Head of Coverage & Capital Markets - SMBC

Role Description

As Head of the Coverage & Capital Markets (CCM) Vertical, this individual will serve as an Senior Credit Officer with Delegated Approval Authority responsible for ensuring the safety of SMBC’s assets through sound credit risk management while aligning with the strategic direction of the business for growth, including department goals and the overall Bank. Utilizing approval authority, the CCM Head will serve in an adjudication and escalation approval function for credit applications of new and existing credits where there is a greater level of risk requiring expert oversight. They will report to the Managing Director and General Manager of CDAD and the U.S. Chief Credit Risk Officer (U.S. CCRO).

Role Objectives: Delivery

• Oversight of application of SMBC’s Credit Risk Policies and Procedures, and adherence to U.S. Regulatory Guidelines, to maintain the overall quality of the Coverage & Capital Markets credit portfolio, consistent with SMBC’s risk appetite.
• Collaborate regarding strategic matters with the line of business head (1 LoD) of Coverage & Capital Markets in the Americas, the U.S. CCRO and the U.S. Chief Risk Officer (U.S. CRO).
• Guide and support 1 LoD business lines, product groups, examination function, legal and risk management function on high level credit and risk related issues.
• Provide consultative and collaborative advice to 1 LoD head of credit and senior credit officers encouraging early action for new or modified transactions and transactions showing signs of a downward trend.
• Collaborate with the Credit Policy, Criteria, and Governance team to influence and drive change across credit policies and procedures that are consistent with best practice in the U.S. market, support a strong credit risk foundation, and deliver best in class execution for SMBC and its clients.
• Design and manage adequate risk controls in alignment with the credit risk framework including independent challenge, monitoring and testing.
• Oversight and issue resolution of concerns raised by Credit Officers pertaining to credit transactions that have been approved by the 1 LoD credit to ensure decisions are within established risk appetite limits, meet acceptance criteria, and adhere to policies and procedures.  These duties include:

• Oversight of  credit analysis completed by 2 LoD Credit Officers including, but not excluding structuring/restructuring of deals, all aspects of risk ratings, quality of dialogue/coaching to first line credit employees; addressing exceptions to policy and reporting on quality of the loan portfolio, and providing coaching.

• Lead and provide direction on near-term credit-related remediation in response to specific regulatory feedback, recommendations from the 3 LoD, and also proactively on a holistic basis.

Role Objectives: Interpersonal

• Effective communication and presentation skills to interact with the most senior levels of leadership in the Americas Division.
• Leadership skills to instill consistency and standardization of leading practices and application of sound credit risk management principles across all credit teams (1 LoD and 2 LoD) and relevant businesses; ensure credit related policies are well understood and are being adhered to by all credit teams.
• Strong negotiation techniques in order to work through difficult situations related to transaction structuring, policy change requests, strategic direction, problem loan resolution, credit administration.
• Critical thinking to demonstrate effective challenge on credit decisions and communicate effectively with 1 LoD leads to ensure rationale and decision is clearly understood.
• Listening and reasoning skills to evaluate feedback received from Credit Officers and initiate appropriate action to address issues (e.g. unclear policies, interpretation issues, policies impacting market competitiveness, etc.), and to assess people and systems needs against the backdrop of driving a risk management environment.
• Strong organizational skills to prioritize work and manage time effectively as well as work collaboratively with internal risk management colleagues and risk management leaders across all subsidiaries and globally.
• Effective mentoring and coaching skills to share knowledge related to products and credit analysis, providing guidance to 1 LoD leads and 2 LoD credit officers regarding credit standards, policies, objectives, and requirements to help develop their skill sets and enable the next generation of leaders, cascading leadership opportunities beyond direct reports.
• Foster a positive and collaborative environment while concurrently tackling challenging goals.

Role Objectives: Expertise

• Expert knowledge of all aspects of the credit cycle from origination to problem asset management, and deep understanding of risk management frameworks, credit transaction, and portfolio risk management
• Deep credit risk analysis and structuring skills to effectively oversee and support credit officers through ongoing coaching on credit analysis and deal structuring for corporate credit, with industry expertise across such sectors as:

• Auto
• Utility
• Oil & Gas
• Technology
• Commercial Real Estate

• Experience with fundamental credit analysis and key company financing metrics. Strong knowledge of credit and risk principles including corporate finance and accounting.
• Strong understanding of risk appetite frameworks and the application to credit philosophy, policies and guidelines.
• In-depth knowledge of the U.S. and foreign banking laws and regulations, and regulatory expectations with respect to credit-related risk management and excellent track record liaising with banking regulators.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory risk ratings from various relevant regulatory entities (e.g. U.S. GAAP: Special Mention through Loss, IFRS: OLEM through Loss
• Ability to navigate and balance local and head office Japanese requirements, including U.S. regulations and Japanese regulations, as well as internal stakeholders across each jurisdiction.
• Manage change, engage stakeholders, and work in a consensus-driven environment to drive alignment.

Qualifications and Skills

• 15+ years of experience in financial services related to credit risk management, global banking and/or front office credit.
• Minimum of 8 years experience leading the Corporate & Investment Banking Business from 2nd line credit perspective (e.g. credit risk analysis, structuring, risk rating and approval, portfolio management). Sectors with experience includes but not limited to general corporate, financial institutions, and capital markets credit.
• Subject matter expertise across credit products, credit transactions or portfolio risk monitoring, including assessing market trends and emerging risks.
• Experience driving large-scale credit risk process improvement and/or successfully addressing regulatory remediation a plus.
• Proven track record leading credit risk teams, partnering with the front office to develop appropriate risk guardrails, navigating complex, multi-layered organizations and building consensus on implementing meaningful change.
• Education:

• Required: Baccalaureate degree in business, accounting, finance or related field
• Preferred: Advanced degree or equivalent in relevant field (e.g., MBA or MS in Risk Management of Finance)
• Preferred: Relevant certifications such as CFA, Capital Markets Professional, Series 7, or credit training program

• Business fluency in the following languages:

• Required: English
• Japanese desirable

Additional Requirements

MD Risk Guidance

Establish and adhere to policies, procedures, and processes that include line of business risk limits, management supervision standards and reporting (including escalation), to ensure that risks associated with the LOB's activities are effectively identified, measured, monitored, and controlled, consistent with the organizational risk appetite statement, concentration risk limits, and policies established within the enterprise risk management framework.

D&I Commitment

Responsible for fostering a culture of diversity and inclusion, holding leaders accountable for creating an inclusive environment through awareness and practice of equity in recruiting, developing, and promoting diverse talent.