Senior Trade Finance Specialist

SHELTER-AFRIQUE is a regional Housing Finance Institution established by African governments and the African Development Bank dedicated to investment in housing and urban development in African countries. The current shareholding comprises 42 African countries, the African Development Bank and the African Re-Insurance Corporation. The institution, with its headquarters in Nairobi, would like to fill the following vacancy in the Business Development & Operations Department.

Position Title: Senior Trade Finance Specialist

Grade: P4

Reporting to: Team Leader-Investment & Special Products

Overall Purpose

The Trade Finance Specialist will be responsible for developing and implementing a trade finance programme that allows the Shelter Afrique to realize its objectives and achieve growth targets. The Specialist will be required to ensure that optimal risk management procedures and processes are in place and are being implemented.


1.0 Core Duties and Responsibilities
• Identify opportunities for risk participation in the company pipeline of projects and take action to turn such opportunities into concrete business transactions;
• Develop trade finance products that are operationally efficient, responsive to market dynamics and are in keeping with institutional objectives;
• Establish relationships and maintain active contact with local and international banks active in trade finance;
• Undertake due diligence appraisals of issuing banks and prospective clients to identify solutions for trade finance;
• Respond under tight deadlines to requests for trade finance support by structuring, negotiating and completing transactions;
• Research the inter-bank market and trade transactions risk premiums to determine pricing and manage risks in the portfolio;
• Plan and design, training, marketing activities and road-shows for the Company trade finance activities.

Minimum Qualifications & Experience
• Post graduate degree in Business/Finance/Accounting or related fields
• Professional qualifications in Trade Finance such CITF will be an added advantage
• 10 years working experience in banking & Financial Services with at least 5 years in a managerial position in Trade Finance.
• Experience in risk management in relation to trade finance, commodity finance, cash flow based lending and /or treasury operations


2.0 Key Competencies

• High level of structuring and credit analysis skills experience;
• Knowledge of /experience in real-estate/property industry will be highly regarded;
• Bilingual (English/French) individuals would be given preference;
• Result oriented and good leadership qualities;
• Ability to deal sensitively in multi-cultural environments and build effective working relations with clients and colleagues;
• Ability to operate effectively across organizational boundaries and work as team to meet strict timelines and targets;
• Excellent verbal & written communication skills.

Shelter-Afrique offers competitive salary and benefits package and a collegial working environment. Applicants are invited to send a cover letter illustrating their suitability against the listed qualifications/ competencies/skills and detailed curriculum vitae, current & expected salary as well as names and addresses of three referees (including telephone & email address) to jobs@shelterafrique.org

Applicants should indicate “Senior Trade Finance Specialist” as the subject line of their email submissions. Deadline for submission of applications is 12th August 2011. Only short-listed applicants meeting the above requirements will be contacted.