Head, Wholesale Banking Operations (trade, payments, treasury, corporate loan processes) at First Bank

Job Description

• Business leader responsible for strategic oversight of the Wholesale Banking Operations (WBO) of the Bank, which extend to the trade, payments, treasury, and corporate loan process for functions of the Bank.
• Manages the WBO functions across the Nigeria business and the 6 African subsidiaries, leveraging extensive industry experience to ensure alignment and achievement of the Bank’s strategic direction.
• Articulates strategy for the Wholesale Banking Operations across the key functions of the Bank, primarily responsible for the execution of initiatives to deliver target business outcomes.
• Accountable for performance target and outcomes of the wholesale banking operations of the bank, providing strategic oversight over the functions of the unit. 
• Engages with critical internal and external stakeholders, managing the Bank’s interactions with top-level executives at Central Bank (Trades & Exchange, Treasury), Customs, CBN, NSC, NOTAP, FMDQ amongst others.
• Engages internally with Group Heads to design and execute products, processes, and services across the Bank’s business within Nigeria and subsidiaries.
• Leads key hiring decisions for WBO, leveraging understanding of strategic direction, industry experience and team dynamics to recommend candidates for positions within the group.

JOB OBJECTIVES

Management of WBO functions (trade, payments, treasury, corporate loans

• Lead the Business units to achieve strategic goals and objectives, while monitoring WBO transaction processing capabilities for maximum efficiency.
• Management of departments overseeing international trade & payment, local payment (RTGS, NIP & Collection), Security operations, Foreign Currency (FX) settlement, corporate loans booking and middle office operations amongst other products
• Drive the implementation of controls to mitigate risk exposure and manage operational risks, designing effective systems of controls for the business, leveraging data analysis and effective reporting
• Design of practical business solutions and implementation of the solutions in a disciplined and structured manner through process review and implementation of the change.
• Drive the reduction of operational risks within the dealing room through data analysis & effective reporting
• Coordinate Periodical review of industry competitive environment for the purpose of evolving appropriate strategies to deepen the bank’s market share.
• Provides Marketing support to relationship Managers
• Provides Advisory role to Clients and relationship managers
• Effective partnership with internal stakeholders to ensure alignment and compliance to processes, procedures, and regulatory guidelines.

Risk Management & Compliance

• Collaborate with Internal Control and Compliance to proactively identify risks and implement corrective steps/actions, as necessary.
• Institutionalize the prompt logging / reporting of incidents identifying root cause analysis to ensure prevention of recurrence of the similar incidents
• Lead the regularization of exceptions from routine control checks and internal audits, conducting reviews of system limits and levels of authority as at when necessary in collaboration with Internal Control 
• Control all levers to ensure the unit’s functions are consistently in compliance with all regulatory requirements

People Management

• Lead and manage the team, providing guidance, coaching and opportunities to strive for excellence
• Strategically design succession planning is in place for key and critical Operations roles, establishing and maintaining a recognition scheme for high performers
• Identify, attract, develop, and train the best people ensuring accelerated development of local talent

Cost & Productivity

• Develop and implement tactical initiatives to consistently optimize cost in WBO
• Consistently champion initiatives that influences reductions in operating costs
• Periodic review of WBO headcount to ensure optimal resourcing in line with budget expected productivity levels
• Implement effective productivity tracker to drive team performance and increased productivity

JOB REQUIREMENTS

Education

• Minimum Education Required: First Degree in any discipline preferably numerate, and higher degree / recognized professional certification

Experience

• Minimum experience:  15 years, 10 of which must have been spent in hands on experience in managing wholesale banking operations at a senior management level
• Good Analytical/writing skills
• Good communications and interpersonal skills
• Knowledge in centralized Head Office banking operations
• Experience in the implementation of operational risk management framework