Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time.

My Career Development Portal: Wherever you are in your career, we are here for you. Design your future. Discover leading-edge guidance, tools and support to unlock your potential. You are Absa. You are possibility.

Job Summary

To drive and deliver exceptional business performance, through the provision of efficient business
management, effective leadership, team development and achievement of operational rigor
excellence in line with market potential, to maximize business growth, retention and profitability
targets for the Region.

Job Description

1. Business Management (40%)

• Implement business strategies to deliver performance and growth targets of the region.

• Interpret overall Retail and Business Banking strategies into implementable plans and

communicate to the region’s branch network.

• Drive cluster performance against agreed to targets and take key accountability for the

overall achievement of key performance standards agreed with Customer Network

leadership in areas including;

-Balance sheet growth,

-Sales growth and income contribution,

-Cost performance,

-Employee satisfaction,

-Customer experience,

-Operational risk and control rigor management

• Accountable for achieving annual financial targets as agreed with the Head of Customer

Network or Retail and Business Banking Director. Monitoring of progress towards achieving

targets is done monthly.

• Sign off on invoices and all payments above Branch Manager limits, within overall annual

cost budget as agreed with the Head of Customer Network.

• Approve purchase/ refund business decisions above Branch Manager limits e.g. Sundry

loss, Potential Loss Accounts (PLA), customer refunds.

• Authorise requests from branch managers for capital expenditure. Resolve escalated

equipment concerns received from branch managers.

• Brand, product, and business proposition:

• Provide clear direction to Branch Managers on thel business objectives, translating and

prioritizing into business performance measures at branch level.

• Analyse local area consumer trends, competitor analysis, business development

opportunities based on detailed analysis received from branch managers in the area. Guide

branch managers on how to conduct market analysis.

• Based on analysis, request that product within ranges, or new product ranges from the

current set available in-country, be added to the portfolio of products the branches in the

area offer. Arrange implementation of new product sets with assistance from specialist

product managers and ensure that Branch Managers are prepared for the implementation.

• Occasionally contact key business influencers, mostly on request from the branch manager,

to support sales initiatives or complaint resolution.

• Support product specialists and the direct sales team in marketing of group schemes and

other corporate products to local businesses.

• Review balanced score card statistics compiled by branch managers on a monthly basis.

Discuss progress with branch managers and ensure that exceptional performance is

recognized. Also agree action plans with line managers that are not meeting targets, and

review progress towards such action plans during the next month.

• Drive and manage the delivery of a multi-channel sales and service strategy across the

region to attract, grow and retain quality business.

2. People Management (20%)

• Working with the branch managers and branch staff to achieve sales & service through inbranch business development activities and providing feedback to the branch managers on

their performance.

• Build and develop a high performing team through embedding performance development

and coaching. Ensure that branch managers in the area provide regular coaching and

feedback to their teams in order to develop to them.

• Discuss and finalise Performance Development Plans and ratings for all branch managers

in the region.

• Determine and manage Training Needs Analysis and Succession plans for Branch

Managers and ensure they do the same for all their staff.

• May be involved in the interview process for branch staff if the branch manager requests,

but branch manager selects the candidate.

• Effective resource management/ planning that reflects current and future business

requirements, ensuring that the correct balance of numbers, skills and experience, by

playing an active role in recruitment and exits. This includes evaluating requests from

branch managers for additional staff, and may reallocate headcount between branches,

within overall area headcount budget.

• Review patterns of staff attendance, based on monthly absence statistics (annual leave,

sick leave, family responsibility leave, maternity leave, study leave etc) compiled by Branch

Managers.

• Monitor and manage leave uptake for the region.

• Initiates charges for branch managers when required, follows discipline process, together

with HR and an independent chairperson. Dismissals are signed off by the functional head.

May act as appeals chairperson in cases that were unresolved during the first disciplinary

enquiry, except for dismissal cases that have to be appealed to the MD. Also acts as first

level escalation point for grievance cases.

• Working with the team to achieve sales & service through in-branch business development

activities.

• Ensure that branch staff own and manage customer queries and complaints by taking

ownership and resolving in a timely manner. Act as the escalation point for their unresolved

queries and complaints.

• Motivate staff and ensure they are recognized through the recognition schemes.

• Create an empowering environment for branch staff, encouraging individual ownership and

initiative.

• Ensure development & job rotation of staff. Provide sufficient cross training to staff members

thereby creating back-ups for different jobs.

• Directly responsible for discipline – initiate misconduct or incapacity charges, follow

discipline processes together with HR and an independent chairperson. Build the case files

where required.

3. Customer Service (20%)

• Review monthly query and complaint trend analysis compiled by branch managers, as well

as data provided by the Customer Contact Centre. Review branch action plans and provide

advice on how to improve the service delivery.

• Drive service excellence in the region by planning, continuous monitoring, enforcement of

all SLAs, service standards and service initiatives with the Bank

• Forecast and plan service demand by taking into account resources, market demands,

structure, cost, operational risk and system capabilities for the region.

• Assume ultimate accountability for the management and resolution of customer queries and

complaints.

• Drive correct segmentation of the customer base according to the local market.

• Review ATM uptime monthly to ensure that it is kept within 96% and that the branch

managers have raised any issues to the Channel Manager at head office.

• Ensure that all service initiatives, linked to the 5-point plan, are rolled out in the area,

including ongoing customer service toolkit training.

• Can approve temporary overdrafts and loan appeals up to predetermined levels.

4. Administration (5%)

• Provide input to Operations/Procurement/Premises on the appointment of external service

providers (such as courier service, cleaning service, maintenance etc).

• Review change management requests identified by branch managers for IT changes (e.g.,

customized reports) prior to submission to the IT Manager for implementation.

5. Contribution to the team (5%)

• Deputize for the Head of Customer Network when required.

6. Rigour/Compliance (10%)

• Run business, control, coordinate activities, adherence to set guidelines, job descriptions,

governance, and execution.

• Monitor and manage complete regulatory compliance in the region.

• Drive the quality of loan applications and increased knowledge of lending.

• Establish, monitor, and manage physical, operational and process risk controls as well as

levels of authority in the Region to minimize risk exposure.

• Satisfactory audit results

Any other duties that maybe assigned to you from time to time by the Bank.

Preferred Education

•Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration/ Commerce, or any other related field
•Master’s Degree, post graduate education or professional certifications in related field are an added advantage.

Preferred Experience
•5 years’ experience in the Financial Services sector which must include proven experience.
•3 years’ experience on a management level in a large corporate
•3 years Retail and Business Banking Experience

Knowledge and Skills

•Business understanding and management experience of Retail Banking (60%) and Business Banking (40%)
•Understanding of competitor activity, drivers, products, strengths, vulnerabilities, market share, customer base and improves own Region’s strategies and tactics.
•Thorough understanding of market management and market segmentation
•Sound knowledge of distribution channels
•Sound knowledge of branch transaction processes
•Sound knowledge of the Code of Banking Practise
•Thorough understanding of business and financial management principles and practices

Skills

•Excellent interpersonal skills
•Excellent communication skills
•Decision making skills
•Problem solving skills
•People management skills
•Conflict resolution skills
•Change management skills
•Negotiation skills
•Stakeholder management
•Valid driver’s license

Education

Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required)