Vice President, Deputy Branch Manager

Job description:

To assist the Branch Manager in driving the Bank ROP requirements by maintaining high level of service standards and internal control requirements.

Work jointly with the Branch Manager to ensure achievement of the business objectives from sales as well as service point of view.

Assist in creating and maintaining the Branch environment where the team maximizes performance and provides highest quality service in line with the Target Operating Model (TOM) as defined by Group.

To work closely with various teams - sales, service and teller, in order to achieve a high level of customer satisfaction together with operational efficiency.

Principal Accountabilities: Key activities and decision making areas:

• Assist the Branch Manager in driving ROP targets for the branch and related activities.
• Act as a Branch Manager in the Branch Manager's absence.
• Help the BM in delivering the branch performance measures and plan.
• Contribute to improving productivity in the branch.
• Contribute to area/branch profitability.
• Deliver service and support for non-RBWM business that is directed through branch and support cross-business collaboration.
• Plan a long-term strategy for customers.
• Drive retention by differentiating the service proposition based on customer needs.
• Monitor daily branch activities and other internal information tools, using them to coach the team and achieve business goals.
• Ensure smooth functioning of the branch in the absence of the BM.
• Migrate less profitable customer groups to alternate delivery channels and thereby ensure that resources are allocated judiciously.
• Maintain good relations with union representatives.
• Maintain good interpersonal relationships across the branch staff.
• Ensure optimum allocation of resources, achievement of sales targets, and maintain strict control over overheads with sharp focus on income and expenditure numbers.
• Assist BM to achieve targets by ensuring participation from all teams.

Customers / Stakeholders:

• Ensure positive customer experience and manage complaints/escalations.
• Manage lobby operations.
• Coach the team to achieve business goals and effectively meet customer needs.
• Ensure that customer complaints are handled within defined TATs, and all staff are sensitized to proactively manage customer service issues.
• Keep dockable complaints within acceptable benchmarks.
• Maintain a requisite level of customer interaction by undertaking field visits with sales personnel.
• Develop and maintain a strong service culture across various branch channels like Advance, Premier, Mid-market, Tellers, PSE, etc.
• Drive reduction in customer waiting periods and accurate transaction processing.
• Monitor branch hygiene and use in-branch promotion material effectively.
• Manage customer traffic by improving process flows and aligning tasks accordingly.

Leadership & Teamwork:

• Act as a guide to the AM - Customer Service and other teams on matters related to operations and service.
• Help manage and coach the branch team to drive performance to grow sales, productivity, service quality and staff engagement.
• Manage and drive the individual and collective performance of the branch.
• Establish mutual respect and trust in dealing with others.
• Support line management, sales management and coaching of sales and service teams.
• Support the recruitment of new members into the team, based on bank standard process.
• Manage and drive the collective performance of the sales and service team.
• Be accountable for branch appearance and maintenance.
• Achieve branch targets defined in the operating plan.
• Manage people where appropriate to meet customers' needs.
• Ensure that all staff work as a team.
• Communicate plans and achievements effectively through appraisal, counseling and training, on and off the job, by regular discussions and feedback from staff, and implement action steps where necessary.
• Update branch staff on regulatory and operational process changes.
• Coach the service staff to get optimal productivity.

Operational Effectiveness & Control:

