Absa Bank Limited is seeking a Head of Agribusiness to drive the bank's agricultural sector growth in Kenya. This is a senior leadership position responsible for strategic sales management, implementing country-wide agribusiness strategies, and leading a high-performing team of Relationship Managers. The role focuses on expanding the bank's agricultural portfolio while ensuring high credit standards and robust risk management.
Key Responsibilities
Overall Sales Management (50%)
- Increase team sales skills to grow existing client income and acquire new business.
- Take full accountability for Absa Kenya Agri Sales targets by formulating and executing clear action plans.
- Ensure optimal team composition and manage recruitment to fill vacancies proactively.
- Break down departmental targets into individual Performance Development plans for Relationship Managers.
- Monitor the implementation of 90-day sales plans and ensure client-centric solution delivery.
- Coach Relationship Managers on submitting high-quality credit applications and defending deals in forums.
- Implement client retention and retrieval strategies based on feedback.
- Partner with sector specialists to develop business plans for sustainable balance sheet growth.
- Participate as a permanent member in internal deal forums for large transactions.
Strategy Implementation (30%)
- Develop and execute a country Agriculture strategy aligned with the Group Agri strategy.
- Provide market insights to the Agri Executive Committee to refine or amend strategies.
- Collaborate with the Agri Center of Excellence to develop Differentiated Client Value Propositions (CVPs).
- Optimize the relationship portfolio per Banker, considering cost-to-serve and client value.
- Serve as a permanent member of the Business Banking Management Committee (Manco).
- Provide monthly reporting on sales performance, risks, and strategy progress to the Africa Agri Exco.
People Management (10%)
- Lead, inspire, and develop the team through coaching, mentoring, and performance development.
- Manage recruitment, onboarding, and workforce planning in collaboration with HR.
- Drive a high-performance culture and address poor performance through appropriate improvement plans.
- Manage employee relations and leave planning for the unit.
Skills and Requirements
- Education: Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, Marketing, Agricultural Science, or Economics.
- Experience:
- Minimum 8 years of relevant Agriculture market experience.
- 5 years of experience in a leadership or management role in commercial banking.
- 2-5 years of direct sales and financial experience in a commercial banking environment.
- Technical Skills:
- In-depth understanding of credit solutions and risk mitigation.
- Proficiency in analyzing complex company financials.
- Up-to-date knowledge of global, regional, and local industry dynamics.
- Ability to interface and negotiate with clients at the Managing Director (MD) and Finance Director (FD) levels.
