Senior Country Risk Officer

The purpose of the Senior Country Risk Officer is to provide country risk reports, including country risk ratings and Loss Given Default (LGD) assessments using market intelligence data and rating tools, supporting the DBSA’s mandate to deliver cross-border development assistance and lending. The role spans across all business transactions and programmes ensuring sustainable investment in economic infrastructure across the African region. The role is responsible for the assessment, measurement, monitoring, governance, reporting and strategic oversight of sovereign and country risks across the DBSA portfolio.

This includes sovereign and country risk policy development, portfolio risk surveillance, transaction due diligence, country risk modelling, stress testing and strategic risk intelligence reporting.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

Minimum Qualification

A Postgraduate Degree in Economics, Development Studies, Finance, Risk Management or related field.

Minimum Experience

A minimum of 10 years of experience in providing sovereign and country risk profiles/risk analysis within a development finance context.

Expertise in macroeconomic, political, and sovereign risk analysis

Strong knowledge of debt sustainability and credit risk frameworks. In-depth experience in conducting debt sustainability analysis and analysis of sovereign lending capacity.

Proficiency in PD scoring models, LGD modelling, quantitative and qualitative analysis

Extensive knowledge of the infrastructure, development and financing challenges and opportunities on the African continent.

Experience of country and regional policy, legal and regulatory frameworks, and the institutional dynamics in the African region.

Demonstrated research ability with proven experience in problem solving ability within a development finance context.

Extensive understanding of the lending process in the African region.

High level of competency required in MS Word, MS Excel, PowerPoint and related data analysis and modelling software packages.

Desirable Requirements

A Masters’ Degree in Economics, Development Studies, Finance, Risk Management or related field.

Fluent in French.

Familiarity with risk based economic models.

Experience of presenting Country Economics at National or International conferences.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

Data Collection and Analysis

Through a mastery of advanced/complex analytical techniques, establishes high-level trends from processed data which may not be immediately apparent.

Moves beyond concrete analysis of information to develop abstract, conceptual understanding of the meaning of an array of information.

Integrates diverse themes and lines of reasoning to create new insights or levels of understanding.

Written communication

Understands that different writing styles are required for different documents or audiences.

Write effective correspondence, prepare questions and reports, statements of circumstance and briefing notes.

Reviews others’ documents for clarity and impact.

Has a solid mastery of writing principles such as grammar, sentence construction, etc.

Reporting

Designs / customises reports to meet user needs.

Prepares complex or tailored reports, gathers information from a variety of sources, analyses and includes in a report.

Keeps standard reports under review and proposes improvements to meet user needs.

Risk Identification and Assessments

Diagnoses significant, unusual and emerging risks to which the business is exposed.

Risk Management Policies and Procedures

Develops innovative approaches to managing significant business risks effectively and efficiently.

Leads implementation, execution and monitoring activities.

Advises on best solutions and foresees the impact of changes in regulations, policies and procedures for non-complex and increasingly complex business issues.

Presentation Skills

Knows how to deliver arguments persuasively by employing a range of advanced presentation techniques (e.g., the appropriate use of body language, how to close a presentation so that the audience continues to think about the subject matter, etc.).

Has knowledge of various feedback mechanisms to check levels of audience understanding.

Risk Response and Reporting

Develop innovative and strategic approaches to managing significant business risks across the organisation.

Interpret risk reporting and make effective decisions based on high-level understanding and expertise.

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS

Strategic Risk Intelligence and Advisory

Provide technical risk advice on socio-economic, political, and infrastructure risk profiles at sovereign, country and regional levels.

Report on strategic risk and opportunity insights and key infrastructure initiatives and trends within a country and regional context and their impact on potential new investments.

Deliver macroeconomic, sovereign, country and market analysis to inform investment decisions.

Conduct debt sustainability and sovereign lending capacity assessments and present key findings and recommendations for decision-making.

Analyse risk factors and prepare country risk exposure profiles for potential investments in the South African and broader African region and present the DBSA with suitable risk mitigation solutions.

Build networks with clients, regulators, and international development finance institutions.

Provide strategic sovereign and country risk insights to support portfolio strategy, risk appetite setting and capital allocation decisions.

Analyse regional and global economic developments and assess implications for DBSA's country exposure profile.

Produce thematic country risk reports, outlook papers and strategic briefing notes for Executive Management and Board Committees.

Evaluate and provide insights on political, economic, policy, regulatory, legislative, and tariff developments, including reform initiatives, to determine potential impact on country risk, investor confidence, and investment appetite in priority sectors.

Risk Ratings & LGD Analysis

Generate country risk ratings and LGD assessments using approved rating tools.

Monitor sovereign exposures and ensure compliance with country lending limits.

Provide risk-informed inputs to support cross-border lending decisions.

Maintain updated databases of country risk profiles and exposures.

Develop and maintain country risk models, sovereign rating methodologies and country risk scorecards.

Perform country stress testing and scenario analysis to assess the impact of adverse macroeconomic, fiscal, political and market events on DBSA's portfolio.

Conduct thematic and forward-looking risk assessments to identify emerging sovereign and country risks.

Portfolio Monitoring & Risk Surveillance

Monitor country concentration limits and sovereign exposure levels against approved risk appetite thresholds.

Track watch listed countries and emerging risk indicators, identify early warning signals through rapid risk reports.

Assess portfolio vulnerabilities arising from sovereign, geopolitical, regulatory and macroeconomic developments.

Prepare portfolio-level country risk dashboards and exposure analytics.

Cross-Border Investment Support

Support the CIO Cluster and Risk Divisions with sovereign and country risk intelligence.

Deliver advisory services that enable sustainable cross-border infrastructure investments.

Provide oversight on regional risk exposures and recommend mitigation strategies.

Engage with international counterparts to source intelligence from development finance networks.

Provide independent country risk due diligence and country risk opinions on cross-border transactions, sovereign lending proposals and strategic investments.

Assess transaction-level country risks and recommend appropriate risk mitigants and structuring considerations.

Participate in transaction approval processes and relevant credit committees as the country risk subject matter expert.

Policy, Methodology and Governance

Develop, review, maintain and enforce Sovereign and Country Risk Policies, Methodologies, Frameworks and

Procedures.

Maintain country rating methodologies and related governance standards.

Support periodic validation, calibration and enhancement of sovereign and country risk models.

Ensure alignment of risk methodologies with regulatory requirements, international best practice and DBSA governance standards.

Provide secretariat and technical support to relevant risk governance forums where required.

Key Measurement of Outputs

Country and regional risk reports delivered within agreed policy timelines. Ratings reviewed before expiry dates. All rating actions supported by documented rationale and approved through governance processes.

Early warning alerts issued within agreed timeframes for material country risk events.

Quarterly publication of thematic or emerging risk analyses covering key markets.

Monthly monitoring and reporting of significant political, legislative and regulatory developments across assigned countries.

Positive stakeholder satisfaction rating from Coverage, Credit, Investment and Portfolio teams.

Compliance with approved report methodology and quality standards.

Country risk models updated according to approved review cycle

No material model deficiencies identified during validation or audit reviews.