• Maintain independent control over branch operations.
• Maintain hygiene and service standards as prescribed by the Group.
• Implement group policies and procedures.
• Ensure satisfactory internal and external reviews.
• Adhere to the highest standards of risk management, control and compliance.
• Deploy all mandatory and global standards training.
• Ensure zero error rates, and minimization of cash shortages, frauds, etc.
• Ensure exception reports are monitored to maintain adequate control on branch operations.
• Ensure limit letters are issued to teller staff as and when mandatory.
• Implement audit recommendations, monitor operational activities, identify control weaknesses and address them.
• Ensure satisfactory audit ratings and no adverse comments from internal, external and RBI auditors by exercising caution while handling foreign currency transactions.
• Supervise ongoing compliance with audit recommendations and adherence to procedures laid down by BIM/HHO/INM/RBI and other regulatory bodies.
• Ensure timely implementation of internal and external audit points together with any issues raised by external regulators.
• Comply with applicable laws, regulations, Group and local guidelines related to Sanctions and AML policy while undertaking day-to-day operations.
• Be aware of and identify high-risk indicators for various products and services offered by INM RBWM, for example cash, insurance, credit cards products, etc.
• Ensure that all records are obtained in respect of INM RBWM customers or new-to-bank customers for any products and services provided by the bank as per the laid down process.
• Ensure the prescribed process is followed while dealing with non-bank customers' requests for monetary instruments and wire transfers.
• Ensure adherence to regulatory guidelines and internal AML and Sanctions Policy, including pouch and mail, monetary instruments, cash services and payment transparency line of business procedures.
• Be aware of AML risk posed by pouch and mail, monetary instruments, cash services and wire transfer services and undergo mandatory training for the same.
• Undertake necessary remediation steps in case of any breach or non-adherence to policy laid down in the line of business procedures.
• Undertake necessary due diligence to ensure that the nature of the transaction is in sync with the customer profile, else raise it to the line manager for further clarification.
• Ensure staff are aware of the scope of services of various products and services that are offered and those which are prohibited because of the guidelines laid down in the line of business procedures, and ensure the same is communicated to customers in an effective and polite manner.
• Remain alert and promptly report to the Sanctions Officer, INM FCC office, or line manager, as applicable, if a customer is found to be engaging in sanction evasion activities or violations of AML policy or any other related procedures.
• Understand the legal responsibility to be vigilant for unusual activity and report unusual activities.
• Support the Country or Regional FCC AML Office/AML Investigations by providing additional information when required.
• Attend and successfully complete AML and Sanctions related assigned training in the mandated timeframe.
• Understand the consequences of failing to attend or successfully complete the training as mandated by the AML Education Lead FCC.
• Request additional AML training deemed necessary or appropriate to perform the job through the entity manager.
• Demonstrate an understanding of PEP acceptance, prohibition, CDD and EDD guidelines in order to ensure full compliance with the PEP line of business procedures.
• Maintain oversight on various operational aspects of the line of business procedures and ensure adherence in spirit and as per the process laid in pouch and mail, monetary instruments, cash services and payment transparency procedures.
• Perform end-of-day reconciliation between the register and the physical pouch and mail items held in joint custody with the designated service desk employee.
• Ensure adequate due diligence is undertaken by the team to ensure that the nature of various transactions of wire transfer, cash services, and monetary instruments are in sync with customer profile.

Major Challenges:

Service proposition is the key differentiator and the jobholder needs to ensure a positive customer experience on a consistent basis.

The jobholder needs to manage the branch independently when required and should have experience of managing a team of people. The jobholder will need a high level of people management skills, since there are large branches with higher numbers of staff.

The challenge is also to ensure that staff are motivated to perform at a high level on a consistent basis both from the sales and service perspective.

Role Context:

Service proposition is a key differentiator in any retail business, and the jobholder needs to ensure a positive customer experience on a consistent basis. The jobholder needs to manage the branch independently when required and should be sensitive to managing teams and conflicts therein. DBM needs to manage the platform service stream and ensure increase in customer service quality.

The GCB 6 DBM would be part of Non-Flagship Branches Pan India where the volume of transactions at tellers, service, and sales is smaller compared to flagship branches, the number of service and sales staff are much lesser compared to flagship branches, and branches may or may not have Elite customers.

Management of Risk (Operational Risk / FIM requirements):

Adheres to processes and controls to identify and mitigate risks and ensures timely escalation of control issues and reputation risks.

Demonstrates leadership on regulatory and compliance matters. Maintains awareness of risk and minimizes the likelihood of it occurring through its identification, assessment, mitigation and control.

Observation of Internal Controls (Compliance Policy / FIM requirements):

Maintains internal control standards and addresses audit points and/or any issues raised by regulators in a timely manner.

Fosters a compliance culture within the team, managing compliance risk and ensuring that the necessary training is completed. Optimizes relations with regulators.

Role Dimensions (e.g. balance sheet size, lending/expenditure limits, size/volume of transactions, budget):

• Coverage and management of all aspects of branch.
• Impact of sales processes and tools on productivity for all branch staff.
• Delivery of KPI targets for the branch.
• Sales capacity planning, staffing, career progression and development plans for branch staff.

Knowledge & Experience / Qualifications (For the role - not the role holder. Minimum requirements of the role.):

• Post Graduate (Masters).
• Experience: Five to ten years.
• Knowledge of operational integrity required by the Group.
• Holistic understanding of branch sales and operations.
• Strong leadership, managerial, strategic planning, organizational, decision-making, problem-solving, communication, analytical, interpersonal, motivational, negotiation, project management, sales and team-building skills.
• Professional qualifications as appropriate to market.
• Thorough knowledge of branch operations, various matrices and processes of the bank.
• Sound understanding of the company's customer service requirements.
• Team management experience.
• Skills in sales, financial planning and communication.
• Knowledge of bank and operating platforms.
• Industry and sector knowledge.
• Knowledge of sales and service techniques and models.

Additional Notes:

• Familiarity with AI-enabled tools is an advantage.
• Mandatory to successfully complete Anti-Money Laundering and Sanctions training and post-course assessment.