Head of Investment and Treasury at Mutual Benefit Assurance

JOB SUMMARY:

• To grow the value of the organization’s assets under management, optimize returns to enhance profitability and maintain liquidity to meet all obligations through insightful investment and treasury management.
• The successful candidate will need to be a strategic thinker with an entrepreneurial mindset and a moderate to high tolerance for risk, as well as being adaptable and able to deal with ambiguity and change.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS: Finance, Operations, Internal Audit, Risk Management Departments 

DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Investment Management

• Utilize financial models for forecasting/testing the robustness of the Company’s investment strategy
• Perform detailed financial analysis and modelling to evaluate potential investments, including scenario analysis and investment return projections
• Conduct comprehensive industry, market, and competitor research to identify trends and opportunities. Present thematic industry and market research to the management, Investment Committee and the Board of Directors
• Recommend investment decisions that will increase the value of the Company’s investment fund and ensure that the best return on investment is achieved
• Monitor/manage risks that may affect the returns on investments
• Devise investment strategies to achieve the organization’s strategic objectives and regularly update the Investment Policies of the organizations within the Mutual Group for approvals
• Present investment and divestment cases for specific investment opportunities, supporting the provision of all necessary information needed to make investment decisions
• Prepare periodic research reports and make recommendations to the investment committee
• Frequently monitor the performance of investments and make informed decisions accordingly
• Maintain current knowledge about financial products available to the Company, including bonds, stocks, real estate, etc
• Support the Group finance teams in ALM monitoring and scenario analysis
• Manage stakeholder relationships (including reporting)
• Develop processes and data systems to enable effective analysis, estimation and decision-making
• Refine existing investment facilities and develop new ones where required.

Treasury Management

• Maintain daily cash flow statements for the Mutual Group entities
• Maintain cash forecasting models and scenario analysis to support short, mid, and long-term planning
• Review supporting documentation, Excel models, and accounting information in order to provide explanations as to the causes of variances
• Provide subject matter expertise to senior management on the implications of proposed business decisions related to quantitatively evaluating proposed pricing changes, product development and campaign pricing or hedging transactions
• Maintain a deep understanding of regulatory liquidity guidelines and use this to develop models, assumptions and provide insights to support senior management decisions and strategic direction
• Manage liquidity stress testing and maintain operational readiness to implement contingent funding plans
• Support the treasury side of acquisitions, dispositions, re-organizations and other transactions
• Support the management of our microfinance bank on daily interest rate setting for deposit sources, product pricing, and liquidity balances, including forecasting future requirements
• Continuously assess and improve treasury processes for efficiency and effectiveness
• Develop and implement new tools and technologies to enhance treasury operations
• Support new treasury initiatives, such as foreign exchange management and hedging
• Develop and inspire a team to implement the strategy and to achieve objectives and targets
• Ensure all team members represent the organization in the best light
• Mentor staff to ensure personal and organizational development
• Perform special projects and other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• A minimum of first degree or equivalent in numerate or semi-numerate disciplines such as actuarial sciences, statistics, mathematics, accounting, economics, banking, finance, insurance, and other related courses.
• A Master’s degree from a reputable institution is highly recommended.
• An acceptable professional qualification from any relevant professional organization such as ACA, ACCA, CPA, CFA, Etc.

EXPERIENCE:

• A minimum of ten (10) years post-qualification experience, of which at least eight (8) years must have been in the financial sector and four (4) years in a supervisory role.

TECHNICAL SKILLS:

• Technical acumen
• Problem-solving and decision-making abilities
• Analytical skills and a good eye for detail
• Planning and organization skills
• Commercial awareness
• Numerical skills and the ability to evaluate costs
• The ability to understand broad business issues
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, with advanced Excel skills. Experience with financial databases.

BEHAVIOURAL SKILLS:

• The ability to cope under pressure
• Negotiation skills and the ability to influence people
• Good communication and presentation skills