Universal Banking Team Leader

Leading a Sales Force in Universal Banking

This role focuses on steering a branch-based sales team towards consistent revenue growth, nurturing deeper client connections, and ensuring an outstanding customer experience. The position is pivotal in driving sales effectiveness, fostering a client-first mentality, and meticulously adhering to all regulatory, risk, and conduct standards. A key aspect involves cultivating a high-performing team that is strategically aligned with market opportunities and the overarching business objectives.

The Scope of Responsibilities

The incumbent will be accountable for spearheading sustained sales and revenue increases. This involves actively identifying promising market opportunities, building stronger relationships with existing clients, and actively pursuing new business to meet the branch's financial targets. A significant part of the role is dedicated to leading, coaching, and developing a team of Universal Bankers. The aim is to enhance their capabilities, foster a sense of accountability, and cultivate a sales and service culture that thrives on high performance.

Ensuring a consistently superior client experience is paramount. This is achieved by embedding a strong, client-centric approach that prioritises high-quality service, effectively resolves client needs, and builds enduring value in client relationships. Furthermore, the role demands oversight of risk, compliance, and conduct management within the branch. This includes ensuring full compliance with the Financial Advisory and Intermediary Services Act (FAIS), Fit and Proper requirements, internal policies, and all relevant regulatory standards. Leveraging market insights, management information, and performance data will be crucial for optimising client coverage, resource allocation, and overall branch execution.

Essential Experience and Qualifications

To excel in this capacity, candidates should possess a Bachelor of Commerce degree or an Advanced Certificate (NQF7 FAIS aligned) in a pertinent field, such as banking, finance, sales, or management. Professional exam certifications, specifically RE1 and RE5, would be advantageous.

A minimum of five to seven years of experience within a retail or universal banking environment is required, with a demonstrated history in frontline sales and client engagement. Crucially, the role also necessitates at least two to three years of proven leadership experience, specifically managing and developing sales teams in a branch or other client-facing setting. A track record of sustained sales performance, evidenced by the achievement of financial and growth targets, is also essential.

Significant experience in risk management, compliance, and conduct is a prerequisite, encompassing FAIS compliance and Fit and Proper requirements. Experience in managing audits, operational risk, handling client complaints, and ensuring regulatory adherence within a banking context will be highly valued. Key behavioural competencies include adopting practical approaches, producing output, articulating information effectively, convincing others, challenging ideas, exploring possibilities, generating innovative solutions, decision-making with composure, and understanding people while following procedures. Technical competencies should span application and submission verification (consumer banking), understanding banking processes and procedures, client acceptance and review, customer understanding (consumer banking), and product knowledge (consumer banking).

In South Africa, roles like this, at larger financial institutions, typically involve a competitive salary package that often includes a base salary, performance-based bonuses, and other benefits typical of the financial services sector. Opportunities for career progression often exist within senior management, regional leadership, or specialized banking functions within the organisation.

• Bachelor of Commerce degree or an Advanced Certificate (NQF7 FAIS aligned qualification as per regulatory requirements) in a relevant field aligned to banking, finance, sales or management.
• RE1 and RE5 preferred.

Experience Required:

• 5 to 7 years’ experience within a retail or universal banking environment, with proven exposure to frontline sales and client engagement.
• At least 2 to 3 years’ proven leadership experience, managing and developing sales teams in a branch or client-facing environment.
• Demonstrated sustained sales performance track record, including achievement of financial and growth targets.
• Strong experience in risk management, compliance and conduct, including FAIS compliance and Fit and Proper requirements.
• Experience managing audits, operational risk, client complaints and regulatory adherence within a banking environment.

Behavioural Competencies:

• Adopting Practical Approaches and Producing Output
• Articulating Information and Convincing People
• Challenging Ideas and Exploring Possibilities
• Generating Ideas and Providing Insights
• Making Decisions and Showing Composure
• Following Procedures and Understanding People

Technical Competencies:

• Application & Submission Verification (Consumer Banking)
• Banking Process & Procedures
• Client Acceptance & Review
• Customer Understanding ( Consumer Banking)
• Processing
• Product Knowledge (Consumer Banking)