VP, Credit - Structured Finance

First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB); Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 800,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Job summary

First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) is seeking a senior credit professional to lead detailed credit assessment and memos for corporate and structured financing. You will guide a small team, calibrate credit terms, and monitor portfolio health while aligning with regulatory and internal policies.

You will also support budgeting, regulatory reporting, and MIS. Strong communication and financial modelling skills are essential for success in this role based in Abu Dhabi.

Qualifications

• 15 years of banking experience, including 5–7 years in structured debt financing.
• Strong understanding of structured debt financing structures and asset valuations.
• Excellent communication skills with ability to articulate risk considerations.
• Knowledge of Basel norms, IFRS 9, ECL and impairment calculations.

Responsibilities

• Handle independent credit evaluation and approval for corporate lending and structured debt.
• Guide a team of credit analysts and coordinate with Corporate Finance and RAC teams.
• Review term sheets, set terms/covenants and monitor credit exposure.
• Ensure compliance with credit policies and regulatory requirements.
• Perform portfolio reviews, delinquencies monitoring and MIS preparation.
• Participate in digitisation and automation projects within Group Credit.

Skills

Credit evaluation

Financial modelling

Excel skills

Communication skills

Regulatory knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance/Banking/Commerce

Tools

Excel

Risk analysis software

Job description

Job Purpose

The job exists to conduct detailed credit assessment and preparation of credit appraisal memos for corporate and structured financing; to manage the overall health of the allocated portfolio and to guide a team of credit analysts. Additionally, the person will be expected to support budgeting, regulatory reporting, portfolio reviews and MIS from the Group Credit perspective.

Key Accountabilities

• Handle independently credit evaluation and approval process for corporate lending and structured debt across various sectors, including working capital facilities, trade facilities, project finance, asset finance, non-recourse real estate financing and leveraged/acquisition finance.
• Coordinate with Corporate Finance teams in developing appropriate product programs and assisting in the development of RACs.
• Analyze complex transaction structures, asset quality and counterparty risk as part of the credit analysis.
• Review term sheets and identify credit and structural risks in collaboration with legal counsel.
• Set credit terms and conditions, including limits, amortisation schedules, covenants, seniority of claims, EoD terms, etc.
• Monitor ongoing credit exposure at product and counterparty level, and undertake ad‑hoc event‑based risk analysis on structured debt exposures.
• Ensure compliance with credit policies, regulatory requirements and industry best practices.
• Manage the allocated portfolio of clients with timely annual reviews, monitoring delinquencies, early warnings, adherence to covenants, documentary deferrals, and actively engage with business counterparts to address credit related issues.
• Participate actively in digitalisation and automation based projects, representing Group Credit in project teams and/or leading such initiatives within Group Credit.
• Engage senior business counterparts to ensure the proposed facility meets clients’ expectations within the bank’s underwriting standards.
• Accompany business counterparts to client meetings to better understand the client and proposed credit facility.
• Adhere to departmental policies, standard operating procedures and practices, ensuring smooth, methodical work.
• Exhibit consistency with the organisation’s values and ethics, demonstrating a value‑driven culture.
• Be knowledgeable of regulatory and internal bank policies.
• Demonstrate strong communication and writing skills when preparing & submitting credit proposals to approving authorities within the Bank.

Guide and train a small team of credit analysts for credit underwriting.

Key Requirements

• 15 years of experience in banking, including 5–7 years in structured debt financing structures.
• Good understanding of structured debt financing structures, multi‑sector experience and asset valuations.
• Strong financial modelling and Excel skills, with ability to review a financial model, RAROC and returns sheets critically.
• Understand key risk elements for structured financing, including standard valuation procedures and monitoring frameworks.
• Excellent communication skills, capable of clearly articulating risk consideration and credit rationale.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements (Basel norms, IFRS 9, ECL & impairments calculations) relevant to credit risk.
• Ensure completeness & accuracy of documentation submitted with the credit request to avoid fraud and/or delinquency.
• Ensure compliance with the bank’s credit underwriting policies and address any exceptions.
• Perform portfolio management activities such as past‑due monitoring, breach of covenants, stress testing, etc.
• Review excess rental release requests of clients, considering available and expected rental cash flows.
• Co‑ordinate with stakeholders such as Business Units, Credit Administration, Collections, Operations, etc., to streamline issues affecting credit facilities.
• Review/approve deferral or waiver requests by customers in the context of credit risks involved.
• Ensure all loan applications and service requests are dealt with efficiently within agreed SLAs.
• Maintain required departmental MIS on an ongoing basis.
• Maintain records of approved loans and proposal documents in a common folder/system to safeguard from missing or misplaced documents.
• Work under pressure without compromising credit underwriting quality.
• Perform any additional job‑related tasks/projects as and when assigned by the Line Manager.

Qualification

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Finance, Banking or Commerce.