Portfolio Manager - Agriculture

Merchant West; KwaZulu-Natal; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Merchant West is seeking a Portfolio Manager to oversee a diverse portfolio of client facilities, focusing on performance, risk management and exceptional client service.

You will monitor exposures, manage relationships, and ensure compliance with credit policies while supporting deal structuring and governance across the portfolio.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field; postgraduate qualification advantageous.
• Experience in agriculture finance or asset finance is preferred (see experience section).

Responsibilities

• Manage and oversee a portfolio of client facilities to ensure strong financial performance.
• Monitor client exposures, repayment performance, and asset quality within the portfolio.
• Maintain strong client relationships and address queries in a timely manner.
• Support deal structuring and assess impact of restructurings or additional funding.
• Prepare portfolio performance reports and maintain documentation.
• Ensure adherence to credit policies and governance frameworks.

Skills

Portfolio management

Credit risk evaluation

Financial statement analysis

Deal structuring

Client relationship management

Reporting & analytics

Policy interpretation

Cash flow analysis

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance/Accounting/Economics or related field

Postgraduate qualification in finance/credit/risk management advantageous

Tools

Financial software

Portfolio systems

Cash flow modelling tools

Job description

Role Purpose:

The Portfolio Manager is responsible for managing and overseeing a portfolio of client facilities by ensuring strong portfolio performance, effective risk management, and high levels of client service. The role involves monitoring client exposures, maintaining ongoing client relationships, and ensuring compliance with Merchant West credit policies and governance frameworks. The Portfolio Manager also provides guidance on complex transactions, supports deal structuring where required, and works closely with internal stakeholders to ensure the long-term sustainability and quality of the portfolio.

Responsibilities:

1. Portfolio Management and Performance

• Manage and oversee a portfolio of client facilities to ensure strong financial performance.
• Monitor client exposures, repayment performance, and asset quality within the portfolio.
• Ensure the portfolio performs in line with Merchant West profitability and risk targets.

1. Client Relationship Management

• Maintain strong relationships with existing clients to ensure ongoing service excellence.
• Engage with clients to understand business needs and identify additional opportunities.
• Address client queries and manage relationship issues in a timely and professional manner.

1. Portfolio Risk Monitoring

• Monitor financial performance of clients and identify potential credit risks.
• Ensure compliance with approved credit terms, covenants, and facility conditions.
• Escalate potential risk concerns and recommend appropriate corrective action.

1. Deal Structuring and Transaction Support

• Support business units with the structuring of new or amended transactions within the portfolio.
• Review financial information to assess the impact of restructuring or additional funding requests.
• Provide input on risk mitigation strategies where required.

1. Reporting and Portfolio Administration

• Prepare portfolio performance reports and updates for management.
• Maintain accurate client records and portfolio documentation.
• Ensure compliance with internal reporting and monitoring requirements.

1. Credit Governance and Compliance

• Ensure adherence to Merchant West credit policies, procedures, and governance frameworks.
• Maintain proper documentation and audit trails for portfolio decisions and actions.
• Support internal audit and compliance requirements 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