Senior Relationship Manager - Corporate, Islamic Banking

Job description / Role

Establish and maintain close liaison between the bank and customers within an assigned territory for the ultimate purpose of selling Islamic Banking Corporate products, by originating, structuring, participating, and grouping market financing transactions to achieve pre-set financial objectives. Achieve profitable business transactions and capitalize on new areas of business opportunity while mitigating risk. To appraise and manage business risks within the assigned segment / territory, ensuring, proper risk mitigation, proper structuring of Islamic based facilities, perform financial analysis, quality proposals, & timely formal account reviews, as per the bank approved parameters and policies.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities:

Operating Budget:
- The job holder will be responsible for coordinating the operational expenditure of his/her.
Financial Targets:
- Will be responsible for achieving the targets agreed with the Unit Manager.

Quantifiable:
- Income and volumes of sales generated.
- Achieving own sales quota (product/volume).
- Increase depth and breadth of Relationship with existing customers.
- Level of non-performing assets.
- Up-selling and cross-selling levels.
- Number of new Islamic acquisitions.
- Increased business from existing customers.
- Utilization of limits.
- Selling across the entire Islamic product line against predefined targets.
- Number of customer complaints.
- Level of customer retention.
- Number of generated prospects and leads.
- Number and quality of Credit Applications processed.
- Changes in the level of non-performing assets
- Processing & turnaround times of customer requests as per the agreed SLAs.
- Assigned portfolios limits are valid at all times.
- Account Grading & Rating is in line with the assessed risks, and up-to-date at all times.
- Alignment of structure & pricing of the proposed limits with customers financial needs.

Non-Quantifiable:
- Maintain high standards of customer service.
- Adherence to predefined management best practices.
- Level of staff motivation and ability to remove obstacles.
- Customer satisfaction levels.
- Attitudes and personal behaviour.
- The structure & pricing of the proposed limits to be in-line with customers needs and within ADCB related policies and procedures, ADCB Islamic Banking Department Standards and Business Banking standards.
- Knowledge of Sharia standards underlying each Islamic Contract used for asset and liability structuring.
- Offered products are in accordance with Sharia principles and adhere to the Banks policies standards.

Key Results:
- Increased sales volumes / market share in target market.
- Increased profit margins.
- Better market penetration.
- Establishment of an efficient customer-focused approach representing a strong competitive edge.
- Effective work processing and risk management.
- Improved territorial coverage and customer reach.
- Increased customer satisfaction.
- Increase share of high end market and quality business within assigned segment.
- Improved portfolio quality.
- Protection of banks assets and improving the asset quality of the assigned portfolio.
- Maintaining positive risk-return ratio.
- Minimizing of one-off transactions by adequately structuring customer limits.

Main Tasks (List Main regular Activities)

Performance Objectives and Sales activities
- Tracking progress of sales against plan, and providing support and coaching to subordinates as required.
- Achieve own targets (Islamic product/volume/segment) in a consistent and competent manner.
- Manage own territory and portfolio with considerable independence.
- Establish and maintain a working rapport with customers by providing expertise in identifying their financial needs and the deployment of banks products and services to the fulfilment of these needs.
- Investigate & evaluate solutions which meets the clients organization requirements
- Provide customers with accurate and timely information on ADCB Islamic products and reveal the benefits affecting their businesses. Keep customers and prospects updated on new Islamic products andservices.
- Plan customers relationships in compliance with applicable polices and sales objectives.
- Actively source business from prospects and follow up on sales leads within designated market segments.
- Plan own customers calls via calling schedules and ensure submission of relevant call reports and correspondence.
- Identify and forward sales leads to other areas in the bank for cross-selling (HNW, PBU, RBG, etc.)
- Coordinate with product managers / specialists on promoting banks Islamic products.

Risk Management
- Responsible to assess credit risk, set and structure limits.
- Formulate account risk-mitigation strategies.
- Ensure that customer limits are valid at all times.
- Preparation of quality Credit Applications appropriately highlighting relevant risks (e.g. market risk, business risk, financial risk) and incorporating suitable mitigates, covenants, and term and conditions.
- Pro-actively manage the assigned portfolio risk by ensuring timely renewal of accounts within the applicable time standards, provided all required information is available.
- Recognize and escalate early warning signals of unsatisfactory account conduct.
- Highlight and update the approving authorities of any changes in the risk profile based on important risk indicators (financial, market, transactional, etc.)
- On-going visits to customers (existing & potential) to better assess & understand the customers business nature, requirements, and associated risks.

