Associate Banker at European Bank for Reconstruction and Development

Purpose of Job

• The Associate Banker contributes to all phases of the project cycle, including project origination, structuring, execution, and implementation and monitoring. The Associate Banker will take responsibility for those tasks assigned to them by the operation leader, which may include undertaking comprehensive due diligence, including financial, market, integrity and EBRD policy compliance, as well as effective post-signing implementation and monitoring. The Associate Banker carries out these tasks as part of a project team under the guidance of an operation leader or under the supervision/guidance of more senior bankers or the team / RO Director.
• The Associate Banker role may also include elements of business/pipeline development, client management and policy dialogue.

Background

• The EBRD is extending the geographic scope of the Bank’s operations to several sub-Saharan African countries, and it is in the process of opening a Resident Office (RO) in Lagos and recruiting a team. The project life cycle involves several stages from origination to signing, followed by implementation and monitoring until full completion and repayment or exit. All the stages involve different tasks such as business marketing, project due diligence analysis, structuring and approval, negotiation and signing of project agreements, disbursement and monitoring. The role of the Associate Banker is to contribute, as a project team member, to the structuring, implementation and monitoring of debt and equity transactions, and their effective implementation and monitoring in line with the Bank’s operational objectives. Under the guidance of the operation leader and/or more senior bankers, the Associate Banker performs those tasks assigned to them. The Associate Banker may also co-ordinate the work of more junior team members and interacts with internal and external counterparts, as required.

Accountabilities & Responsibilities

Under the guidance of the operation leader or a more senior banker:

Structuring and Execution

• Work as a project team member on transactions, contributing to all aspects of project structuring and execution, including working with client counterparts, consultants and other parties to progress the project;
• Be the primary driver of the scope and quality of project due diligence, including financial, market, integrity and EBRD policy compliance;
• Prepare internal project documentation, including approval project memoranda, financial models, draft term sheets, presentations, etc. as and when required;
• Take responsibility, as TC operation leader, to design and process technical co-operation assistance, ensuring that TC processing and approval fits with the approval schedule of any related investment project or the related policy dialogue initiative;
• Ensure that all tasks are completed within the specified time frames to a high standard and in line with the policies, procedures and objectives of the Bank.

Portfolio Monitoring, Value Creation and Reporting

• Take responsibility for the implementation and monitoring of all projects to which the Associate Banker is assigned, including compliance with project agreements and Bank procedures related to disbursement; monitoring of progress of the project implementation and financial performance of the client; assessing evolving risk factors and monitoring and assessing covenant compliance, in the case of more senior Associate’s they may become the OL for the project once it is in implementation and/or monitoring phase;
• Prepare timely and comprehensive monitoring reports and include recommendations for corrective actions where required and ensure these proposed corrective actions and recommendations are brought to the attention of more senior team members;
• As TC operation leader, ensure effective implementation and monitoring of TC assignments to ensure their compliance with donor reporting requirements, operational objectives and that all reports are of a high quality;
• As a project team member perform all such tasks as may be assigned by the operation leader and provide constructive advice, guidance and supervision to more junior members of the project team.

Business Development

• Assist, as required, with marketing and business development efforts. The responsibilities of the Associate Banker are designed to allow for the development of transaction expertise and expansion of responsibilities, leading to assuming the role of an operation leader on standard, non-complex transactions. In such cases, the Associate Banker’s accountabilities and responsibilities would be increased to undertake a role of an operation leader under the supervision/guidance of more senior bankers or the Team Director.

Profile description:

Qualifications & Skills / Experience & Knowledge

Qualifications and Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree. Master’s degree preferred or equivalent experience in the areas of expertise.
• Professional qualification such as ACA, CFA, ACCA, or CIMA desirable.
• Strong quantitative/numerical skills are critical with the ability to interpret financial information and to design and use financial models.
• Credit analysis skills, with the ability to interpret accounts, understanding local and international accounting principles and practice of credit analysis.
• Computer literacy, conversant with Microsoft Office and spread sheet packages including financial analysis and modelling modules.
• Excellent understanding of relevant systems and processes.
• Ability to work effectively as a team member and to deadlines and under time pressure.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills in English.
• Good command over the key local language / dialect is an advantage.

Experience & Knowledge:

• Relevant financial industry experience from a development finance institution, an investment or commercial bank, private equity firm, asset management firm, or international auditing/financial consulting firm.
• Practical experience of participating in transactions through the full project life cycle.
• Relevant country experience is highly desirable, including in-depth understanding of country/regional dynamics and trends.