Country Credit Head, Nigeria & West Africa at Standard Chartered Bank

Job Summary

Second line of defence responsibilities

The Country Credit Head (“CCH”) is responsible for duly discharging responsibilities as the overall second line of defence related to risk management in Wealth and Retail banking, which involves oversight and challenge of risk management actions from the First Line. As Risk Framework Owner (“RFO”), they are responsible for:          

• Setting (or proposing) the Retail risk-type framework, Retail risk appetite, policies and control standards.
• Making decisions within delegated authorities and maintaining necessary expertise to manage such risks.
• Establishing effective assurance and reporting mechanisms.
• Design and effectiveness of the risk controls, monitoring of compliance to the Board-approved Retail risk appetite and effectiveness of risk controls; and escalate material exceptions to appropriate management and risk committees.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy

• Lead the WRB Risk strategy and agenda for Nigeria and oversee the strategy execution in country. 
• Embed innovation, digitisation and analytics and drive the digital agenda relating to Risk and leveraging on advance tool for risk management. 
• Represent and challenge the WRB Risk function in relevant committees or management forums.
• Oversight of collection and recoveries to maintain portfolio delinquencies and charge offs within plan/expectations.  Joint accountability to ensure proficiency of collections and associated strategies are aligned with financial targets and continuously advanced.
• Lead the teams to achieve sound management of all aspects of risk in Nigeria.
• Inform the development of business plans with the provision of cost and impairment and a balanced judgement on the external environment.
• Operate with full end-to-end accountability for credit loss performance.  This means accountability for any activity that may impact credit loss performance including but not limited to: operational processes, external vendor processes, risk management strategies and decisioning tools, product policies and features, and regulations.
• Responsible for risk related disclosure to regulators, investors, analysts and rating agencies (such as annual and interim results, Pillar 3 and ensure they are compliant with applicable regulatory requirements).
• Contribute to the development of performance management and remuneration processes, in order to encourage the development of an appropriate risk culture and discipline.

Business

• Communicate the strategic intent and collective agenda for the Function 
• Maintain and develop risk capabilities and skills to meet ongoing business needs and plans

Processes

• Responsible for the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the WRB Risk function, including risk management processes, by defining and maintaining an operational excellence agenda for the Risk Function.
• Ensure effective management of operational risks within the Function and compliance with applicable internal policies, and external laws and regulations.
• Demonstrate end-to-end ownership of risk management decisioning tools and processes.
• Continuously improve the operational efficiency and effectiveness of risk management processes

People & Talent 

• Lead through example and build the appropriate culture and values. Set appropriate tone and expectations from my team and work in partnership with risk and control partners.
• Ensure the provision of ongoing training and development of people and ensure that holders of all critical functions are suitably skilled and qualified for their roles ensuring that they have effective supervision in place to mitigate any risks.
• Line management responsibility includes setting and monitoring job descriptions and objectives and providing feedback and rewards in line with their performance against those responsibilities and objectives.
• Attract, hire and retain top talent with appropriate industry and functional expertise, while maintaining succession plans for critical roles.
• Responsibility to review team structure/capacity plans.
• Set and monitor job descriptions and objectives for direct reports and provide feedback and rewards in line with their performance against those responsibilities and objectives.
• Uphold and reinforce the independence of the Risk function

Risk Management

• Manage the credit risk profile of the WRB client portfolio in Nigeria maintaining alignment with risk appetite by rebalancing of risks or controls that may be required in response to internal and external factors Initiate stress tests as required by internal and external factor and review results and assess their implications
• Exercise supervisory responsibility for the Risk Type Framework Ownership of Credit Risk for Environmental, Social Governance and Reputational Risk, in accordance with the applicable Risk Type Frameworks, polices and standards under the Enterprise Risk Management Framework.
• Ensure any dispensations or escalated approvals related thereto, in accordance with delegated credit authority levels.  
• Ensure full compliance with Group Credit Policies and Process Standards at country level. 
• Design, maintain and effectively communicate risk control parameters across the Retail Credit, including policies, control standards, risk exposure limits and other control levers in order to maintain the business’s risk profile in line with the Group's risk appetite.
• Direct appropriate response to material events or other risk issues that come to the role holder’s attention. 
• Ensure appropriate judgement is applied in the discharge of risk authorities assigned to the jobholder, taking account of concentration risk across sectors, geographies and markets where applicable. Grant risk authorities to suitable named individuals in line with their skills and judgement
• Maintain a good understanding of the requirements of key external stakeholders in respect of credit risk management and ensure these are well understood internally and reflected in internal procedures
• Obtain assurance regarding the effectiveness of credit controls and compliance with applicable laws & regulations.