Profitability & Expense Control
- Ensure effective utilization of limits in order to maximize profitability.
- Identify loss making customers and devise ways to improve their profitability (cross-selling, up-selling or encourage to leave - Exit).
- Continuously seek to increase revenue margins from customers.
- Ensure permanent profitable customer transactions vis--vis the associated risks.
- Recognize early warning signals of unsatisfactory account conduct, and pursue the collection of past due facilities.

Customer Service & Service Level
- Track customer satisfaction and solicit feedback to identify improvement opportunities.
- Adhere to customer service standards set by management.
- Visit customers on regular basis to strengthen business relationships, ascertain customer needs and extend proper service.
- Receive customers and address their requests and complaints in a timely manner.
- Whenever needed, contact customer service groups and processing units to ensure satisfactory service standards are met.
- Participate in setting service levels and standards.
- Take personal responsibility to provide assistance in customers complex issues.
- Closely monitor team members adherence to customer service standards.
- Ensure customer-focused approach on transactions at all times.

Market trends/ Competitor Review
- Participate in soliciting and identifying the target market, developing new business, and implementing the annual sales plan.
- Interact with customers to obtain their feedback on ADCB image, Islamic products & services, and identify issues that require action.
- Monitor and report competitors activities and strategies (Islamic products offered, selling strategies, coverage etc.) and relay market trends and developments to sales management unit.
- Follow-up on customers lost to competition to determine reason for churn.
- Maintain a thorough familiarity of other Islamic banks products and services to deal with arguments raised by customers and prospects in daily interactions.

Risk Management / Operations
- Promptly understand the business issues and financial challenges of client's organization and industry.
- Ensure that customers financial needs are properly identified & formulation of written proposals initiated to satisfy these needs with banks Islamic products within the general guidelines of Business Banking. Review credit analysis and add high standard qualitative comments.
- Identify client organization's strengths and weaknesses and suggest areas of improvement.
- Asses risk and make pertinent recommendations in line with ADCBs applicable policies.
- Work with Quality & Control Dept. to maintain portfolio quality (e.g. OLEM, Expired Limits, and Excess Limits), ensure validity of content, and take corrective actions if necessary.
- Discuss credit packages with approving authorities.
- Ascertain timely preparation of variety of management reports and correspondence including, but not limited to: data reports on activities, results, market acceptance of banks Islamic products, market needs etc.
- Establish and maintain a close working relationship with Credit Division/Credit Administration.
- Provide credit information to senior management via reporting.

Compliance
- Adhere and comply with ADCBs internal applicable policies and procedures as well as governing regulations issued by concerned authorities.
- Cooperate and facilitate work of internal audit and risk management to address gaps, and respond to audit reports within agreed deadlines.
- Understand Sharia - Fiqh Al Muamalat.
- Monitor money laundering activities, and coordinate remedial actions with management.

Staff Development
- Participate occasionally in formal training activities of team members.
- Mentor and coach peers as needed and directed.
- Provide direction, extend support, and pass knowledge for less experienced staff.
- Share best practices with other peers and colleagues.

Self Development
- Prepare a self-development plan, agree it with the segment head, and work progressively towards achieving it.
- Attend training sessions as planned by management.
- Seek best practices from other peers and colleagues.
- Keeping team morale and motivation at high levels at all times.
- Identify the teams training needs and recommend appropriate actions in order to improve areas of shortfalls.

Miscellaneous
- Maintain the stature of the Bank in the community
- Support other teams in the area and head office as needed

Requirements

- Bachelors Degree in a relevant subject (business, accounting & finance)
- Masters degree in relevant subjects or Diploma in Banking preferred.
- Minimum 8 years experience of business banking of which 4 years in a senior position, preferably in managing people and Islamic Banking.

Specialist Skills/Training required for the Job:
- Adequate management / leadership capabilities.
- Distinguished sales skills and appropriate exposure to modern sales practices & techniques.
- Effective communicator in any medium, internally and externally.
- Team player inspires and encourages excellent performance in others to achieve common goals.
- Sound analytical, negotiation, decision-making, influencing and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent research /investigative & interpersonal skills.
- Sound knowledge of the local market.
- Determined and self-motivated.
- Understands legal structures consistent with different type of businesses.
- Appropriate risk awareness.
- Knowledge of all related areas of banking, including policies, procedures and legislation.
- Cultural sensitivity and adaptability.
- Hands on PC skills, especially spreadsheets and core banking systems.

About the Company

ADCB is a full-service commercial bank offering a wide range of products and services such as retail banking, wealth management, private banking, corporate banking, commercial banking, cash management, investment banking, corporate finance, foreign exchange, interest rate and currency derivatives, Islamic products, project finance, and property management services.