Head, Sovereign Trade Finance Function, Vienna

Company: The OPEC Fund for InternationalDevelopment

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Public Sector Operations / Sovereign Trade Finance Function

July 22, 2025

August 21, 2025

Fixed Term Contract

Management

H1

International

Two-year fixed term appointment, with the possibility ofrenewal.

Job Profile:

The Head of Sovereign Trade Finance will lead the newlyestablished Sovereign Trade Finance Function, focusing onsovereign-guaranteed trade finance operations, includingimport-export financing, structured commodity finance, andrisk-sharing arrangements. The role requires developing andmaintaining strong relationships with clients and partners,business origination and transaction preparation, oversight duringimplementation, managing teams, and innovation.

The Head of Sovereign Trade Finance Function will lead a team ofprofessionals who contribute to, and eventually take ownership of,implementing selected and innovative sovereign-guaranteed tradefinance operations across various regions. The role includes directcontributions to internal and external dialogue, and supportrelated to policy and institutional frameworks. Additionally, theHead of Sovereign Trade Finance Function plays an active role incontributing to knowledge sharing activities across the Fund.

This role is pivotal in advancing the OPEC Fund\’s commitment tofostering economic growth and development through enhanced tradefinance solutions. The Head of Sovereign Trade Finance isinstrumental in shaping the Fund\’s trade finance agenda andexpanding its impact across partner countries.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Lead the origination, design, execution and implementation ofsovereign-guaranteed trade finance operations strategy and businessplan within the Public Sector Operations department, in alignmentwith the OPEC Fund\’s mission to support socioeconomicdevelopment.
• Oversee the design and execution of sovereign-guaranteed tradefinance operations, ensuring they meet the evolving needs ofclients and market dynamics.
• Align sovereign-guaranteed trade finance operations with theFund\’s current and future action plans.
• Contribute to policy discussions and institutional arrangementsthat support trade finance initiatives.

Country and Client Relationship Management

• Manage relationships with eligible counties, coordinating andundertaking high-level visits and meetings
• Coordinate with the relevant departments on the developing ofCountry Partnership Strategies (CPSs) and Framework Agreements(FAs) to guide trade solutions
• Market trade finance instruments to sector players in eligiblecountries
• Keep abreast of the latest economic, political, social, andregulatory developments affecting the business environment ineligible countries
• Develop annual plans and engage in high-level negotiations withkey countries/clients

Partnership Development

• Establish and maintain relationships with governmentcounterparts, development finance institutions, commercial banks,and other relevant strategic partners.
• Collaborate with partners to develop co-financing andrisk-sharing arrangements.
• Represent the OPEC Fund in international forums and conferencesto promote its trade finance initiatives and ensure the Fund\’svisibility as a strategic partner in internationaldevelopment.

Business Origination and Pipeline Management

• Lead the origination of sovereign-guaranteed trade financeoperations, including import-export financing, structured commodityfinance, supply chain support, and risk-sharing programs
• Lead the development of a pipeline and oversee the developmentof concept proposals for potential sovereign-guaranteed tradefinance operations, and monitor progress against operational plantargets
• Promote trade finance products through marketing missions andnetworking

Deal Structuring, Approval Processing, andImplementation

• Oversee the due diligence process and the development of creditmemoranda (CM) for operations and coordinate with the relevantdepartments, where applicable, to obtain required inputs for acomprehensive CM to be submitted to the relevant committees forapproval
• Ensure deals are structured in compliance with OPEC Fund\’spolicies, rules and guidelines
• Coordinate with relevant departments for successfulimplementation and timely disbursement of approved operations

Operational Portfolio Management and Follow-up

• Ensure compliance with internal policies, internationalstandards, and regulatory requirements across all trade financeactivities
• Support regular client calls and close monitoring to ensuretimely repayment and resolve past due in coordination with relevantdepartments
• Ensure high customer satisfaction by providing goodrelationship management throughout the deal cycle (i.e., before,during, and after the operation approval)

Integrated Trade Solutions and Cross-Selling

• Promote integrated trade solutions and cross-sell OPEC Fund\’sproducts in various markets
• Identify opportunities for trade development solutions.
• Advise business partners on OPEC Fund\’s trade finance designedfor trade promotion and facilitation.
• Lead and mentor a team of trade finance professionals,fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.
• Oversee talent development, performance management, andcapacity building within the team.
• Promote knowledge sharing and collaboration across departmentsto enhance operational efficiency.

Innovation and Digitalization

• Promote the adoption of digital tools and platforms to improveefficiency and transparency in trade finance operations.
• Drive process improvements and support the digitization ofworkflows, monitoring, and risk management systems to ensure theFund remains at the forefront of innovation.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Master\’s degree in Economics, Finance or a (closely) relatedfield.
• A minimum of 10 years of relevant professional experience,including at least seven (7) years of progressive experience intrade finance. Preferably, five (5) of those years should have beengained at an international development institution or internationalcommercial bank engaged in trade finance.
• Proven track record in managing complex trade financeoperations and developing strategic partnerships
• Strong understanding of international trade financeinstruments, risk mitigation techniques, and regulatoryframeworks
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder engagementskills
• Strong communication skills with the ability to represent theOPEC Fund externally at all levels
• Fluent in English. Good working knowledge of Arabic, French orSpanish is an added advantage.
• Communication – The ability to relay ideas,information and messages effectively and succinctly to a variety ofaudiences.
• Leadership & People Management – Theability to guide and empower team members effectively; cultivate apositive work climate; delegate tasks skillfully and nurture teammembers\‘ growth.
• Results Orientation – The ability to setambitious targets for self and the team; drive progress towardobjectives; initiate actions to achieve desired outcome,
• Creativity, Initiative & Innovation – Theability to nurture novel concepts and inventive approaches; takecalculated risks to foster innovation; identify chances for processenhancements and expansion.
• Trustworthiness, Ethics & Governance -Theability to act with integrity and transparency; safeguardconfidentiality; demonstrate ethical decision-making andinteractions; to adhere to organizational regulations and ethicalbenchmarks, foster a culture of compliance and strong governance;ensure team members understand and adhere to protocols.
• Business Alignment – The ability to align teamobjectives and undertakings with broader organizational aims; makedecisions contributing to the organization\’s strategicdirection.

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