Trade Sales Manager – SME & Commercial

UBL UAE; Dubai; On-site; AED 300,000 - 460,000; Full time

Job summary

UBL UAE is seeking a Trade Sales Manager for SME & Commercial Banking to drive growth in Trade Finance. You will focus on acquiring new customers, deepening relationships, increasing volumes and fee income, and delivering tailored working-capital and international trade solutions.

You will collaborate with Relationship Managers, Credit, Risk, Product and Operations to structure, price and deliver competitive solutions while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, Banking, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 7–10 years of banking experience with Trade Finance sales, Transaction Banking, SME or Commercial Banking.
• Strong UAE market experience in the SME and Commercial Banking environment.
• Proven track record in Trade Finance business development, customer acquisition, portfolio growth and fee income.
• Sound understanding of trade products (LCs, guarantees, import/export finance, working capital, supply-chain).
• Strong sales, negotiation, relationship-management and business-development skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the Trade Finance sales strategy for SME and Commercial Banking customers.
• Drive new-to-bank customer acquisition and increase trade wallet share among existing clients.
• Originate and grow trade finance volumes, fee income and profitability through solution-based selling.
• Promote and structure trade solutions including LCs, guarantees, import/export finance, and supply chain finance.
• Develop understanding of customers' business models, trading cycles, and working-capital needs.
• Work with Relationship Managers to identify trade opportunities and develop customer-specific solutions.
• Conduct customer meetings and presentations with business owners and CFOs.
• Prepare trade proposals and coordinate with Credit and Risk for structuring and pricing.
• Cross-sell Trade Finance with Assets, Liabilities, Cash Management, FX and other products.
• Monitor portfolio performance, utilization, revenue, and risks; escalate issues timely.

Skills

Sales skills

Negotiation

Relationship management

Business development

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, Banking, or a related discipline

Minimum 7–10 years of banking experience, with significant exposure to Trade Finance sales, Transaction Banking, SME, or Commercial Banking

Job description

The Trade Sales Manager – SME & Commercial will be responsible for driving the growth of the Bank's Trade Finance business across the SME and Commercial Banking segments. The role will focus on acquiring new customers, deepening existing relationships, increasing trade volumes and fee income, and providing tailored trade solutions to meet customers' working capital and international trade requirements.

The incumbent will work closely with Relationship Managers, Business Banking, Credit, Trade Operations, Product, and other stakeholders to deliver competitive and efficient trade solutions while ensuring compliance with the Bank's risk appetite, policies, and regulatory requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the Trade Finance sales strategy for SME and Commercial Banking customers.
• Drive new-to-bank customer acquisition and increase trade wallet share among existing SME and Commercial clients.
• Originate and grow trade finance volumes, fee income, and overall profitability through effective customer coverage and solution-based selling.
• Promote and structure trade solutions including Letters of Credit, Guarantees, Import/Export Finance, Trust Receipts, Invoice/Receivables Finance, Supply Chain Finance, and other working-capital solutions, as applicable.
• Develop a strong understanding of customers' business models, trading cycles, supply chains, import/export requirements, and working-capital needs.
• Work closely with Relationship Managers to identify trade opportunities and develop customer-specific solutions.
• Conduct customer meetings and presentations with business owners, CFOs, finance managers, and other key decision-makers.
• Prepare trade proposals and coordinate with Credit and Risk teams to ensure appropriate structuring, pricing, limits, collateral, and risk mitigation.
• Cross-sell Trade Finance with Assets, Liabilities, Cash Management, FX, and other Transaction Banking products to maximise customer wallet share.
• Monitor trade portfolio performance, utilisation, revenue, customer activity, and emerging risks, ensuring timely escalation of issues.
• Maintain strong knowledge of UAE trade practices, market trends, customer requirements, and competitor offerings.
• Work closely with Trade Operations and Product teams to improve turnaround times, service quality, and customer experience.
• Ensure all trade transactions and customer activities comply with the Bank's credit policies, KYC/AML requirements, sanctions controls, regulatory standards, and internal procedures.
• Maintain accurate sales pipelines, customer call reports, opportunity tracking, and performance reporting.
• Provide regular updates to senior management on trade sales performance, pipeline, market opportunities, and key risks.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, Banking, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 7–10 years of banking experience, with significant exposure to Trade Finance sales, Transaction Banking, SME, or Commercial Banking.
• Strong UAE market experience and established knowledge of the local SME and Commercial Banking environment.
• Proven track record in Trade Finance business development, customer acquisition, portfolio growth, and fee income generation.
• Strong practical knowledge of trade products, including LCs, guarantees, import/export finance, working-capital solutions, and supply-chain finance.
• Good understanding of SME and Commercial customer credit requirements and financial structures.
• Strong sales, negotiation, relationship-management, and business-development skills.
• Ability to work effectively with Relationship Managers, Credit, Risk, Product, Operations, and other stakeholders.
• Strong commercial acumen with sound understanding of credit and operational risks.

Excellent communication, presentation, and customer engagement skills.