Business Banking Practitioner

The purpose of this qualification is to prepare a learner to function as a Business Banking Practitioner. A Business Banking Practitioner works in financial institutions to helps their clients manage their finances in the most successful way possible, by facilitating processes to help them navigate the numerous services, procedures, and products available, including stocks, bonds, loans, international transactions, real estate, trade credits, insurance policies and more. They perform analysis of the clients' financial services needs and determine the best options to meet these needs. A competent learner shall demonstrate among others the following attributes: honesty, punctuality, initiative, critical analysis, integrity, ethics, professionalism. A qualified learner will be able to: • Maintain and develop efficient relationship with business development team and promote banking business. • Analyse customer portfolio for business banking clients and maintain optimal client relationships for new business acquisition. • Establish customer requirements and recommend appropriate loan products and initiate approvals. • Monitor all queries for present customer and assist in resolving all issues for new requirements. • Design product launches and marketing campaigns and provide optimal levels of customer service and ensure satisfaction. • Assist commercial clients with all information for managing accounts.

In South Africa we currently have a shortage of the specific skills and attributes required for achieving the national development goals. The qualification is developed to build the required learners' competencies in a structured manner to improve service delivery for the banking and financial sector. Typical learners for the qualification are unqualified business bankers currently working with medium enterprises and aspirant Business Banking Practitioners. Learners who hold the Occupational Certificate: Business Banking Practitioner qualify to progress to Business Banker occupational qualification. This qualification was developed in collaboration with the banking sector. Business Banking Practitioners play a critical role in the establishment, growth and sustainability of businesses and small corporate entities. The core focus is on business sustainability and growth. Business Banking Practitioners help clients manage their finances in the most successful way possible and help them navigate the numerous services, procedures and products available, including stocks, bonds, loans, international transactions, real estate, trade credits, insurance policies and more. The Business Banking Practitioner is in the forefront of job sustainability and the growth of the middle (working) class in South Africa. Within the financial sector in South Africa most of the financial institutions provide a dedicated service to small, medium and large enterprises to assist them in obtaining appropriate financial services ranging from basic banking, operational financing, capital financing, insurance supplier payments, employee payments and a host of other business financial services. These services are obviously customised to support the business models of the various financial service institutions and also targeted at the specific entities that make up the current and potential client bases of the institutions. The work done by employees, of the financial institutions, to deliver these services is diverse. However, there is a core knowledge and skills base relating to business, legal aspects, client relationships and ethics that run through the competency base required to effectively deliver these services. Learners who obtain the Business Banking Practitioner qualification shall have improved opportunities for promotion, improved financial status and better life.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): • Learners will gain access to the qualification through RPL for Access as provided for in the QCTO RPL Policy. RPL for access is conducted by accredited education institution, skills development provider or workplace accredited to offer that specific qualification/part qualification. • Learners who have acquired competencies of the modules of a qualification or part qualification will be credited for modules through RPL. RPL for access to the external integrated summative assessment: Accredited providers and approved workplaces must apply the internal assessment criteria specified in the related curriculum document to establish and confirm prior learning. Accredited providers and workplaces must confirm prior learning by issuing a statement of result. Entry Requirements: The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is: • An NQF Level 4 qualification.

• Establish and maintain sustainable, professional relationships with appropriate members of the banking business development teams to collaboratively promote the selling of banking/financial services to current and potential business banking clients.
• Manage problems relating to the performance of a business banking portfolio in the provisioning of business banking services to clients operating medium business enterprises.
• Investigate customer requirements for recommendations of appropriate loan products to initiate approvals processes within a business banking environment serving business clients in small and medium enterprises.
• Investigate and monitor business banking customer queries and complaints for medium enterprise businesses.