Portfolio Manager

Merchant West; Durban; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Merchant West is seeking a Portfolio Manager: Agriculture to oversee a diversified agriculture loan portfolio, monitor risk, and maintain client relationships. You will liaise with business units on deal structuring and growth opportunities while ensuring compliance with credit policies and governance frameworks.

The role emphasizes monitoring portfolio health, analysing farming cashflows, and preparing reports for management. A strong background in finance and agriculture is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field of Agriculture is required.
• Postgraduate qualification or professional certification in finance, credit, or risk management is advantageous.
• 5-10 years’ experience in portfolio management, credit, or asset finance relating to agriculture.
• 2-5 years’ experience in agriculture finance sales with a recognised provider is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Portfolio management and performance monitoring 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.
• Maintain strong client relationships 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.
• Support deal structuring and execution within the portfolio.
• Assess financial impact of restructuring or additional funding requests.
• Identify opportunities to grow and optimise the portfolio.
• 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.
• 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.

Job description

Role Purpose:

The Portfolio Manager: Agriculture 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.

Portfolio Risk Monitoring

• 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:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field of Agriculture, with a postgraduate qualification or professional certification in finance, credit, or risk management being advantageous.

Experience:

• 5 - 10 years’ experience in portfolio management, credit, or asset finance relating to agriculture
• 2 – 5 years’ experience in an agriculture finance sales position with a recognised agriculture finance provider (preferred)

Skills:

• Ability to understand farming operations and analyse farming cashflows for reasonability and historical financial statements
• 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

Competencies:

• 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
• Integrity and governance discipline