Risk Director

Role Purpose

Provide leadership and oversight for credit risk management to safeguard the organization's assets and reputation.

Ensure that credit risk is identified, assessed, managed, and reported in line with the organization's risk appetite and regulatory requirements

Planning and Strategy

Develop and implement credit risk strategies aligned with the organization's business objectives.

Set risk tolerance and limits, and ensure effective portfolio diversification.

Contribute risk insights to strategic and business planning processes

Job Specific Accountabilities

Conduct credit risk assessments and due diligence on counterparties and transactions.

Review and recommend credit applications, setting risk-appropriate terms and conditions.

Monitor and report on credit exposures, ensuring compliance with approved limits and policies.

Prepare and present credit risk reports to management and relevant committees.

Participate in risk and credit committees, providing expert advice and analysis.

Lead or support credit risk-related projects and initiatives

Identify, assess, and quantify market risks arising from fluctuations in interest rates, foreign exchange rates, commodity prices, and other market variables impacting the trade finance portfolio

Monitor and independently oversee market risk exposures, including stop-loss, VaR limits, counterparty, country, and rate tolerance limits

Prepare regular market risk reports for management, risk committees, and regulatory bodies, clearly articulating the organization's market risk profile and any breaches or exceptions

Policies, Processes, and Procedures

Develop, maintain, and update credit risk management policies and procedures.

Ensure robust processes for credit approval, monitoring, and review, with clear roles and escalation protocols.

Implement controls to ensure adherence to risk policies and timely identification of exceptions.

Facilitate periodic reviews and audits of credit risk activities.

Support the development and reform of market and liquidity risk management policies and guidelines within the enterprise risk management framework

General Accountabilities

Promote a strong risk culture and ethical standards across the organization.

Maintain up-to-date knowledge of regulatory and market developments affecting credit risk.

Ensure accurate documentation and record-keeping for all credit risk activities.

Collaborate with other departments to ensure integrated risk management.

Undertake additional duties as directed by the CEO or Director of Risk

Qualifications, Skills & Experience

Bachelor's degree in business administration, Finance, or a related field

10+ years of experience in administration and MIS-related functions, preferably in financial services or trade finance

Fluency in Arabic and English

Strong skills in credit and market risk evaluation, stakeholder management and reporting