Governance 

• Ensure that effective management response plans are in place to respond to extreme but plausible scenarios.
• Initiate stress tests as required by internal and external factor and review results and assess their implications and to drive risk management activities.
• Uphold the integrity of risk/return decisions, by challenging business and control function heads to demonstrate that risk origination and control decisions are properly informed and consistent with strategy and risk appetite.
• Ensure that material risk exposures are identified and related issues are reported to the responsible governance committees.
• Obtain assurance regarding the effectiveness of credit controls and compliance with applicable laws & regulations.
• Maintain an open and cooperative relationship in dealings with regulators

Regulatory & Business Conduct 

• Display exemplary conduct and live by the Group’s Values and Code of Conduct. 
• Take personal responsibility for embedding the highest standards of ethics, including regulatory and business conduct, across Standard Chartered Bank. This includes understanding and ensuring compliance with, in letter and spirit, all applicable laws, regulations, guidelines and the Group Code of Conduct.
• Lead the  WRB Credit Risk Management to achieve the outcomes set out in the Bank’s Conduct Principles: [Fair Outcomes for Clients; Effective Financial Markets; Financial Crime Compliance; The Right Environment.] 
• Effectively and collaboratively identify, escalate, mitigate and resolve risk, conduct and compliance matters.
• Ensure adherence to the Guidelines on Credit Bureau Act; CBN Prudential guidelines etc.

Key stakeholders

• WRB Country Head
• Country CEO
• Local business teams
• Country / Regional / Group WRB Risk Managers
• Local functional teams

Other Responsibilities

• Embed Here for good and Group’s brand and values in Nigeria; Perform other responsibilities assigned under Group, Country, Business or Functional policies and procedures; Multiple functions (double hats); 

Skills and Experience

• Change Management Skills    
• Business Governance & Support    
• People Management    
• Service Delivery & Operations Capabilities    
• Manage Conduct    
• Business Advisory    

Qualifications

• Market Knowledge: Awareness and understanding of the wider business, economic and market environment in which the firm operates. Substantial experience at the highest level in the banking industry, including demonstrated success in a similar role. Must be conversant with various regulations that impact Credit Risk Management, Industry and Collections, specifically from the Central Bank of Nigeria
• Business Strategy and Modelling: Awareness and understanding of the firm’s business strategy and model appropriate to the role. Sharp business acumen (including ability to assess risk and appropriate levels of return), strong leadership qualities, excellent interpersonal skills and multi-cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• Risk Management and Control: Ability to identify, assess, monitor, control and mitigate risks to. Also, an awareness and understanding of the main risks facing the bank, Financial Markets and the role the individual plays in managing them. Demonstrated track record in successful management and ability to manage risk in geographically dispersed and highly varied product base.  Expertise in process design and control.
• Regulatory Framework and Requirements: Awareness and understanding of the regulatory framework in which the firm operates, and the regulatory requirements and expectations relevant to the role 
• Non-technical Skills: Significant relationship management experience – with external stakeholders at the most senior levels, including regulators and rating agencies.
• Certifications: This role would require a University Bachelor’s degree, a Masters is an added advantage. 
• Knowledge of Regulatory reporting requirement is required.
• Proficiency in MS Office e.g. Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
• Ability to work within a multi-function, multi-discipline team environment with good stakeholder management skills
• Good communication, Interpersonal and analytical skills