Trade & Working Capital Finance Origination

Crown Agents Bank is a vastly growing and regulated UK bank that connects emerging and frontier markets to the rest of the world, using FX and payments technology. We are transforming the way payments and FX move through emerging markets, reducing friction so that more money gets to those who need it. Emerging markets payments are usually challenging, expensive, unreliable and opaque. Our solutions help fix these pain points. Ultimately, we connect traditionally hard-to-reach regions to global financial infrastructure, giving access to the best prices and the fastest, most reliable settlement.

FX and cross-border payments are often complex and expensive, especially when operating in emerging markets. Crown Agents Bank (CAB) wraps its deep and trusted relationships and strength of network around innovative digital capabilities, and cross-border transaction banking solutions to enable fintech, corporates, governments, development organisations and banks to move money to, from, and across often hard-to-reach markets.

Role Purpose: Integrated within the Trade & Working Capital Finance business unit, reporting to the Global Head of Trade & Working Capital Finance and working closely with all relevant stakeholders (coverage, other products, risk, operations, and all other pertinent departments), this role focuses on the active and entrepreneurial origination of Trade & Working Capital Finance facilities from the bank’s clients with the goal of maximizing share of wallet and value, on a risk-adjusted total return basis, and producing a significant impact in the bank’s expansion strategy. This role has the potential for significant travel.

Role Responsibilities: This role focuses on origination of trade finance business from a sub-set of financial institution clients in Emerging Markets, as determined by the Global Head of Trade & Working Capital Finance. The product range encompasses primarily trade loans and letters of credit. Notwithstanding, the candidate may also be required to cover other client and product types as the role progresses.

• Lead the entire trade finance origination process from client meeting to execution of legal documents and facility booking, monitoring and follow-up, in close collaboration with coverage bankers.
• Contact and meet clients in a product specialist capacity as directed, to understand their business cycles and Trade (& Working Capital) Finance requirements.
• Produce and implement client and counterparty call, visit and product sales strategy plans.
• Create, maintain and manage product sales pipelines.
• Lead strong client-centric state-of-the-art product pitches.
• Contribute to the on-boarding of Trade (& Working Capital) Finance clients in full alignment with coverage bankers.
• Champion the production of business and credit papers and their presentation to the relevant committees, in collaboration with coverage bankers.
• Create and negotiate Trade (& Working Capital) Finance term sheets to clients and other market counterparties.
• Manage the execution and delivery of facilities and transactions once all internal approvals are in place, including all relevant liaison with internal and external stakeholders.

Other responsibilities:

• Strictly adhere to all regulatory, statutory and audit norms relating to the function.
• Be instrumental to obtain and retain optimal client satisfaction and deliver strong customer services.
• Coordinate and assume responsibility for compiling and communicating to all stakeholders, on a regular basis, information relevant to portfolio.
• Actively participate in product development and pricing strategies, assisting with their bank-wide implementation. Assist with the development of product plans.
• Support the launching of new initiatives and products.
• Actively engage with other key internal and external stakeholders in fostering cross-sell opportunities and embracing clients’ FX and payments flows.
• Actively engage with coverage bankers, other product sales staff, operations, credit, legal and other stakeholders in promoting Trade Finance product awareness.
• Play a key part in consolidating and expanding Crown Agents Bank as an award-winning name in the Trade Finance industry. Be an active participant in important marketing events, conferences etc. Be prepared to engage as a public speaker when required to do so.

Qualifications:

• Mandatory:
• Languages: fluency in English. Additional languages are a requisite, particularly French.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in a similar role (preferably with emerging markets exposure).
• Very good knowledge of the Trade & Working Capital Finance industry in its entirety, and of the full Trade & Working Capital Finance product suite (especially letters of credit, guarantees and refinancing loans).
• Very good knowledge of executing Trade & Working Capital Finance facilities for client financial institutions, predominantly in emerging markets.
• Relevant experience in originating Trade & Working Capital Finance from financial institutions in emerging markets (Africa, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Emerging Asia/Pacific).
• Other:
• Education: graduate degree in a relevant discipline is preferred.
• Comprehensive knowledge of banking operations/SWIFT etc.
• Ability to use entrepreneurship and initiative at all times and at all levels.
• Ability to communicate at all levels of the organization both internally & externally.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, presentation/public speaking and organizational skills.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Ability to work in a culturally diverse environment.
• Ability to work under pressure and under tight KPIs and deadlines.

Additional Information:

• Hybrid working.
• Contributory personal pension plan: - Minimum: Employee 2% and Employer 7%. Employer matches contributions in 1% increments to a maximum of: Employee 5% and Employer 10%.
• Life Assurance – 4 times annual salary.
• Group Income Protection.
• Private Medical Insurance – this may include cover for partner and or children at company cost. Cover includes Optical, Dental and Audiology.
• Discretionary Bonus.
• Competitive Annual Leave.
• 2 Volunteering Days.
• Benefit Hub.