Job Description

The Principal Investment Officer is responsible for driving the strategic objectives of the business in collaboration with the Head, ensuring the generation of quality deal flow and the development of a strong pipeline of bankable projects for development financing. The role leads the identification, assessment, and advancement of investment opportunities, while supporting the establishment and operationalisation of the DBSA's Trade Finance function through the development of systems, procedures, and governance processes that enable effective execution and compliance.

Key Responsibilities

Key Performance Areas:

Strategic Outputs


Collaborate with the team to formulate and implement the Trade Finance strategy and plan in line with the vision, strategy, and goals of the Transacting division and the Bank. Evaluate the feasibility of diversifying DBSA's offering to include the trade finance product offerings, targeting new products, clients, geographies and markets. Provide strategic direction on the conceptualisation, planning and implementation of the Trade Finance business unit. Formulate a comprehensive market deployment and approach strategy, outlining product positioning, target markets, and value propositions for structured and non-structured trade finance products. Establish systems, procedures, and governance processes required for the effective implementation of trade finance products.

Market Strategy and Approach


Perform comprehensive market research to understand trade finance trends, client needs, competitor offerings, and implement relevant trade finance solutions to respond to clients' needs. Identify and implement the technologies, systems and tools required to support the trade finance function, including transaction management, risk assessment, and reporting systems in alignment with the ICT policies. Collaborate with marketing and business development teams to craft marketing content and strategies. Build and maintain partnerships with key stakeholders, such as exporters, suppliers, commercial banks and development banks, and agencies involved in trade and trade finance to enhance market penetrations Coordinate with banks and financial institutions for trade financing arrangements. Prepare detailed proposals and business cases for new product introductions and market expansions. Collaborate with analytics, finance, and treasury teams to develop a pricing methodology for trade finance-funded transactions. Develop templates for trade finance-funded transactions to standardise documentation and processes.

Execution of Trade Finance Transactions


Lead the due diligence of trade finance transactions through the approval processes. Conduct thorough due diligence in line with AML, KYC and regulatory requirements. Liaise with internal teams such as credit risk, treasury, and legal compliance to facilitate a seamless trade finance transaction execution process. Provide innovative and flexible financial structures for complex transactions. Oversee the deal closure by taking responsibility for optimal financial, institutional, and legal structuring. Track the performance of trade finance transactions to ensure alignment with DBSA's strategic objectives. Assess and mitigate key risks facing trade finance transactions and the portfolio and implementation of mitigating strategies/policies.

Risk Management and Governance


Establish and maintain the DBSA's trade finance governance framework, ensuring that all transactions align with internal policies and external regulatory requirements. Perform due diligence and risk assessments for all trade finance transactions to safeguard DBSA's financial and operational integrity. Design and implement internal controls to ensure compliance with policies and procedures. Lead the identification and acquisition of the appropriate risk rating tools for trade transactions. Prepare and provide documentation/ reports for EXCO and Board(s) decision-making. Present reports at Investment Committees and other applicable committees.

Stakeholder Relations and Management


Network and maintain relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to further develop specific investment opportunities. Engage key stakeholders to position the DBSA as a preferred trade financier. Build and manage relationships with key internal and external clients to increase the Bank's reach on trade finance transactions. Cultivate relationships with trade finance partners, clients, and industry networks to build the unit's presence and credibility in the market. Engage with clients to understand their trade finance needs and propose tailored solutions aligned with the DBSA strategy.

Key Measurements of Outputs:

Value and number of project approvals, commitments, and disbursements.

Quality of trade finance transactions.

% of trade finance book in priority geographies and sectors.

Number of transactions that are committed for DBSA funding to SMMEs and black-owned.

Approval of the Trace Finance strategy and plan.

Implementation of the strategy and successful implementation of the strategic initiatives.

Clients and Stakeholders' service rating.

Demonstration of thought leadership and a recognised expert in the area of responsibility

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Expertise & Technical Competencies

Qualifications and Experience:

Minimum Qualification


A postgraduate qualification or equivalent in Business, Finance, Engineering or Economics (e.g., CA, CFA, MBA, MSc).

Experience



Minimum Experience


A minimum of 10 years of demonstrable experience at a senior level in Trade Finance, Structured Trade Finance, Structured Trade or Commodity Finance (DFI, Banking or Investment environment). Demonstrable experience in assessing transaction opportunities and projects from an early stage to an advanced implementation stage. Experience with working with deal teams and assigning resources to conclude transactions. In-depth skills to provide value to transactions for the benefit of and/or the client through knowledge of the subject, innovation, and lateral thinking. Comprehensive knowledge of the financial and regulatory environments within the relevant sector and/or geography. In-depth knowledge and understanding of the infrastructure market, financial markets, and the macro landscape. Experienced communicator and negotiator (expertise at senior level). Strong negotiation skills with the ability to close deals. Proven experience in collaborating with senior stakeholders in highly political environments in South Africa and the rest of Africa.

Desirable Experience


Business development and stakeholder management in the trade finance or similar environment.

