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.
SME Business Banking refers to the part of a bank that provides financial products, services, and advisory support to small and medium Enterprises (SMEs), businesses that are larger than micro or informal enterprises but smaller than large corporates. At its core, SME Business Banking exists to enable SMEs to start, operate, grow, and scale sustainably, while managing the bank’s risk and capital exposure.
The Executive Head: Business Banking SME Client Coverage is accountable for end‑to‑end leadership of SME client relationship coverage across the Business Bank. The role ensures that small and medium enterprise (SME) clients receive effective, consistent, and scalable relationship management, driving sustainable portfolio growth, strong client relationships, and disciplined risk outcomes. The role owns the SME coverage model, frontline relationship‑management performance, and senior SME client engagement, ensuring that SME growth is delivered through trusted relationships, sound credit judgement, and differentiated segment propositions.
As an Absa Managing Executive Leader, you are a Managing Executive in our leading Pan African Bank. As an influencer and value generator, you use your decades of industry experience, knowledge and insight from the competitive marketplace and internal and external data sources to execute the enterprise’s goals through your business unit strategy. You own and provide structure and direction on the business unit value chain(s). You actively remove stumbling blocks for cooperation across the Bank. You incorporate the contributions of value enablers and defenders into your value chain. You influence and adopt group architecture. You communicate with integrity and conviction, setting the business unit tone and context for others to follow. You ask provocative questions to trigger innovation and organisational renewal. You set and drive goals to capitalise on opportunities and maximise profit and customer value.
a. SME Client Coverage Strategy and Model
1. Define and own the SME client coverage strategy, aligned to Business Banking growth and risk appetite
2. Develop and own the Pan-Africa SME Coverage Strategy aligned to Group and country business plans (segments, priority sectors, corridors and value propositions).
3. Design and continuously evolve a scalable SME coverage model suited to differing market maturities.
4. Lead strategic planning cycles including market prioritisation, growth targets, capability investment, channel strategy and capacity planning.
5. Design and continuously refine the SME relationship management model, including:
6. Ensure scalable, profitable SME coverage aligned to client complexity and value
7. Act as escalation point for relationship, service, or reputational risk
b. Relationship Management Performance
1. Ensure SME clients experience trusted, responsive, and relationship‑led banking
2. Accountable for SME portfolio performance, including:
3. Oversee senior engagement with priority SME clients where required
4. Drive consistent execution of relationship‑management standards across regions and teams
5. Ensure strong pipeline management, client engagement discipline, and cross‑sell effectiveness
c. Frontline People Leadership and Capability
1. Lead, develop, and inspire SME Relationship Managers and coverage leaders
2. Set performance expectations, conduct management discipline, and talent standards
3. Build a strong capability pipeline in:
4. Own succession planning and leadership depth for SME coverage roles
d. Risk, Credit, and Portfolio Discipline
1. Jointly accountable for credit quality and risk outcomes across the SME portfolio
2. Ensure relationship managers operate within credit, pricing, and risk frameworks
3. Drive early identification and management of client stress and portfolio risk
4. Partner closely with Risk and Credit leadership to balance growth and prudence
e. Stakeholder and Enterprise Alignment
1. Partner with Product teams to refine SME propositions across the Absa product and digital solutions.
2. Drive adoption of digital platforms and straight-through processing to reduce friction and improve turnaround time.
3. Build partnerships with Fintechs, telcos, DFIs and government agencies to expand reach and affordability.
4. Work with Operations and Digital teams to improve SME client journeys and service efficiency
5. Ensure SME client insights inform product design, process improvement, and operating‑model decisions
6. Engage with regulators, industry bodies, development finance institutions and strategic partners across Africa.
7. Represent the Business Bank at executive, regional and external forums.
f. Customer Relationship & Sales Management
1. Drive customer relationship management and delivering the sale of products and/r services, providing support and contribute towards business growth and sustainability through business development initiatives.
Work Experience
12+ years' experience in SME or business banking or financial services, including senior leadership roles in coverage, enablement, sales or strategy.
Demonstrated track record of leading multi-country or regional banking operations.
Exposure to cross‑functional and enterprise‑wide coordination.
Deep understanding of South African Business Banking, credit, risk and regulatory frameworks.
Education
Master's Degree
Postgraduate Degrees and Professional Qualifications
Field of Study
Business, Commerce and Management Studies
Education
Master's Degree: Finance, Postgraduate Degrees and Professional Qualifications: Business, Commerce and Management Studies
Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.
Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised
Absa Group Limited (Absa) has forged a new way of getting things done, driven by bravery and passion, with the readiness to realise growth on the African continent and beyond.
We’re a truly African brand, inspired by the people we serve in Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. We also have representative offices in China, Namibia, Nigeria and the United States, as well as securities entities in the United Kingdom and the United States, along with technology support colleagues in the Czech Republic.
