The Branch Manager for Karatina is a critical role responsible for driving business success, ensuring operational compliance, and delivering exceptional customer experience within the branch, aligning activities with Absa Bank's overall strategy of Growth, Transformation, and Returns.
Key Accountabilities
Business Growth – 60%
- Implement business strategic initiatives and create ownership of the branch performance targets. Agree upon branch execution plans/strategies ensuring alignment with the Bank’s overall strategy.
- Diligently monitor branch business performance and adjust execution strategies as necessary.
- Manage branch portfolio risks in line with the bank’s portfolio appetite.
- In collaboration with the Regional Manager and product development teams, conduct product review and development based on constant market feedback.
- Collaborate and coordinate the development and implementation of sales initiatives with other business functions (CIB, Asset Finance, Bancassurance, Lead generation team) to maximize cross-selling opportunities.
- Conduct market intelligence to identify new market opportunities, customer trends, existing geographical strength, emerging government directives, and changes in policy by regulators.
- Manage borrowing and non-borrowing accounts in the branch to enhance customer loyalty and retention.
- Harness existing staff potential and create new competencies to achieve competitive advantage.
- Lead the branch team to achieve customer retention objectives, transaction migrations from the counter to alternate channels, balance sheet growth goals, and acquisitions. Support includes achieving branch sales targets and participating in/leading sales activations.
- Establish firm relationships with Top 200 clients and business influencers in the local area.
- Provide regular feedback to staff (individual/corporate) on performance (Sales, NPS, etc.).
- Provide clear direction and guidance to branch staff on business objectives, translating and prioritizing them into business performance measures at the branch level.
- Ensure proper controls, processes, and procedures are adhered to at all times as per the laid down Absa bank policies.
- At all times, ensure the branch is opened and closed as per the approved regulatory timelines. Operations staff must be ready and equipped to serve customers. This includes opening and closing branch batch on the core banking system.
- The branch must maintain the look and feel as per the Absa bank standards.
- Ensure that Absa Bank’s policies are adhered to at all times when handling different products and solutions. Ensure adherence to all Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) processes with regards to New to Bank business, and acceptable Turn Around Time (TAT)/Accuracy is observed at all times.
- Ensure all relevant system reports are printed, appropriately reviewed, signed off on a timely basis, and filed as per Absa Records Management policy.
- Ensure you and your team remain alert to the risk of financial crime and assist in the Bank's efforts in combating it by adhering to key principles related to positively identifying customers, knowing your customer, reporting suspicions, obtaining correct supporting documents in regard to Large Cash Transactions (LCT)/Over the Counter (OTT)/Foreign Exchange (FX) Trades, safeguarding records, and not disclosing suspicions to customers.
Internal Controls, Governance, Processes & Procedures - 15%
In conjunction with the Branch Operation Lead (BOL), you are responsible for strict cost management in the branch by reviewing all service provider quotations before work commences. In addition, the BOL must conduct regular reviews of the following cost elements:
- Branch expenditure.
- Equipment maintenance.
- Overtime approvals.
- Stationery consumption, telephones, electricity, water, travel, etc.
- Staff costs and Sundry losses.
- Ensure compliance with operational, Security, controls, and process risks requirements to avoid losses and prevent fraud arising from operational lapses and to protect Bank and customer assets.
- Ensure that the branch achieves a minimum of Satisfactory audit rating through continuous assessment and prompt closure of all audit exceptions sighted.
- Ensure that relevant approvals for all transactions are sought at all times as guided in the laid down policies.
- Ensure all fees and commissions due to the bank are collected.
- Drive quality sales through actioning of unfunded accounts, uncollected credit cards, and delinquency.
- Ensure Data privacy policies are adhered to at the branch at all times.
Customer Experience - 15%
- Ensure excellent customer experience is maintained at all times.
- Ensure set TAT is achieved at all times.
- Appraise and promptly act on customer issues/complaints, escalating as necessary to ensure timely resolution.
- Ensure set TAT on response to customer queries on phone, email, or by letters is strictly adhered to.
- Ensure customer data is up to date.
- Ensure branch Net Promoter Score (NPS) is maintained as per the set standards.
- Co-ordinate branch initiatives aimed at gathering feedback from customers on service standards and advise leadership for improvements.
- Provide leadership around customer experience at the branch.
- Monitor the counter service to ensure customers are served within acceptable waiting time.
Capacity Building & People Management - 10%
- Ensure no repeat audit findings and conduct snap checks within the Service Level Agreement (SLA).
- Ensure that all activities and duties are carried out in full compliance with regulatory requirements, the Enterprise-Wide Risk Management Framework, and internal Barclays Policies and Policy Standards. Understand and manage risks and risk events (incidents) relevant to the role.
Preferred Qualifications and Experience
- Qualification: University degree in a relevant discipline. Post graduate qualifications will be an added advantage (BA/BSc/HND, MBA/MSc/MA).
- Experience: At least 5 years of Banking / Financial Services experience, out of which at least 3 years must be in branch management with a good track record of performance.
- Industry Experience: Prior experience in the banking industry, including experience in supervisory or managerial positions.
