Trade Finance Sales Specialist

**Primary Purpose**

Trade Specialist is responsible for developing and executing sales strategies in collaboration with the Head of Trade to achieve revenue and asset growth targets. Manage and enhance relationships with existing and target clients, tailoring solutions to meet their needs while identifying opportunities for increased income. Identify product gaps and new opportunities to drive the development of innovative and cost-effective solutions. The role requires strict adherence to regulatory compliance and customer treatment standards to protect the bank's reputation. The Trade Specialist also supports the management of the trade portfolio and oversees the complete process from client lead identification through to onboarding, ensuring that solutions align with client expectations and growth plans
**Minimum Requirements**

**Qualifications**
- Bachelor's degree in finance, economics, business administration, international trade, or a related field.

**Experience**
- Minimum 3 - 5 years' experience in Trade Finance sales
- Previous experience in sales, business development, or client relationship management within the financial services industry, preferably in trade finance

**FINANCE**
- Drive and achieve significant growth while maximizing sustainable profitability for the business and meet the set Trade sales targets
- Identify new business opportunities to ensure opportunities are aligned to the strategy of the bank
- Directly responsible for the assigned budget including: Topline new client acquisitions, Advances growth, NIR Target
NII Target
- Provides input into deal structuring for elite segment sales
- Ensure eco system participation within the Bank value chain
- Pursue potential cost saving/ revenue enhancement initiatives for the Bank where applicable
- Identify potential clients and market opportunities for trade finance products such as letters of credit (LCs), trade credit insurance, export financing, and other financial instruments
- Provide input into overall budgets and business plans for Trade Solutions
- Ensure Lending Payouts relating to trade finance are executed monthly

**CUSTOMER SERVICE**
- Building and maintaining relationships with clients, banks, suppliers, and other stakeholders involved in international trade
- Increase the cross-sell ratio by ensuring customers product utilization
- Ensure proactive customer visits
- Negotiating terms and conditions of trade finance agreements, contracts, and LCs.
- Facilitate communication between parties (Bank and client) to resolve issues and timely execution of transactions
- Work closely with clients to understand their specific trade finance needs and tailor solutions accordingly.
- Propose customized financial packages that meet clients' requirements and facilitate smooth trade transactions.
- Ensure customer retention
- Educate clients on the benefits and features of various trade finance products and services offered by the bank
- Conduct presentations and workshops to demonstrate how these products can support their trade activities
- Coordinate with internal departments such as trade finance operations, credit risk management, legal, and compliance to ensure smooth execution and delivery of trade finance solutions. Provide necessary support and information to facilitate client transactions

**OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE**
- Ensure compliance is adhered to regard to international trade regulations, sanctions, and anti-money laundering (AML) and Know your customer (KYC) policies
- Ensure credit reviews are monitored closely to ensure no overdue reviews
- Maintain a Credit Loss (Impairments) Ratio with risk appetite
- Provide the sales team with product guides pack for ease of reference.
- Provide expert advice to sales teams on the best solutions for the client based on their needs.
- Evaluating the creditworthiness of parties involved in trade transactions, assessing country and political risks, and implementing risk mitigation strategies
- Coordinate with internal departments such as trade finance operations, credit risk management, legal, and compliance to ensure smooth execution and delivery of trade finance solution
- Monitoring market trends, economic developments, and trade policies that could impact trade finance operations. Providing insights and recommendations to stakeholders.
- Monitor sales performance against targets and KPIs. Prepare regular reports on sales activities, client interactions, and market developments. Provide insights and recommendations for continuous improvement.
- This position is advertised in line with our commitment to Employment Equity._