Asset Finance Analyst at Absa Group Limited (Absa)

Job Summary

• To ensure that credit applications approvals are of an acceptable risk and appropriate quality and conform to the Absa Credit’s  lending policy and that the applications are timeously packaged and approved.

Job Description

Accountability:  

• Liaise with Business Development Officer (BDO), clients and any other stakeholders to understand the process or requirements of credit applications for all clients concerned.
• Conduct research on the industry in which the client operates to understand the industries overall profitability, industry trends and client's market standing relative to its competitors.
• Perform robust financial and non-financial analysis on the client that will support and underpin all new proposals for commercial asset finance in terms of the clients' credit risk implications.
• Make use of clients' historical data for example, its financial statements to forecast the clients’ potential growth and sustainability. Conduct a sensitivity/scenario analysis to determine the impact that a change in, for example the economy, political situation, consumer demand etc. will have on the clients’ financial health.
• Based on analysis conducted structure a commercial asset finance lending solution for the client, that will account for the potential threats to the client and that is within set credit limits and the Bank's credit lending policies and appetite.
• Compile a proposal which summarises, the clients’ background and commercial asset finance needs, the research findings and the final recommendation on which commercial asset finance credit lending solution is best for the client, for the Credit Manager to approve in the interim and escalate further for the necessary approval.
• Facilitate the commercial asset finance credit sanctioning process by responding to sanctioned enquiries and/or attending all relevant Credit Committee meetings in order to present and sponsor commercial asset finance credit applications that have been submitted under your signature.
• Produce relevant management information and manage exposures including the maintenance of the relevant systems
• Pro-actively manage credit risks associated with the commercial asset finance importation transactions.
• Compile commercial asset finance reviews, amendments and new applications to the appropriate lending authorities.
• Request of valuations on movable and immovable assets which serve as security for commercial asset finance facilities.
• Gather financial information (financial statements, cash flows) to support application from client where necessary, from internal and external sources.
• Utilise applicable software to assess client financial information and submit financials through to Remote Balance sheet Extraction Unit (RBEU) prior to updating a WEBICA, or use the Business Alliance Support team.
• Include the product specialist report (needs, research findings and final recommendation) as provided by BDO and include in the WEBICA application.
• Where the client's application is supported, motivate such a recommendation and forward the credit application to ABB credit for sanctioning on WEBICA.
• Monitor credit lines on a continuous basis and ensure formal reviews at specified time intervals or arrange extension.

Accountability:  Relationship Management

• Liaise with Sales persons and BDO consultants / or clients in order to achieve acceptable levels of approved credit facilities.
• Liaise with group legal and prepare relevant master agreements for signature by client

Accountability:  Compliance

• Ensure that all of the Bank’s credit policies and philosophy are fully complied with at all times, and that any policy breaches have been suitably addressed and mitigated against.
• Ensure adherence to Absa Retail Business Bank Credit Policy and other relevant legislation, for example during the application preparation process.
• Ensure adherence to commercial asset finance target market criteria and that all deviations is suitably addressed and mitigated against.

 Accountability:  Reporting

• Communicate to BDO Consultants the credit committee's decision either through e-mail or a written document where required.
• Provide weekly status report to the Regional Managers indicating completed, work-in-progress and pending credit applications as well as approval ratio.

 Accountability: Account and facility pay-out processing 

• Act as a point of telephony contact to the customer and dealer in the Fit for Processing process
• Prepare or update (if existing loan) documents and files to ensure that the necessary enquiries such as Financial Intelligence Centre Act (FICA) and Customer Acceptance Screening Application (CASA) can be made and updated
• Capture leads and update status on SAP system or related system or create a new account for a non RBB customer, and load lead on Customer One.
• Communicate all relevant information to BDO.
• Follow up on faulty or outstanding security documents and drive the rectification process.  
• Perform a compliance check that the customer is CASA/FICA compliant. If all the details are found to be up to date, continue with the fit for processing function. If the details are not up to date and the customer is found to be non- compliant, then inform the relevant BDO who must obtain all needed documentation to ensure FICA/CASA compliance.
• Prepare facility letters/ commitment letters with term sheets and loan agreements in accordance with credit approval requirements.
• Capture the deal on SAP once a signed facility letter is received and submit the complete pack needed for processing through to the Processing Centre.
• Prepared contracts and securities by the Processing centre must be printed through the Websphere system.
• Printed or electronic documents must be send through to the BDO to obtain signatures, and once returned, must be send through to the processing centre for validation and pay-out.
• Ensure that the original facility letter, securities and insurance confirmation are received and finalised for file archiving.
• Original documents that have been filed must be sent through to Group Operations while copies that are filed are retained in the client file that is sent through to the CAF Help desk.
• Original securities must be sent through to the PC
• Access the ABSA SMS system to check existing securities that are on record for an existing RBB customer

Accountability: Risk and Control

• Work with the team to achieve sales and service goals by completing quality checks within set service standards. Assist the team of Consultants to obtain operational rigour in all aspects of processes undertaken through regular coaching on Know Your Customer /Customer Acceptance Screening Application matters.
• Responsible for the contents of the facility letter
• Validate and complete all fit for pay-out documents and compliance
• Retain and complete all original documentation needed to fulfil pay-out on a transaction
• Accurately capture all information and ensure that all MI is of a high standard and quality.
• Interact with the compliance team on a regular basis to obtain updates on the requirements and to share information.

Education

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