Senior Vice President, Real Estate, Client Coverage

Liberty, a prominent financial services group, is seeking a seasoned professional to lead its Real Estate Client Coverage division. This senior leadership role is based in Johannesburg and offers a unique opportunity to shape client relationships and drive strategic growth within the real estate sector. The successful candidate will be instrumental in managing and expanding a portfolio of moderately complex clients, ensuring their needs are met while meticulously managing risk and fostering an exceptional client experience.

About the Role

This position is more than just client management; it's about acting as a trusted advisor and a strategic partner to Liberty’s real estate clients. You will be at the forefront of client engagement, influencing project timelines, managing expectations, and proactively negotiating across various internal departments to deliver client-centric solutions. Your ability to coordinate the origination and execution of these solutions will be key to achieving ambitious revenue targets and contributing to the overall success of the division. This is a critical role that demands a deep understanding of the client coverage value chain and a proactive approach to business development within the real estate finance landscape.

The Senior Vice President will be responsible for a broad range of activities aimed at maximising client value and business performance. This includes:

• Independently managing and growing a portfolio of real estate clients, from initial engagement through to ongoing relationship management.
• Serving as a primary point of contact, ensuring client needs are understood and addressed effectively across the entire engagement lifecycle.
• Proactively identifying opportunities for growth and developing bespoke solutions that align with client objectives and Liberty's strategic goals.
• Leading and managing cross-functional teams to ensure seamless execution of client solutions, fostering collaboration and driving efficiency.
• Acting as the "first line of defence" in risk management, ensuring all client activities and transactions adhere to internal policies and regulatory requirements.
• Conducting, collating, and reviewing detailed financial and valuation analyses to support decision-making and provide insightful recommendations.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with senior management and executive-level stakeholders within client organisations.
• Contributing to the achievement of revenue targets through effective client coverage and strategic business development initiatives.
• Staying abreast of market trends, sector developments, and the competitive landscape to inform client strategies and identify new opportunities.

What They're Looking For

Liberty is looking for an accomplished leader with a significant track record in client coverage and a profound understanding of the financial services sector, particularly within real estate. Essential qualifications and experience include:

• A first-degree qualification in a relevant field, such as Banking or Finance.
• A minimum of 8-10 years of progressive experience in client coverage, with an advanced understanding of the end-to-end client engagement value chain.
• Proven experience in developing and executing client-centric solutions, leveraging sector trends and strategic insights to drive client growth and revenue.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and manage deal teams and cross-functional groups to deliver exceptional client experiences and achieve business objectives.
• A strong background in risk management, with experience fulfilling the "first line of defence" role effectively.
• Proficiency in conducting detailed financial and/or valuation analyses, with the ability to interpret complex data and translate it into actionable insights.
• Experience engaging with clients at senior management and executive levels, establishing credibility and acting as a trusted advisor.

In terms of behavioural competencies, candidates should possess strong skills in articulating information, conveying self-confidence, convincing others, developing strategies, interacting effectively with people, making sound decisions, producing high-quality output, providing insightful analysis, pursuing goals with determination, showing composure under pressure, and demonstrating excellent teamwork and interpersonal understanding.

In South Africa, senior roles in real estate finance and client coverage typically command competitive remuneration packages, reflecting the specialised knowledge and extensive experience required. Employers in this space often include major banks, financial institutions, and dedicated property finance companies. Career progression can lead to broader leadership responsibilities within divisions, or into executive management roles overseeing entire business units or strategic portfolios.

Type of Qualification: First Degree
Field of Study: Banking

Experience Required

8-10 years experience and advanced understanding of the Client Coverage capabilities and a competent understanding of the overall CIB and competitive environment.

8-10 years experience and track record of applying sector trends and strategic insights to developing solutions and opportunities for client growth.

8-10 years experience working in a deal team, leading and managing cross functional teams to drive client centric solutions, deliver revenue growth and a comprehensive client experience.

8-10 years experience in risk management and fulfilling the role of "first line of defence".

8-10 years experience in conducting, collating and reviewing detailed financial and / or valuation analysis.

8-10 years experience leading client engagement at senior management and executive level, acting as a trusted advisor.

Behavioural Competencies:

• Articulating Information
• Conveying Self-Confidence
• Convincing People
• Developing Strategies
• Interacting with People
• Making Decisions
• Producing Output
• Providing Insights
• Pursuing Goals
• Showing Composure
• Team Working
• Understanding People

Technical Competencies:

• Business Development
• Client Knowledge
• Client Retention
• Client Servicing
• Financial Analysis