Global Transaction Banking – Head Client Service Germany & Austria (m/f/d)

As a member of the Société Générale GTB team, your goal will be to assist the Payment & Cash Management and Trade Finance Front Office sales teams along with global bankers in relationship management activities focused on their portfolio of large corporate clients by providing consistent, high quality client service and support to achieve high client satisfaction and loyalty.

Part of the Global Transaction Banking business line, the Client Service teams are Client-facing teams within the Payments & Cash Management & the Trade Finance departments, and the role of the Head of Client Service is to lead these teams in their day to day activity.

The team is key to the delivery and support of the transactional banking products and services offered by the Payments & Cash Management & the Trade Finance departments, which is achieved by adhering to these objectives:

• Supervising the team to ensure that a high-quality service is delivered, this is achieved by verifying that all tasks are completed accurately and correctly first time, every time.

• Demonstrating clear and effective communication by providing both colleagues and Clients with relevant information and comprehensive answers to their enquiries.

The expectation is that by complying with these objectives then our Clients will be provided with the highest standard of Client Service and service available.

As part of Client-facing teams, your role requires a strong client service orientation, detailed operational process knowledge, good planning and communication skills as well as professional integrity at all times.

You will be an effective team player and possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills (both written and verbal) with the ability to build and influence business relationships at operational levels of our multicultural organisation.

       You will have the following responsibilities:

• Lead, support and develop the Client Service teams to ensure they have both, the knowledge and skills required, to perform their role.

• Management of individual application rights to ensure that the Client Service teams have access to the tools and data necessary to perform
          their role.

• Working with the front office sales teams to facilitate the delivery of products and services for Clients.

• Supervising the implementation and support of both domestic and international Cash Management products and services and trade
          finance transactions.

• Quality control checks to ensure that processes are correctly performed and completed.

• Manage the operational relationship with both settlement agents and correspondent banks.

• Interact with back office teams to ensure that all business activity is conducted and completed in accordance with regulation and policy.

• Create and maintain required documentation/manuals to work towards standardizing implementation processes.

• Ensure Credit/Risk recommendations, Compliance, KYC Procedures and other GTB Procedures Guidelines / Manuals are implemented and
          adhered to.

• Develop a close relationship with Clients throughout the pre, mid and post implementation stages.

• Ensure a proper task segregation as per target operating model guidelines and promote/implement central initiatives aiming at improving
         client centricity and satisfaction.

• Ensure that the client service functions are structured and resourced to optimize both service quality and operational efficiency.

• Ensure that the team develops and maintains seamless working relationships with: Sales teams, head office and other banking operations
          functions.

• Strive for continuous process improvement in close cooperation with PCM/CCS in Paris, European Mid-Office in Poland and European
          Back-Office in Paris.

• Handle ad-hoc audit and/or inspection requirements.

• Follow annual appraisals, performance management, and recommend improvements.

• Ensure close follow-up and execution/solving of frequent Permanent Supervision Exercise and Audit Issues.

Qualifications & Competencies :

• Bachelor and/or master’s degree in Economics/Banking/Finance with a preference for Corporate Banking Specialization.

• Profound working experience within the field of activity or affiliated responsibilities.

• Fluency in German and English languages (French is a plus).

• Proven international Payments & Cash Management & Trade Finance experience.

• Good knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

• Ability to effectively manage a team.

• Excellent communication skills with colleagues from different professional and cultural backgrounds.

• Strong ability to build and develop relationships with internal as well as external clients.

• A flexible attitude and adaptable approach.

• Able to work autonomously and use initiative where appropriate.

• Organised and able to prioritise work appropriately.

• Understanding of  the regulatory regime that applies to the provision of Payments Services and Trade Finance.

• Analytical skills.

• Presentation skills are required to facilitate team meetings and provide training for both Clients and colleagues.

• Articulate, friendly and approachable Team player.

Société Générale Global Transaction Banking (GTB) includes Payments & Cash Management (PCM), Cash Clearing services (BAN), Trade Finance services (TRA), Factoring (SG Factoring) and Foreign Exchange services (FX) associated to these activities. GTB in SG Vienna has a cash management team, whether SG Frankfurt has both a cash management and a trade finance team.

With over 6,000 specialists in over 50 countries, Payments & Cash Management (PCM) is a strategic activity for Société Générale. We can offer the expertise of a large international banking group and experience spanning over many years.

Cash Management includes all the processes companies use to improve their treasury management. It allows companies to have better control of their financial and cash flows and to improve their information gathering. In a group of companies, cash management can be used to manage risks such as liquidity risk. It is also used to control interest and exchange rates which may affect the company.

The Payments & Cash Management teams in SG Frankfurt and in SG Vienna branches delivers and supports transactional banking products and services that are provided to our corporate Clients including bank account management, execution and settlement of domestic and international payment orders and collection services, secure electronic channels for the exchange of balance and transaction information and payment orders, financing arrangements where we provide intraday and overnight facilities and domestic and international inter-company cash pooling and netting.

The Trade Finance team in SG Frankfurt promotes, manages and develops Trade Finance transactions and solutions for its corporate Clients. Furthermore, it is actively acquiring new business prospects in close cooperation with the global Trade Finance network and other related departments in the Bank. Products and services marketed by the Trade Finance team include, amongst others, domestic and international guarantees, import Letters of Credit and export Letters of Credit.