Senior Relationship Manager (Corporate Banking)

Job description / Role

Our client, a large banking institution based in Bahrain are looking for a Senior Relationship Manager with an established book of corporate clients to come on board. This role will report directly to the Head of Business Banking.

Job Purpose/Objectives:

The incumbent will be responsible for the implementation of the approved Corporate Banking strategy, in line with the overall Bank strategy. The incumbent will ensure that the corporate product offerings for the corporate banking segment are continuously aligned with market best practices. The incumbent will proactively anticipate and meet the expectations and needs of the corporate banking customer base.

The incumbent will also initiate, develop, enhance and maintain key relationships with Corporate Banking clients. The incumbent will be responsible for expanding corporate banking business, predominantly domestically, in compliance with established policies, procedures, standards, regulatory requirements and market best practices. The incumbent will also be responsible to plan, organize and develop a Corporate Banking portfolio; consisting of assets, deposits and other products.

Expand the knowledge of local market and handle market research in terms of competition and market trends relating to different market segments in order to develop (and continuously update) a profile for each segment which would be useful for the decision making process for specific transactions. Maintain updated track record of targeted names in Bahrain and develop appropriate positioning strategy with respect to each names (depending on the nature and condition of the relevant market segment).

Establish calling programs followed by prompt follow-ups to solicit and capture business opportunities as and when arise. Eventually meet sales and revenue goals and achieve quantitative and qualitative objectives as per the Corporate Banking budget. Simultaneously, be alert to any adverse market trends or signs of deterioration in the existing relationships and take all necessary actions as remedy to the situation in order to protect the bank’s interests.

Principal Responsibilities:
- Responsibility for account management activities with respect to existing corporate clients including account planning, credit review, remedial management and business solicitation.
- Ensure that Bank’s products and services are marketed to target names, operating in Bahrain, in order to achieve asset and earning objectives.
- Proactively identify new business segments for improving market share.
- Interface with the operating areas of the bank to ensure efficient delivery of products and services and ensure that the banks other products and services are cross sold.
- Visit customers to improve business relationship.
- Support Head of Business Banking in formulating the strategic and business development plans for the corporate banking business and subsequently implement the approved strategy/plan to facilitate achievement of related short and long term business goals in the most effective and efficient manner.
- Support in implementation of annual plans of Corporate Banking (viz. Relationship Management, Marketing and Product Management, Financial Institutions and Structured & Project Finance) to ensure achievement of pre-set targets/ objectives, including but not limited to business growth and expansion.
- Lead the efforts for determination and implementation of appropriate pricing structures/policies for the asset and liability products.
- Identify new business opportunities and support Relationship Managers and thereby facilitate growth of business.
- Review/analyze the Corporate Banking Department management accounts (comprising the balance sheet, income statement along with the budgeted figures) on monthly basis and positively address adverse variances with Head of Business Banking.
- Ensure value added services and products to existing/potential corporate banking clientele who seek banking relationships with the Bank.
- Endeavour to enhance, maintain and deepen relationships with existing corporate customer base, as well as building new relationships.
- Build and maintain strong and effective relationships with International branches and all Head Office support functions in order to achieve the Group’s goals and objectives, including cross-selling targets.
- Maintain and enhance relationships with Government and other regulators.
- Lead the Bank in complicated Syndicated / Club deals.
- Lead the unit in deals related to Project Finance.
- Oversee the roll-out of innovative corporate banking products and monitor their performance.
- Act within the limits of the powers delegated to the incumbent; submit credit proposals which exceed the incumbent’s approval authority to the higher authority.
- Lead the development of ‘early warning systems’ that highlight possible risk deterioration in the corporate credit portfolio, in order to allow for timely corrective action. Also, monitor critical portfolio caps at required intervals and take prompt action in coordination with Credit Risk when required to uphold the quality of the portfolio.
- Coordinate Corporate Banking marketing initiatives with other line department/Groups to maximize cross-selling opportunities for the benefit of the client and the Bank as a whole.
- Possess a superior knowledge of the Market Corporate Banking business, its products and related risks together with a good knowledge of operations and control.
- Ensure high standards of confidentiality and ethics to safeguard commercially sensitive information.

Requirements

Senior Relationship Manager is directly concerned with identifying and developing new business relationships in Bahrain as well as maintaining good relations with existing customers, in order to meet business units budgets, whilst maintaining standards consistent with bank’s criteria.

The incumbent will work under the direct supervision of Head of Commercial Banking and will be an individual contributor to the role.

Knowledge, Skills, Experience and Behaviours:
- University graduate preferably with 12 to 15 years of relevant banking experience, preferably with at least 6 years at a senior managerial position in corporate banking within a highly rated international/local bank.
- Well-informed of the market competitive structure, industry practices and regulations for the corporate banking segment.
- MBA in Sales & Marketing (preferred).
- Excellent oral and written communication skills (including report writing).
- Experience in corporate product structuring.
- Good knowledge of the corporate banking environment in Bahrain and the region.
- Superior people relationship skills and awareness of risk management concept and practices.
- Understanding of the relevant laws, regulations and practices pertaining to Corporate Banking products.
- Ability to make decisions and follow through with initiatives.
- Personal integrity, self-motivation and self-management.
- Outstanding problem solving and decision making skills.
- Planning, organizing and analytical ability.
- Hardworking and performance oriented.
- Familiar with the balanced scorecard approach.
- Ability to manage teams from diverse cultural backgrounds.
- Should be smart and presentable, with pleasing personality

About the Company

AXIZ Consulting is based in the Dubai International Finance Centre and offers a bespoke, highly consultative recruitment service to local and international organisations across the GCC in both professional services and primary industries. Its founding two members come from a blend of executive search and contingent recruitment and they have taken some of the best practices of executive search and applied this to contingent recruitment in order to produce a service which offers maximum value to clients.

In order for us to build a successful company, we identified a core aim: to offer our clients a service that surpasses that of our competition. In order to do this, we have put into place both internal and external processes that ensure clients receive a consistent and professional service which gets the right results, in the right way.