Officer - Trade Finance

Sharjah Islamic Bank; Sharjah; On-site; AED 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A financial institution in Sharjah is seeking a Trade Finance Specialist to check and authorize financial documents, including Letters of Guarantee and Export Letters of Credit. The ideal candidate will have at least 6 years of experience in Trade Finance, strong skills in Arabic and English, and expertise in compliance checks. This role offers an opportunity to contribute to process improvements and enhance operational efficiency.

Qualifications

• Minimum 6 years of experience in Trade Finance.
• Ability to conduct Trade-Based Money Laundering (TBML) checks.
• Experience in checking and authorizing Export Letters of Credit.

Responsibilities

• Check and authorize Letters of Guarantee and Export Letters of Credit.
• Manage enquiries and ensure customer satisfaction through timely responses.
• Conduct compliance checks and engage in process improvements.

Skills

Strong communication skills in Arabic and English

Teamwork

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor in Financial & Banking Science

Tools

MS Office

T24 Software

Job description

Job Purpose

• Checking and/or authorizing of Letters of Guarantee, Export Letter of Credit, Transfers, Outward Documentary Collections,
• Manage the TFD helpdesk enquiries mailbox
• Verifying / releasing of SWIFT Message from Swift Alliance
• Conduct Trade-Based Money Laundering (TBML) checks as per regulatory and internal guidelines - Review Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) periodically and suggest improvements where needed.
• Identify manual processes for automation, raise Change Requests (CRs), and participate in automation efforts to streamline workflows and improve operational efficiency.

Key Accountabilities

Guarantee Checking / Authorizing

• 1st or 2nd checking / authorizing of the Guarantee Issuance Amendment, Claim lodgment, Claim Settlement.
• Ensuring an efficient and effective approach which pays special attention to the terms and conditions stipulated and provides total confidence that the interests of all parties are protected while transactions take place at minimum cost in a timely and customer focused manner.

Export Letter of Credit Checking / Authorizing

• 1st or 2nd checking / authorizing of the Advising / Amendment / Lodgment / Acceptance / Settlement under Export Letter of Credit
• 1st or 2nd checking / authorizing of the Transfer / Substitution of documents / Acceptance / Settlement under transfer under Export Letter of Credit
• Ensuring an efficient and effective approach which pays special attention to the terms and conditions stipulated and provides total confidence that the interests of all parties are protected while transactions take place at minimum cost in a timely and customer focused manner.

Outward Documentary Collection Checking / Authorizing

• 1st or 2nd checking / authorizing of the Lodgment / Acceptance / Settlement / Tracers under Outward Documentary Collection
• Ensuring an efficient and effective approach which pays special attention to the terms and conditions stipulated and provides total confidence that the interests of all parties are protected while transactions take place at minimum cost in a timely and customer focused manner.

Document Checking and Discrepancies under Export documents

• 1st or 2nd Checking of export documents, identify and report discrepancies in accordance with Export LC, UCP 600, ISBP, regulatory & internal policies / guidelines.
• Communicate with customer or counterparties to resolve discrepancies and ensure timely processing of export transactions.
• Document Checking under ODC:
• Ensures all documents under ODC are properly checked and are in accordance with the Customer's instruction, regulatory & internal policies / guidelines and relevant ICC Publications.

Renewal & Cancellation of Guarantees

• Checking/releasing of timely Extension of Auto Renewal Guarantees & recovery of its commission.
• Review & release of Cancellation of expired guarantee.

ODC & Export Tracers & Follow-ups

• Checking of timely tracers to Collecting banks for follow up on Acknowledgment / Payment / Acceptance.

TFD Helpdesk Inquiries

• Ensure timely and accurate responses to internal and external queries related to trade finance products and processes.
• Responds to customers' inquiries and overcome objections, aiming at providing quality service for customers

Swift Alliance

• Releasing of SWIFT messages related to Export LCs / Outward Collections / Guarantees etc.
• Review and release SWIFT messages via the SWIFT Alliance system in accordance with applicable standards and controls.

Compliance & Risk

• Conduct Trade-Based Money Laundering (TBML) checks as per regulatory and internal guidelines. Check / verify named parties in the SWS system
• Check / verify customer's signature in the SigCap system.

MIS Reporting

• Ensures that daily position are correctly made / checked / compiled and proper follow up where required
• Ensures that daily / monthly / quarterly annual returns / reconciliation / reports are checked compiled and submitted where required, to concerned departments.

Process Review & Improvement

• Review Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) periodically and suggest improvements where needed.

Automation

• Identify manual processes, raise Change Requests (CRs), and participate in automation efforts to streamline workflows and improve operational efficiency.

Qualifications, Experiences & Technical Skills

• Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor: Financial & Banking Science, Financial Management
• Minimum Experience: 6 Years experience in Trade Finance
• Language Skills: Strong on both oral and written Arabic & English.
• Computers/ Systems / Software Skills: MS Office - T24 Software - Intermediate
• Other Qualifications (If Any): CITF, CDCS, CSD.