Senior Officer/Officer (Risk Management)

Malta Development Bank is currently looking to recruit a Senior Officer/Officer (Risk Management) to join their team on a full-time basis.

Jobsplus Permit Number 588/2024 

Job Description:
The role of the Senior Officer / Officer is to support the Risk Management function as a second line of defence. This position is responsible for contributing to the oversight and execution of a wide range of risks, as well as for the implementation of the Bank’s risk strategy.

The Senior Officer / Officer will work closely with the Risk Management team to further cultivate a culture of risk awareness throughout the Bank. This role involves developing policies and processes to mitigate risks, formulating risk methodologies, and compiling and preparing risk reports for executive management and the Board of Directors. These responsibilities collectively support the objective of reinforcing the Bank’s enterprise risk framework.

The position will also involve collaborating with individuals across all levels of the Bank. In certain instances, the Senior Officer / Officer will also engage with external consultants. The MDB offers a flexible work environment where employees are encouraged to take on new challenges and learn new skills. In line with the exigencies of work, employees may be assigned to different functions as needed.

The Senior Officer / Officer will report to the Chief Risk Officer.

Primary Responsibilities
The Senior Officer / Officer will be responsible to:

• Risk Strategy and Governance
  • Assist in the design and implementation of the MDB’s risk management framework
  • Contribute to the development of risk management governance structures
  • Maintain the Bank’s enterprise risk management framework to mitigate the overall risk position and improve the risk profile of the Bank.
• Risk Assessment and Mitigation
  • Identify and assess key risks faced by the Bank, considering both financial and non-financial aspects
  • Develop risk mitigation strategies, controls, and action plans to manage identified risks effectively
  • Design and develop methodologies to accommodate the identification, assessment, and analysis of different types of existing and emerging risks
  • Monitor the implementation and effectiveness of risk mitigation measures and escalate issues as necessary
  • Collaborate closely with the CRO and take into consideration the contributions of the Risk Management function’s team, to plan, design and implement the risk management framework of the MDB
  • Keep abreast of the relative directives, regulations, technical standards, and other rules governing the development banks and ensure their ongoing maintenance and implementation.
• Credit and Portfolio Risk
  • Oversee the credit risk assessment process for both new and existing loans, ensuring thorough analysis and evaluation to determine potential risk factors and appropriate mitigation strategies
  • Manage the Bank’s credit portfolio, ensuring proper risk exposure management
  • Lead the assessment of credit risk models and methodologies to enhance accuracy and predictive capabilities. This involves collaborating closely with the other members of the risk management team and/or external parties and drawing insights from data-driven analyses.
• Data Collection and Analysis
  • Risk assessment, which involves identifying analysing, describing, and estimating the risks affecting the business. In particular, being an expert in credit principles with a focus on analytical skills and problem-solving is essential
  • Collaborate with team members to conduct risk assessments that identify and evaluate the internal risks of the Bank as well as the risks associated with prospective borrowers’ businesses, including the creditworthiness of the borrower. These assessments are reported to the Chief Risk Officer
  • Risk evaluation, which involves comparing estimated risks with the criteria established by the MDB
  • Collaborate with other team members to carry out planned and ad hoc risk audits to ensure that procedures remain relevant and the necessary controls are in place to limit the risk of excessive risk-taking and/or abuse
  • Presenting risk dashboards to the Risk Committee every quarter and/or as required.
• Communication and management
  • Provide guidance and support to team members in their daily activities and professional growth
  • Provide accurate and timely reporting on the risks faced by the Bank
  • Participate actively in general management functions as may be necessary and in specific instances present the risk dashboard to the Risk Committee
  • Effectively communicate the risk exposures and maintain relationships with senior management
  • Actively interfacing with senior personnel and other units/departments to ensure a smooth and optimum development, implementation, and ongoing maintenance of the enterprise risk management framework into the Bank’s culture
  • The Senior Officer / Officer may also be required to undertake other duties as may be required by the CRO.

Candidate profile and experience required
Qualifications required

• An academic qualification in Risk, Economics, Banking, Finance, Mathematics, Statistics, or a relevant field of study at Malta Qualification Framework (MQF) Level 6 or better, duly certified by the Malta Qualifications Recognition Information Centre (MQRIC).
• Having a post-graduate degree in a field relevant to the role or recognised qualifications in Risk Management would provide an additional advantage.

Eligibility

• Have a minimum of three (3) years of experience in the financial services sector, including at least one (1) year of experience in risk management
• Have strong analytical and quantitative skills, with the ability to identify problems independently and to propose solutions to the Risk Management team
• Have a good knowledge of credit risk assessment principles
• Be an expert in Microsoft Excel’s analysis tools. The candidate must be proficient in analysis functions, lookup functions, creation of advanced charts, and use of forecasts and trend tools in Microsoft Excel. Knowledge of Visual Basic and R Programming would be considered an asset
• Be proactive and flexible and work well in teams and on your initiative.

Soft skills

• Ability to multi-task, meet strict deadlines and produce high-quality work
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Have strong attention to detail
• Fluency in financial industry practices and professional standards.

Other important information:
Promising candidates may be requested to provide contact details of referees and may be requested to undertake a medical examination at the expense of MDB.

The MDB shall process information provided by candidates solely for this vacancy. In the event of unsuccessful applications, the Bank may keep applicants’ data on file for a period of up to six months following the date that the post applied for was filled. Applicant’s information will only be used to identify any future employment opportunities within the MDB for which applicants may be suited. Applicants are free to withdraw their application and their consent to the retention of their data, at any time. For further information, please read the MDB’s privacy notice which can be found on our website (https://mdb.org.mt/en/home/Pages/Privacy-Notice.aspx).