlook in reporting to facilitate decision making.

Investment Risk System

• Supervise and provide guidance to the credit risk team in the maintenance and management of credit risk systems and engagement with vendors, IT, and other stakeholders in the maintenance and troubleshooting of the system.

Costing and Budgeting

• Review and provide guidance on annual budget preparation to ensure sufficient cost coverage for recurring and/or new credit risk systems, initiatives, and operations.

Policy Development and Implementation

• Lead in formulating, reviewing, developing, and implementing intellectual documents (i.e., Framework, Policies, Guidelines and SOPs) to ensure adequate governance and guidance related to fixed income, loans, and private credit asset classes.
• Provide recommendations to improve policies, processes, and procedures for effective organisational management and business operation. This includes assessing the credit risk controls related to the processes documented in the standard operating procedure (SOP).

Project Management

• Oversee or lead the Risk Management and Compliance Department projects and other projects at the departmental and/or enterprise level and ensure the achievement of the project’s outcome and deliverables within the desired cost, timeline, and resources.
• Provide advisory in relation to risk and operational issues as well as participate in various engagements with stakeholders.

Key Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Risk Management, Economics, Statistics, Accounting or any related field.
• Possess professional certification such as Financial Risk Manager (FRM) or Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) is an added advantage.
• Minimum 5 to 8 years of direct working experience in risk management. Preferably in credit risk management.
• Possess knowledge of loan and treasury products, particularly fixed income, hedging, and funding.
• Well versed in financial industry best practices on credit or market risk management.
• Result oriented, resourceful, and proactive individuals.
• Possess strong analytical, problem solving, and interpersonal skills.
• Experienced in strategic management and leadership across company functions, directing substantial resources with a minimum experience of 2 years in a managerial role.