Regional Head of Credit Americas

Texas, United States of America

Job Family Group:

Finance

Worker Type:

Regular

Posting Start Date:

Business unit:

Finance

Experience Level:

Experienced Professionals

Job Description:

What is the role

Purpose

• Lead the regional T&S Credit organization across multiple locations in the Americas region and manage via this organization the credit risk exposure across Shell Trading's global portfolio. This is a senior role and at times a proxy to the Global Credit Manager given time zone differences where on occasion a decision on taking urgent remedial action in conjunction with senior executives to help T&S remain within Risk Appetite is required.
• Ensure delivery of our complex Process, Data and Systems improvement agenda, robust and consistent supervisory controls, ensuring the respective Regional Credit organization understands and mitigates risks via the LOD1-3 framework or leveraging the new Global Credit Solution ($20m+ investment in Cube Logic, a new credit application). Ensure all solutions can scale with the expected business growth.
• Drive people development to support the ambitious T&S business growth agenda by up skilling and future skilling team members in identified global best practices solutions or identifying and hiring external talent where required. Champion the behaviors expected throughout the team.
• Support the evolution of Shell via active leadership as Sector Captains in the development of the Sectors initiative and consultancy Credit services for RES and JVs as required. Lead, develop and evolve relationship with DS Credit, ensuring shared best practices and collaboration wherever possible.

Accountabilities

• Act as primary focal point on credit risk management and strategy matters to all key senior commercial and financial stakeholders within Shell Trading and beyond.
• Ensure that relevant policies (e.g., Global Shell Trading Credit Manual) are fit for purpose and implemented in line with Shell Trading's Mandate. Oversee all commercial activities undertaken within the global Shell Trading network. As well a key part of the core credit leadership that designs and promulgate credit policies and procedures that manage the credit risk of the Trading & Supply organization and its portfolios.
• Approve the allocation and renewal of open credit lines to counterparties under "Level 1" delegated authority (one level below EVP Finance authority), and where relevant approve all credit mitigation or "trade finance" strategies (e.g., letters of credit, silent cover and other credit insurance) employed with trading counterparties. Authorities under Level 1 are up to $1b in limits and up to tenors of 15 years.
• Provide credit functional insight into all decisions to exceed approved credit lines for a defined period and under tightly prescribed conditions as set out in the Shell Trading Credit Manual. This insight covers a wide spectrum of Tier 1 credit risks from different tenors (Short 1-3 years, Medium 3-5 years and long up to 30 years or beyond).
• Build and implement appropriate credit risk governance so that decisions requiring Level 0 authority or issues of an unusually complex or long-term strategic nature are discussed with the Shell Trading Leadership. Conduct or chair proceedings of credit committees where such complex or strategic issues will be aired and deliberated.
• Lead on and off shore credit professionals as part of the global leadership team, each with discrete responsibilities respectively for either a) customer-facing (external & internal) "credit integration and commercial interface" matters in the three main regional offices of Singapore, London and Houston, or for b) operational excellence activities & processes, whether for regular (often daily) core credit activities, such as assessments and receivables management, margin calling & exposure monitoring
• Support the T&S Chief Risk Officer, Head of Credit Risk Management, and the global risk management leadership team by liaising closely with members of the Market Risk and Global Operational Risk Leadership Teams to ensure the Trading Leadership team receives a complete overview of key risks in the Shell Trading business.
• Provide visible and energetic leadership of a change agenda, which will a) drive standard approaches towards regular operational and reporting activities, bringing their efficiency up to the highest global standard in all cases (while accepting many activities will remain best handled at a regional/local level), including maximising the value from the existing finance operations team in Finance Operations, b) release senior/experienced credit professionals in the team to focus on external, and internal commercial & finance stakeholder interaction on an ongoing basis, as well as introducing forward-th