JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title

Area Manager – Liability, Business Banking

Department

Business Banking

Direct Supervisor

Head of Liabilities Coverage

Job Purpose

The Area Manager – Liability Business Banking is responsible for the strategic and commercial leadership of a large and complex Business Banking liability portfolio comprising approximately to 2,200 to 3,000 high value client accounts. The role has end-to-end accountability for 

• Business growth, Revenue and profitability

• Portfolio quality

• Risk and compliance 

• Customer experience

• Operational effectiveness

• People leadership 

The position is expected to drive sustainable growth in the liability franchise by strengthening client relationships, increasing product penetration, optimizing the asset/liability mix, improving customer engagement, and developing a high-performing Business Banking team.

Dimensions

Operating Budget

Liabilities Book : AED 6.5 billion to 7.5 billion

Annual Revenue: ~AED 300 million to 350 million

Geographic Coverage : Multi‑Emirate

Number of Staff 

20 to 22

Capital Exp. Budget

Others 

Key Accountabilities

A. Strategy & Business Leadership

• Develop and execute the area’s annual business plan in line with the overall Business Banking strategy.

• Drive achievement of revenue, profitability, portfolio growth, client acquisition, retention, and product penetration targets.

• Optimize the portfolio mix to maximize sustainable revenue and relationship profitability.

• Identify opportunities to deepen existing relationships and acquire new high-value Business Banking clients.

• Establish the bank as the preferred primary operating bank for SMEs and self‑employed customers.

• Identify process gaps and implement sustainable improvements in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.

• Drive adoption of digital banking solutions and relevant technology-enabled processes.

B. Portfolio Management & Client Coverage

• Drive effective portfolio segmentation and differentiated client engagement strategies.

• Strengthen primary banking relationships and increase share of wallet through cross-sell and product penetration 

• Monitor client concentration, portfolio trends, attrition, profitability, and emerging business opportunities.

• Ensure effective management of key and strategically important client relationships.

• Provide market and competitor intelligence to inform product development and pricing strategies.

C. Risk, Compliance & Governance

• Ensure full adherence to applicable regulatory requirements, AML/KYC standards, internal policies, procedures, and delegated authorities.

• Maintain effective controls and ensure timely resolution of identified risk and compliance issues.

• Ensure the team operates within approved risk appetite and governance frameworks.

• Maintain audit readiness and ensure satisfactory closure of audit and control findings.

• Escalate material risks, exceptions, and breaches through appropriate governance channels.

D. People Leadership & Organization Effectiveness

• Lead, coach, and develop the Team Manager, Relationship Managers, and Assistant Relationship Managers.

• Establish clear performance expectations, client excellence, accountability frameworks, and business objectives.

• Build a high-performance, collaborative, and customer-centric culture.

• Identify capability gaps and implement targeted coaching, development, and succession plans.

• Ensure effective performance management, talent development, and retention of high-performing employees.

E. Customer Experience & Relationship Management

• Drive a consistently superior customer experience across the Business Banking portfolio.

• Establish strong relationships with key clients and senior client stakeholders.

• Lead the resolution of significant customer issues, complaints, and escalations.

• Ensure proactive engagement with priority clients and identify opportunities to strengthen long-term relationships.

• Promote service excellence while maintaining appropriate risk and control standards.

F. Stakeholder Management

• Work closely with: 

  • Product, Governance, and other support functions.

  • Risk, Compliance & Operations

  • Digital & Transformation teams

• Maintain strong relationships with key clients, industry bodies, and external stakeholders.

• Operates in a highly competitive, regulated, and performance‑driven environment.

• Requires strong judgment, resilience, and availability to manage scale, complexity, and stakeholder expectations.

• Success depends on strategic clarity, disciplined execution, and people leadership

Problem Solving

• Exercise strong judgment in prioritizing opportunities, resolving escalations, and allocating resources across markets, segments, and teams.

• Interpret internal and external market signals to adjust strategy, pricing, and portfolio actions in a fast-changing competitive and regulatory environment.

• Address non-routine issues requiring cross-functional coordination with Product, Treasury, Risk, Compliance, Operations, and Digital teams.

• Develop practical, commercially sound solutions within policy by combining analytical insight, experience, stakeholder alignment, and governance discipline.

Decision Making Authority & Responsibility

• The role is authorized to make decisions within the approved delegation of authority, policies, and governance frameworks, including:

• Business planning and execution of client and portfolio strategies.

• Prioritization of business opportunities and resource allocation within the assigned area.

• Performance management and deployment of team resources.

• Client engagement and relationship strategies within approved authority levels.

• Governance responsibility for risk escalation, suspicious activity reporting, and compliance adherence.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• 15+ years of progressive experience in Business Banking / Commercial Banking with a strong understanding of products, liability solutions, client acquisition, relationship management, and portfolio economics.

• Proven track record of delivering revenue and portfolio growth.

• Significant experience in leading and developing relationship management teams.

• Experience operating within robust risk, compliance, and governance frameworks.