SME Credit Manager

About the role

Empowering Africa's tomorrow, together...one story at a time. With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group. My Career Development Portal : Wherever you are in your career, we are here for you. Design your future. Discover leading-edge guidance, tools and support to unlock your potential. You are Absa. You are possibility. Job Summary To analyse the risks associated with new lending, structuring and derivative proposals with the intention of facilitating new business. Job Description Job Purpose A credit professional responsible for credit risk structuring of transactions and sanctioning covering multiple industry sectors. The role holder will have specific responsibilities for a range of SME customers. Support the Business Banking SME Credit Team in providing credit input to Absa Bank Kenya Plc, delivering a World-Class Credit service and contributing towards achievement of the team's risk and business objectives. Ensuring the optimal quality of the credit portfolio by application of best practice in decision-making, to a maximum personal lending discretion of US$ 1.2 million. Key Accountabilities Credit Risk Management - 60-70% Ensure the highest standard of credit quality through the structure, sanctioning, monitoring and control of credit applications. Maintenance of these standards both personally and as part of the Wholesale Credit Team. Sole lending discretion, DG linked and set depending on personal experience/accreditation. Exercise judgement and discretion in the evaluation and approval/decline of higher risk classification credit proposals. Provide feeds into business and credit policy development, where appropriate. Provide feeds into credit process development, where appropriate. Implementation and ongoing delivery of business and credit policies and processes. Responsibility for personal adherence to governance, compliance and lending portfolio controls. Ensuring own conformance to policy and procedures within the Wholesale Credit Function, including proactive management of agreed responsibilities for Data Integrity. Maintain interactive relationship with other risk functions and Conformance Team. Advise on risk reward and challenge pricing where appropriate. Business Risk Partnership - 20-30% Deliver service in line with agreed business needs. Work in partnership with Country colleagues and proactively anticipate, respond to and seek to exceed the expectations of customers. Work with Country colleagues, providing post application-based coaching and discussion, where appropriate to ensure effective development and delivery of bespoke Risk solutions for customers. Proactively contribute to embedding agreed change management initiatives in support of process and quality improvements, cost reductions and development of people. Contribute towards the Team operating within cost budgets making recommendations for 'working smarter. Staff Management- 10-20% Support the Team Leaders in delivering effective performance development for individuals within the team. Drive proactive application of Absa Bank Kenya Plc Behaviours both personally and throughout the team and coach and support colleagues within the Team. Preferred Qualification Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, accounting. Preferred Experience At least 5 years in credit sanctioning and a minimum of 3 years La Riba credit sanctioning. Knowledge and Skills Strong intellect balanced by practical and pragmatic approach Decisive Analytical and numerate Technical Lending Analysis Risk Management Build effective working relationships with staff/stakeholders Communications (written and oral) and presentations Effective negotiation and influencing Leadership. Absa Bank Kenya is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. Preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards the achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank. ***Application Deadline - 16th June 2026*** Education Higher Diplomas: Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required)