Trade Finance Senior Officer

Description

Roles & Responsibilities

We are looking for a Trade Finance Officer/Senior Officer to join us in the Trade Finance Department. This is a back-office function that handles end-to-end processing, document checking, settlement, compliance, and record-keeping for all trade products—strictly following regulatory compliance related to AML/CFT and bank policies and procedures.

1. Transaction Processing

• Letters of Credit (LC) & SBLC / Guarantees: Handle end-to-end issuance, advising, confirmation, amendment, transfer, back-to-back, sight/usance LCs, and Standby Letters of Credit (SBLC), including managing modifications, claim processing, and final discharge.
• Documentary Collections: Process import/export bills under Document against Payment (D/P) and Document against Acceptance (D/A).
• Bills & Financing: Execute bill negotiation, discounting, acceptance, reimbursement, pre/post-shipment finance, supply chain finance, trust receipts, and factoring.
• Remittances: Prepare, verify, and process high-value global and local trade-related fund transfers via SWIFT MT/MX (e.g., pacs.008, pacs.009, camt.053 series) formats.
• Payments & Settlements: Handle Nostro/Vostro account liquidations, trade finance payment settlements, and accurate calculation and booking of interest/fees.
• Amendments & Cancellations: Process transaction modifications, check validity, obtain internal approvals, and update core systems.
• Account Administration: Administer fixed deposit and current account transactions, including corporate loan or treasury settlement support where required.
• Reconciliation: Reconcile trade finance transactions with accounting records and general ledgers to ensure absolute data accuracy.

2. Document Examination

• Regulatory Compliance: Check all trade and shipping documents meticulously against LC terms and international guidelines such as UCP 600, ISBP, and URC 522.
• Document Verification: Verify key trade and shipping documents (including Bills of Lading, commercial invoices, packing lists, insurance certificates, and certificates of origin/inspection/quality) to ensure they are fully consistent, complete, and meet trade compliance and regulatory guidelines.
• Discrepancy Resolution: Identify discrepancies, highlight irregularities, raise technical queries, resolve issues with customers or correspondent banks, prepare discrepancy notices, and decide acceptance/rejection.

3. Compliance, Risk & Control

• Sanctions Screening: Conduct mandatory anti-financial crime and sanctions checks before processing any trade transaction.
• Credit & Risk Review: Verify client credit limit availability, facility validity, and collateral coverage to mitigate operational risk.
• Risk Mitigation: Identify potential red-flag items, flag high-risk transactions, and report suspicious activities in the Trade Product Register List.
• Regulatory Alignment: Follow MAS regulations, international sanctions (OFAC, UN, EU), and internal bank policies.
• Internal Controls: Ensure dual-control (Maker/Checker) workflows, approval authorizations, and strict audit trails are followed at all times.

4. SWIFT & System Operations

• Message Construction: Prepare, verify, or authorize all trade-related SWIFT messages accurately using MT/MX standards.
• Core Banking Input: Input transactions into core banking platforms, post corresponding accounting entries, and reconcile data.
• Screening Systems: Perform required sanctions, anti-money laundering, and maritime compliance verifications using World-Check One, external tracking registries, and dedicated vessel and port checks.
• Data Management: Maintain transaction logs, perform physical-to-digital scanning of trade documents, and file electronic archives securely to ensure seamless audit retrievability.

5. Customer Support

• Client Advisory: Respond promptly and professionally to inquiries from corporate customers and correspondent banks, providing specialized guidance and technical advice on trade transactions.
• Status Communication: Provide proactive transaction status updates, clear explanations of technical operational workflows, and official settlement confirmations to external clients.
• Internal Stakeholder Liaison: Manage communication touchpoints with internal business units (Middle Office, Compliance, GTS) to ensure alignment on customer expectations and service delivery.

6. Reporting and Others

• Operational Fixes & Follow-ups: Resolve day-to-day operational bottlenecks, shipping/payment delays, outstanding transaction follow-ups, and documentation discrepancies.
• Management Reporting: Prepare daily, monthly, and ad-hoc management reports detailing trade transactions, fees received, and facility utilization.
• Audit & Submissions: Support internal/external audits, regulatory submissions, and internal business reviews.
• Month-End Closing: Support month-end closing activities related to trade finance to meet strict reporting deadlines.
• Client Statements: Prepare and dispatch monthly statements and trade advice to customers.
• Process Optimization: Assist in updating operational manuals, and participate in process improvements, automation initiatives, and new system User Acceptance Testing (UAT).
• Ad-hoc Duties: Carry out any other ad-hoc duties as assigned by the Management.

Qualifications

1. Education: Diploma and above in Banking, Finance, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
2. Experience: Minimum of 5+ years of core Trade Finance Operations experience within a Financial Institution / Bank.
3. Technical Skills: Deep understanding of Trade Operations frameworks (UCP 600, ISBP, URC 522), SWIFT MT/MX processing, and compliance screening tools. Possessing a CDCS (Certified Documentary Credit Specialist) or CSDG qualification is highly preferred.
4. Competencies: Meticulous eye for detail, strong risk awareness, and the ability to work effectively under pressure to meet tight daily cut-off deadlines.
5. Soft Skills: Superior communication and interpersonal skills to collaborate with all relevant parties. Ability to work independently as well as seamlessly within a team.

Category

Banking and Finance, Wholesale Trade

Experience

5 years exp

Position

Executive

About Company

Krungthai Bank Public Company Limited (KTB) is one of the largest banks in Thailand, playing a vital role in driving economic development and supporting regional trade and investment.

The Singapore Branch, operating under a Corporate Banking license, serves as a strategic platform for delivering comprehensive financial solutions to corporate and institutional clients. Our services include syndicated and bilateral lending, trade finance, treasury products, and deposit services, tailored to meet the needs of businesses with cross-border activities. With strong support from our Head Office in Bangkok, the Singapore Branch is committed to building trusted partnerships, enhancing regional connectivity, and providing reliable banking solutions across ASEAN and beyond.