Portfolio Manager

Merchant West; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Merchant West requires a Portfolio Manager to oversee a client facilities portfolio, monitor performance and risk, and foster strong client relationships. The role involves deal support, portfolio growth, reporting, and ensuring compliance with credit policies and governance frameworks.

The ideal candidate has 4+ years in a client-facing financial role, with a strong background in finance, credit risk, and analytical modelling to optimise portfolio performance.

Qualifications

• Degree in Finance/Mathematics with Accounting as a subject.
• 4+ years in a client-facing financial role.
• Strong ability in credit risk evaluation and financial modelling.
• Experience with deal structuring and portfolio management.

Responsibilities

• Manage and monitor a portfolio of client facilities for performance and asset quality.
• Maintain client relationships and identify opportunities for growth.
• Support deal structuring and execution within the portfolio.
• Prepare portfolio reports and maintain accurate records.
• Ensure adherence to credit policies and governance frameworks.

Skills

Portfolio management

Credit risk evaluation

Deal structuring

Client relationship management

Portfolio reporting

Financial modelling

Cash flow analysis

Analytical thinking

Negotiation

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Finance/Mathematics degree

Accounting as subject

Tools

Financial software

Job description

The Portfolio Manager works closely with business units to support deal execution, manage risk and identify opportunities for portfolio growth and optimisation. The role involves monitoring client exposure, maintaining ongoing client relationships and ensuring compliance with Merchant West credit policies and governance frameworks.

Main Accountabilities:

Portfolio Management and Performance

• Manage and monitor a portfolio of client facilities to ensure strong financial performance and asset quality.
• Track client exposures, repayment behaviour, and overall portfolio health.
• Ensure portfolio performance aligns with Merchant West risk and profitability targets.

Client Relationship Management

• Maintain strong relationships with clients to ensure ongoing service delivery and satisfaction.
• Engage with clients to understand business needs and identify additional opportunities.
• Resolve client queries and manage relationship issues in a timely manner.
• Monitor client financial performance and identify potential credit risks.
• Ensure compliance with approved credit terms, covenants, and facility conditions.
• Escalate risk concerns and recommend corrective actions where required.

Deal Support and Portfolio Growth

• Support business units with deal structuring and execution within the portfolio.
• Assess financial impact of restructuring or additional funding requests.
• Identify opportunities to grow and optimise the portfolio.

Reporting and Portfolio Administration

• Prepare and maintain accurate portfolio reports and documentation.
• Ensure all client records and portfolio data are up to date and compliant.
• Provide regular updates on portfolio performance to management.

Credit Governance and Compliance

• Ensure adherence to credit policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.
• Maintain proper documentation and audit trails for portfolio activities.
• Support audit and compliance processes related to portfolio management.

Qualifications:

• Relevant degree with Finance and/or Mathematics, Accounting as subject(s)

Experience:

• 4+ years experience in a client facing role with a financial background/solution selling
• Relationships and client/dealer base within the sector

Skills:

• Portfolio management and performance monitoring
• Financial statement analysis and credit risk evaluation
• Deal structuring and transaction assessment
• Client relationship and stakeholder management
• Portfolio reporting and financial analysis
• Credit policy interpretation and application
• Financial modelling and cash flow analysis
• Portfolio systems and financial software utilisation
• Commercial judgement and financial acumen
• Analytical thinking and problem solving
• Decision making and sound risk judgement
• Stakeholder engagement and collaboration
• Negotiation and influencing capability
• Accountability and ownership
• Results orientation and performance focus