Manager, Guarantees & Specialised Finance (Guarantees) at African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)

Reference Number: RSBBLR003
Location: Cairo, Egypt

Job Descriptions

• The Manager, Guarantee will be responsible for developing, structuring and executing transactions using the Bank’s guarantee products in line with the Bank’s mandate of using Risk Bearing Instrument (“RBI”) to promote trade and trade-related investments in Africa.
• The position holder will be part of the Guarantee and Specialized Finance function, whose main objectives include:
  • Managing the Afreximbank Guarantee Programme (AFGAP) under which the Bank deploy its risk bearing instruments to promote trade and trade-related investments in Africa in line with the Bank’s Exim-plus objectives.
  • Fostering partnership with relevant institutions including commercial banks, ECAs, DFIs, Multilaterals, insurance entities, guarantee and other specialized finance institutions to advance the realization of AFGAP objectives.
  • Using the Bank’s guarantee programme and other instruments to leverage resources (local and international), to create capacity to support growing demand for trade finance in Africa
  • Structuring bankable transactions using the Bank’s risk enhancement and other risk mitigation products to   support overall achievement of the Bank’s strategic goals;
  • Ensuring that appropriate guarantee instruments are used to help de-risk the Bank’s balance sheet for effective and optimal capital usage.
  • Working closely with key internal parties to ensure seamless and successful implementation and operation of the Bank’s guarantee programme. 
  • Leading business development of the AFGAP by growing the Bank’s guarantees portfolio including identifying and vetting prospective clients in partnership with relevant internal deal teams;
  • Marketing of the Bank’s Guarantee Programme by actively working with relevant internal and external partners to market the Bank’s guarantee programme to clients including potential clients and other users of the programme.

Responsibilities
Deal Origination and Structuring:

• Work closely with client relationship team secure guarantee and other unfunded risk mandates from existing and potential clients of the Bank
• Identify, negotiate and execute profitable transactions including trade, capital market, projects and export development transactions using the Bank’s guarantee programme and other related arrangements.
• Co-ordinate borrower due diligence, deal structuring and pricing negotiations.
• Build and or evaluate financial models, specifically project cash flow models, relating to guarantee and other specialized finance transactions.

Marketing:

• Work closely with client relationship team, AFGAP-TFIs, guarantee and other unfunded risk partners, commercial banks, DFIs, multilaterals and Africa focused deal originating entities to identify transactions to be supported using the Bank’s guarantee instruments.
• Actively market the Bank’s guarantee product to African corporates, non-African corporates, commercial banks (African and non-African), multilaterals, DFIs, ECAs and other specialized financial institutions including Insurance and guarantee institutions.
• Coordinate and/or participate in deal roadshows and co-financing partner calling programmes to support expansion of the Bank’s guarantee and other specialized finance activities.
• Provide feedback and lead to other origination team on potential opportunity that you come across relating to projects, export development, capital market and trade transactions that you will help the Bank in the realization of its strategic objective.

Relationship Management:

• Establish and maintain a diversified network of guarantee and other specialized risk mitigation solution partners including insurance market, development agencies, DFIs, ECAs, multilaterals, commercial banks (local and international), among others.
• Work closely with Client Relationship team to develop and maintain strong network of senior level African financial institutions, corporates, sovereign and sub-sovereign, African exporter, importer and project sponsor contacts to facilitate securing of guarantee mandates.
• Manage the Bank’s relationships with wide network of professional advisors, consultants and deal originators to facilitate deal due diligence.
• Devise and implement enhanced cooperation in projects, capital market offering, capital goods and services import and export finance, trade finance transactions within and across Africa and between Africa and the rest of the world.
• Work closely with internal parties including relevant committees to ensure effective deployment and utilization of the Bank’s AFGAP programme.

Requirements - Qualification and Skill

• Master's degree in Finance, Banking, Economics, Management or a related field from a good university.
• A professional qualification in Finance, Banking, Risk Management, Accounting or International Trade Finance or related disciplines or Certificate for Specialists in Demand Guarantees (CSDG®) will be an added advantage.
• Sound experience of at least 8 years with a leading organization and familiarity and working knowledge in guarantees and risk underwriting involving trade and project finance products;
• At least 5 years of experience in dealing with risk mitigation products, project and export & international trade finance and good understanding of the medium to long-term cross border debt markets, with proven background in risk management, financial modelling, credit analysis, loan documentation and corporate finance.
• Ability to communicate and function in a culturally diverse and change oriented setting and therefore knowledge of the workings of the main segments of the African project and export finance markets;
• Constructive deal team leadership and strong teamwork approach.
• Ability to engage senior officials of banks, corporates and governments to leverage the Bank’s guarantee and specialized finance products;
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English. Knowledge of the Bank's other working languages (French, Arabic and Portuguese) is an added advantage
• Willingness to travel extensively and to work long hours where required in order to achieve the Bank's objectives;
• Demonstrated leadership capabilities, including ability to build and nurture relationships with internal and external counterparties to attain goals.
• Sales, marketing and negotiation skills;
• Knowledge and understanding of the financing programmes offered by specialized guarantee institutions, export credit agencies, insurance institutions, development agencies offering guarantees especially those with focus on Africa project, export and buyer credit financing arrangements;
• Proven ability to win mandates with minimal supervision and proven ability to execute and close strategic transactions;
• Good knowledge of the ICC and other international rules governing guarantees including URDG 758 and ISP98 is an added advantage.

Contractual information:

• Permanent
• Willing and able to relocate to Cairo, Egypt
• Suitably qualified candidates from all African nationalities are encouraged to apply