VP, Credit - Structured Finance

Role Overview

VP, Credit - Structured Finance at First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), based at FAB's offices. The role encompasses credit assessment, portfolio management, and team leadership in structured finance.

Role Purpose

Conduct detailed credit assessment and preparation of credit appraisal memos for corporate and structured financing. Manage the overall health of the allocated portfolio and guide a team of credit analysts. Support budgeting, regulatory reporting, portfolio reviews, and management information systems from a Group Credit perspective.

Key Responsibilities

Credit Evaluation & Approval

• Handle independently credit evaluation and approval process for corporate lending and structured debt across various sectors, including working capital facilities, trade facilities, project finance, asset finance, non-recourse real estate financing, and leveraged/acquisition finance.
• Analyze complex transaction structures, asset quality, and counterparty risk as part of credit analysis.
• Review term sheets and identify credit and structural risks in collaboration with legal counsel.
• Set credit terms and conditions including limits, amortization schedule, covenants, seniority of claims, and end-of-day terms.
• Prepare and submit credit proposals to approving authorities with clear communication and strong writing skills.

Portfolio Management

• Monitor ongoing credit exposure at product level and counterparty level.
• Undertake ad-hoc event-based risk analysis on structured debt exposures.
• Manage the allocated portfolio of clients in terms of timely annual reviews, monitoring delinquencies, early warnings, adherence to covenants, and documentary deferrals.
• Perform portfolio management activities including past due monitoring, breach of covenants, and stress testing.
• Review excess rental release requests from clients taking into account available and expected rental cash flows.
• Review and approve deferral or waiver requests by customers in the context of credit risks involved.
• Actively engage with respective business counterparts on a regular basis to address any credit-related issues.

Policy & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with credit policies, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.
• Maintain in-depth understanding of regulatory and internal bank policies.
• Adhere to departmental policies, standard operating procedures, and practices to ensure work is carried out in a smooth and methodical manner.
• Ensure completeness and accuracy of documentation submitted with credit requests to avoid fraud and/or delinquency in the future.
• Address any exceptions to the bank's credit underwriting policies.
• Ensure that all loan applications and service requests are dealt with efficiently within agreed service-level agreements.
• Maintain required departmental management information systems on an ongoing basis.
• Ensure that all approved loans and proposal-related documents are complete and stored in the common folder/system to safeguard against missing or misplaced documents.
• Demonstrate consistency with the organization's values and ethics at all times to support a value-driven culture within the bank.

Stakeholder & Client Management

• Coordinate with Corporate Finance teams in developing appropriate product programs and assist in development of Risk Assessment Committee proposals.
• Work in coordination with other stakeholders such as Business Units, Credit Administration, Collections, and Operations to streamline any issues affecting credit facilities.
• Actively engage with senior business counterparts to ensure that the proposed facility is adequately structured to meet clients' expectations within the bank's underwriting standards.
• Accompany business counterparts to client meetings to develop a better understanding of the client and the proposed credit facility.

Digital & Automation

• Actively participate in digitalization and automation-based projects and represent Group Credit in respective project teams or lead such initiatives within Group Credit.

Team Leadership

• Guide and train a small team of credit analysts for credit underwriting.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree, preferably in Finance, Banking, or Commerce.
• 15 years of experience in banking, of which 5–7 years in structured debt looking at structured financing structures.
• Good understanding of structured debt financing structures, multi-sector experience, and asset valuations.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements including Basel norms, IFRS 9, expected credit loss calculations, and impairments calculations relevant to credit risk.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong financial modelling and Excel skills with ability to review a financial model, return on risk-adjusted capital, and returns sheets critically.
• Understand the key risk elements for structured debt, including standard valuation procedures and monitoring frameworks.
• Excellent communication skills with ability to clearly articulate risk considerations and credit rationale.
• Ability to work in pressure conditions without compromising on credit underwriting quality.

Additional Information

• Perform any additional job-related tasks and projects as assigned by Line Manager.