Head of Government Affairs, SSA at CITIBANK

Job Req ID: 21302879

Job Category: Communications and External Relations

Job Description

• This role will drive Citi’s advocacy and engagement strategy in SSA. S/he will support the SSA business head with advocacy with governments and other official institutions. S/he will also support the EMEA head of government affairs with Citi’s advocacy efforts across the region.
• The position is a value-added resource to the business and corporate functions and to the country heads at the local and regional level.
• The role supports the engagement with governments and helps to inform the firm of political, legislative and regulatory developments; assesses the impact of potential actions on Citi and its clients; and develops and drives a strategy for managing both positive and negative policy proposals. The key objective of the role is to develop and execute an effective advocacy strategy with relevant government officials and policy makers.
• The Head of Government Affairs, SSA manages multiple teams through other managers. In-depth understanding of how own sub-function contributes to achieving the objectives of the function.
• A good understanding of the industry, direct competitors' products and services, is also necessary in order to contribute to the commercial objectives of the business.
• Requires thorough understanding of strategic direction of the function within the relevant part of the business, combined with a solid conceptual/practical grounding in both the function and/or area of expertise and related subject areas.
• Excellent communication skills required in order to negotiate internally, often at a senior level. Some external communication/negotiation may be necessary. Responsible for executing functional strategy in area managed. Determines approach to implementing functional strategy.
• Accountable for end results, budgeting, planning, policy formulation and contribution to future strategy of the area(s). Impact reflects size of team managed, strategic influence on the business and interaction with other functions or businesses.
• Full management responsibility for multiple teams, including management of people, budget and planning, to include duties such as performance evaluation, compensation, hiring, disciplinary actions and terminations and budget approval. May be doing involved or responsible for diverse (cross-discipline) activities.
• Typically, a direct report to a C16 role and function as an integral member of the functional leadership team within a country/site location, job family, or line of business.

Responsibilities

• Provide advisory services to manager and international government affairs representatives and evaluate moderately complex issues/policies in order to convey Citi’s policies in public settings.
• Draft weekly reports
• Attend high level meetings with government and embassy officials and senior management.
• Write talking points and prepares briefing materials for Citi senior executive meetings.
• Analyze the impact of policy development on multiple business and functions to varying degree in order to communicate legislative developments/findings and strategy.
• Identify government decisions that could impact Citi in order to act as an expert.
• Provide political risk analysis and develop advocacy strategy
• Partnering with internal stakeholders to build awareness of regulation issues that could impact Citi and customers.
• Interact and communicate effectively to build external networks and manage relationships with key policy makers.
• Appropriately assess risk when business decisions are made, demonstrating particular consideration for the firm's reputation and safeguarding Citigroup, its clients and assets, by driving compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations, adhering to Policy, applying sound ethical judgment regarding personal behavior, conduct and business practices, and escalating, managing and reporting control issues with transparency, as well as effectively supervise the activity of others and create accountability with those who fail to maintain these standards.

Requirements
Education:

• Bachelor's Degree, potentially Master's Degree and managerial experience.

Technical / Specialist Skills and Competencies:

• Ability to navigate the political, legislative and regulatory environment at senior SSA level and across the region.
• Ability to understand and assess the likely implications of political, policy and regulatory matters on Citi’s business.
• High-level level oral and written English.
• Knowledge of financial services and trade issues that will impact Citi and its clients desirable.
• Advanced research skills to find, analyze and present information from a variety of credible sources, to provide timely, high-quality internal and external briefings.
• Strategic thinking combined with accuracy and attention to detail and the ability to achieve results.

Qualifications:

• 15+ years of experience in the form of legal, political science, government, economics, etc. along with 8-10+ years of management experience
• Knowledge of the banking industry and financial service
• Knowledge of Citi’s products, service, process, etc.
• Communication skills, a highly organized, energetic and efficient

Personal Attributes / Interpersonal Skills:

• Strong interpersonal and management skills to develop and maintain productive internal and external relationships, at all levels, including senior levels.
• A self-starter who can work with limited supervision and a team player able to work on projects as part of local, regional and global teams.
• A highly organized, energetic and efficient individual able to multi-task, prioritize, meet short deadlines and achieve outcomes.
• An ability to understand complex issues quickly and to explain them succinctly to others.
• Willingness to travel in the region.

Detailed Requirements:

• Support the SSA cluster business head with advocacy at senior with government bodies and legislators.
• Support the EMEA head of government affairs on policy development and deliver this through external engagement and advocacy with key regional and global financial and regional industry associations.
• Manage engagement, meetings and prepare high quality, accurate briefing materials.
• Develop a network of relationships with key government and institutional policymakers, industry associations, think tanks and other key stakeholders.
• Manage the engagement plan, including how to optimize the use of key trade associations and other membership bodies.
• Provide information on key bilateral relationships between SSA and other countries in EMEA and the views of countries on initiatives in regional and global organizations.
• Help to develop and implement regional and global advocacy strategies to respond to issues drawing on work being done by local, regional and global colleagues.
• Engage with business and function partners and coordinate closely with Global Government Affairs team and Global Public Affairs colleagues.
• Write talking points and prepares briefing materials for Citi senior executive meetings.
• Provide political risk analysis and develop advocacy strategy, and partner with internal stakeholders to build awareness of regulation and reputation risks that could impact Citi and clients.