Senior FI and NBFI Credit Analyst at Rand Merchant Bank

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

• Assess financial transactions, which include(s) an assessment of products (i.e., derivatives) and structures used.
• Assess counterparty credit risk, which includes the following:
• Assessment or understanding of the operating environment (i.e., country, industry, regulatory and legal risk) and how it impacts the risk profile of the counterparty.
• Spreading and modelling of financial statements, where necessary.
• Analyzing and interpreting financial statements.
• Quantitative and qualitative assessment to identify and quantify the financial and business risks of the counterparty.
• Assign credit ratings to counterparties by using internally approved rating methodologies and models.
• Write credit reports and prepare credit applications and financial models to be presented to the relevant committees.
• Present credit applications and reports to various credit committees and forums.
• Monitor financial covenants and financial risks for credit reporting.
• Ongoing evaluation and monitoring of counterparties and facilities.
• Ongoing portfolio monitoring and management, including making recommendations and/or providing input to further develop the bank’s lending policy.
• Liaise with various business units, divisions, and subsidiaries within the FirstRand Banking Group.
• Interact with clients.

Qualifications and Experience:

The ideal candidate must have:

• A tertiary education with a financial background, with a minimum Second-Class Upper division or equivalent.
• At least five years of credit analysis experience, preferably within a large financial institution or five years of experience in financial markets in a consulting/auditing capacity.
• Modelling, assessing or advising on financial and business risks should form part of this experience.
• A sound understanding of Treasury and Financial Markets products (i.e., derivatives) is required.

Technical Skills and General Competencies:

• General knowledge and understanding of business, industry and the macroeconomic environment.
• Knowledge and understanding of the Companies Act, Commercial Law, legal issues relating to security, exchange control and other relevant legislation or regulatory requirements, including IFRS, Basel II and III.
• Knowledge and understanding of the taxation of companies, financial institutions and shareholders.
• Good understanding of financial instruments products (i.e., derivatives) and markets.
• A good understanding of credit ratings, portfolio theory and credit pricing.

Key Competencies:

General

• Ability to quickly gain proficiency in the following areas:
• Develop an in-depth knowledge of specific operating environments (i.e., country, industry, regulatory and legal risk) and how it could impact the risk profile of the counterparty and specific transactions.
• Develop an in-depth knowledge of specific sectors and clients as part of an industry-specific research team.
• Ability to assess financial transactions, which include derivatives and other product structures in order to identify credit and other risks pertaining to vanilla and exotic derivative structures.
• Ability to identify transaction-specific risks including credit, taxation, accounting, legal and exchange control pertaining to transactions.
• Ability to assess counterparty credit risk.
• Ability to introduce risk-mitigating measures as input into transactions in line with the risk philosophy of the Bank.
• Have a good understanding of the Bank’s credit risk appetite, credit grading and credit pricing models.
• Possess a general understanding of trends in the global lending market with a view to providing input into the bank-wide lending policy development process.

Human Relations Profile

• Strong character and integrity are paramount.
• High degree of self-confidence; pleasant personality; well presented.
• Well organized / good time management skills / disciplined / detail orientated.
• Self-starter able to work with minimal supervision.
• Flexible, when necessary, with the ability to work effectively under pressure.
• Strong work ethic and ability to operate in a fast-changing environment (building a business).
• Excellent communication skills (i.e., verbal, writing and presentation skills).
• Ability to work with a team and/or independently.