Managing Executive: Trade and Working Capital

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time.

Job Summary

Are you a visionary Trade and Working Capital leader? In this role as the Managing Executive: Trade and Working Capital, you will lead the Pan-African Trade and Working Capital business within Transactional Banking. You will be accountable for strategy development and execution, financial performance, and client value delivery across markets, driving sustainable revenue growth, return on capital, and balance sheet optimisation through integrated Trade, Supply Chain Finance, and Trade and Working Capital Solutions for Clients.

Job Description

In this role you will be accountable for:

• Defining and executing the Pan-African Trade and Working Capital strategy, aligned to Group, CIB and Transactional Banking priorities.

• Driving long-term franchise growth, market positioning and competitive differentiation across priority markets.
• Owning product revenue, profitability and return metrics, including RWA optimisation and capital efficiency.
• Building trusted senior relationships with top-tier clients and position the bank as a strategic partner in trade flows, supply chains and working capital solutions.
• Leading the development of innovative Trade, Supply Chain Finance, and Working Capital propositions that respond to evolving client needs.
• Accelerating the digital transformation of Trade capabilities, including platforms, automation and straight-through processing.
• Optimising balance sheet utilisation through disciplined allocation of capital, liquidity and credit.
• Embedding strong governance, risk and control frameworks across markets while maintaining proactive engagement with regulators.
• Using data and analytics to drive client insights, portfolio optimisation, commercial decision-making and new revenue opportunities.
• Leading, developing and inspiring a high-performing, geographically dispersed executive team.

Send in your application if you are a commercially astute, client-centred and digitally minded executive with deep expertise in Trade Finance, Working Capital and/or Transactional Banking. Bringing strong strategic judgement, enterprise leadership capability and the ability to operate effectively across complex, regulated, multi-market environments.

Experience and qualification requirements;

• 15+ years’ experience in Financial Services, with at least 7 years in executive leadership roles across Trade Finance, Working Capital and/or Transactional Banking.
• A strong track record of driving trade revenue growth, profitability and market expansion.
• Proven experience engaging senior clients, executives, regulators and industry stakeholders.
• Deep understanding of trade flows, supply chains, working capital solutions, risk management and balance sheet optimisation.
• Experience leading large, geographically dispersed teams and building high-performance cultures.
• Strong digital, data and transformation orientation, with the ability to convert innovation into commercial value.
• A postgraduate qualification at NQF Level 8 in Finance, Economics, Banking or a related field.
• A Master’s degree in Finance, Economics, International Trade or an MBA would be advantageous.

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