Technical Competencies:

Project Management


Defines, plans, and manages large and/or strategic projects, including those with a high degree of technical complexity, with impacts across the organisation and/or with national implications. Assembles and leads diverse and multi-disciplinary teams, ensuring maximum effective resource utilisation. Successfully manages substantial project budgets and reports directly to senior managers on the progress and results of projects. Identifies complex issues that need escalation and proposes appropriate corrective actions.

Solution Focus


Identifies broad, highly complex problems based on a multitude of factors, many of which are complex and sweeping in nature, difficult to define and often contradictory. Creates procedures to articulate the nature of problems and to identify and weigh alternate solutions. Evaluates the effectiveness of solutions using approaches tailored to the situation.

Financial Analysis


Serves as subject matter expert. Evaluates and determines fiscal, operational, and service impacts; analyses and evaluates legislation; and implements and evaluates statistical models in their subject areas. Demonstrates in-depth technical and administrative knowledge of the rules and regulations in the subject area and to defend analyses, testimony, and recommendations relating to a variety of issues before management and commissions.

Risk Management


Drives integration and standardisation of risk management processes across the organisation. Advises on the application of the organisation's risk management policies, industry best practices and constructs organisation guidelines. Analyses trends in risk management and internal control, evaluates implications, defines, and implements organisation-wide response.

Attention to detail


Quickly identifies relevant and irrelevant information to support accurate decision making. Maps out all the logistics and details of a situation to ensure smooth and flawless implementation. Consistently identifies all relevant details that are not obvious in complex situations. Requires the highest standards for accuracy and quality for their work. Establishes processes to ensure accuracy and quality of services delivered by the team.

Negotiation


Has an appreciation of cultural sensitivities and differences. Effectively employs a variety of advanced behavioural/interpersonal competencies to control the negotiation situation. Can take the lead in a variety of sensitive negotiation situations requiring high levels of tact and diplomacy. Can place a discrete negotiation situation within the context of a broader long-term relationship and is not threatened by conceding ground to protect the longer-term interests of DBSA.

Commercial Awareness


Deep understanding of commercial drivers and can make decisions based on an assessment of alternatives concerning complex business situations. Deep understanding of DBSA economic priorities and how they can be implemented to meet DBSA's strategic objectives. Deep understanding of DBSA's core sector role in achieving DBSA's strategic objectives. Deep understanding of the need to coordinate efforts with many government entities, the private sector, community groups and individuals to ensure effective implementation of new policies and regulations.

Research


Demonstrates expert skill levels in strategic and operational research techniques, including process analysis, modelling, and forecasting. Adapts, creates, and designs new research techniques to meet the organisation's requirements. Provides specialist coaching and guidance to researchers and other organisation employees. Promotes the professional reputation of the organisation by maintaining a respected profile with relevant external organisations and the research community in general.

Communication and Reporting


Able to communicate complex problems or concepts by making them simple and understandable for others. Adapts language to the level of the audience to ensure that the message has a positive impact and is interesting to the audience. Is articulate, demonstrates a wide range of vocabulary, and is confident when talking to large/high-level audiences. Designs / customises reports to meet user needs. Prepares complex or tailored reports, gathers information from a variety of sources, analyses and includes in a report. Keeps standard reports under review and proposes improvements to meet user needs.

Innovation


Develops innovative business solutions that shape industry practices.

Presentation Skills


Knows how to deliver arguments persuasively by employing a range of advanced presentation techniques (e.g., the appropriate use of body language, how to close a presentation so that the audience continues to think about the subject matter, etc.). Has knowledge of various feedback mechanisms to check levels of audience understanding.

Required Personal Attributes

Leadership/Behavioural Competencies:

Achievement Orientation


Focuses on new or more effective ways of improving own work and meeting targets. Focuses on raising quality, customer satisfaction and revenues. Makes specific changes to systems and processes to improve efficiency and quality. Formulates own objectives and action plans to achieve a measurable improvement in the future.

Analytical Thinking


Identifies multiple elements of a problem and breaks down each of those elements in detail, showing causal relationships between them. Uses several analytical techniques to identify several solutions and weighs the value of each.

Conceptual thinking


Creates new concepts that are not obvious to others and not learned from previous education or experience to explain situations or resolve problems. Looks at things in a significantly novel way, breakthrough thinking.

Strategic and Innovative thinking


Recognises opportunities or problems emerging in patterns and trends, and their impact on the business and profitability drivers. Applies learning from previous situations and experiences. Sees underlying causality in the current situation. Applies business acumen to make sound decisions. Recognises opportunities or potential problems, before they become obvious, by seeing the connections in a range of sources of information, including insights from outside DBSA. Restates complex knowledge in a way that makes it easier for others to understand.

Commercial Business Acumen


Understands business fundamentals. Analyses and comprehends organisational goals and strategies. Understands tactical business fundamentals in the public sector environment and incorporates them into decision-making.

Teamwork


Acts to promote a friendly climate and good morale and resolves conflicts. Creates opportunities for cross-functional working. * Encourages others to network outside of their own team/department and learn from their experience.