Name: Sinenhlanhla Njoko
What degrees did you complete and at which university?
MSc Agricultural Economics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal
When did you join FNB?
January 2015
What is your role at FNB?
Business Relationship Analyst - Agric Portfolio
What does a Business Relationship Analyst do?
Being a Relationship Analyst is all about analysing credit data to estimate degree of risk in extending credit or lending money in support of a broader client relationship. It's also about managing the growth of active customer account base. More than anything, the job title entails converting identified leads into successful sales.
What are the highlights and challenges of your job?
Above all else, the highlight of my job is the client interaction. When I first started, I was very nervous and afraid to communicate with clients because I knew nothing at all about banking and thought clients would be intimidating, but the clients were amazing! Yes, university equipped me with the theoretical side of engaging with clients, their financials and all the different enterprises but the practical is so exciting!
If you are a person who places much value on comfort, then this job is definitely not for you as it completely throws you out of your comfort zone. Each day comes with its own challenges, disappointments and victories and that is the fun part. Yes, you never think you are ready, just like you weren't ready for high school and driving a car for the first time but after completing the task, that's when you realise just how ready you were.
Name: Eugene Nyawo
What degrees did you complete and at which university?
BSc Information Technology degree from the University of Johannesburg (UJ)
When did you join FNB?
December 2014
What is your role at FNB?
I currently work as a Business Analyst
What does a Business Analyst do?
As a Business Analyst, my job is to gather and analyse business requirements and complete process mapping. I assist with solution design and consulting and most importantly, I have to ensure that the final solution meets the business need.
The highlights and challenges of your job
Some of the highlights of my job include networking and working with awesome people and having the opportunity to make a difference in the organisation. Another one is being able to relate IT in the banking industry.
A challenge has been to work with a wide variety of stakeholders that can sometimes be quite difficult customers.
What does a typical hectic day look like in your job?
Most of my day is taken up by meetings, and I also have to make time to catch up with the development team. The rest of the day is dedicated to something simply called 'making things happen'.
Name: Rishaladza Ndleve
What degrees did you complete and at which university?
BSc (Actuarial Science), BSc Hons (Actuarial Science) from University of the Witwatersrand
When did you join FNB?
January 2015
What is your role at FNB?
Actuarial Analyst in Savings and Investments.
What can you tell us working at FNB?
Innovation is in the DNA of the FNB culture and it has continuously required me to challenge and reinvent myself. FNB has provided a platform of support, sharpened my technical analysis skills and allowed me to nurture and develop my people skills. These, I believe are all essential at the beginning of one's career.
What does your job entail at FNB?
I make use of actuarial concepts to analyse the total book of Savings and Investments. This involves post and predictive analysis on customer and balance behaviour. Insights gained from this interesting analysis are used to inform strategic decisions for Savings and Investments as well as the bank.
What has been a highlight and challenge within your time with FNB?
A highlight has been the growth in my knowledge base, skills and realising non-traditional use of actuarial knowledge. A challenge has been the move from a theoretical to a fast-paced, practical environment and needing to learn new skills such as coding.
Name: Michael Simelane
What degrees did you complete and at which university?
Bachelor of Engineering in Industrial Engineering at the University of Pretoria
When did you join FNB?
January 2015
What is your role at FNB?
I am a Process Engineer for FNB Premium Core Technology Solutions.
What does a Process Engineer do?
A Process Engineer analyses and documents processes with the aim of introducing process visibility and process improvement. I document processes and mainly work as a System Architect for a Data Centre Infrastructure Management (DCIM) system.
The highlights and challenges of your job
The highlight was being part of a Data Centre Reengineering project, and assisting with energy audits for some of the FirstRand buildings. The challenge but great part about the role is that there is a steep learning curve.
What does a typical hectic day look like in your job?
For most parts of 2015, it was juggling between energy audits, process documentation, supervising construction, and optimising our DCIM system. Working in a critical environment also means there's a load of responsibility, which means a lot of growth on my part.
What is vacation work?
Vacation work is an opportunity for students to gain insight into what it's like working at FNB as well as the potential career paths available for their specific academic backgrounds.
It's a chance to add value and get real work experience in environments across the bank that make use of your specific knowledge and skill sets.
If you have ever wondered why banks hire so many IT developers; or what the career path looks like for an engineer; or even what actuaries do in retail banking, then vac work is the ideal way to find out.
When and where does it take place?
There will be two intakes of vac students during the June and December periods and applications for each period will be open during the preceding month.
Most of the opportunities will be based in our head office in Johannesburg, but we will also host students in various areas country-wide, depending on the assignments available.
Who can apply?
Students in the their final or penultimate year of studies in faculties such as Science (IT and quantitative degrees such as Statistics or Actuarial studies) and Engineering.
You're ready for the big time, you know you've got what it takes, but what's waiting for you in the corporate world?
At FNB Future League... you'll find out
FNB Future League gives you, the student who wants more from a career, the opportunity to experience FNB across various disciplines and most importantly, gets you an insider's glimpse of what it would be like to work at FNB. Here we'll show you how your specific studies are put into practice.
We select the students who are going places on an assessment and their academic performance. We then split the students into groups based on studies such as quantitative, IT, engineering and commerce.
Each group jumps straight into the deep end at FNB (but don't stress we're there to help you swim). They visit Business Units applicable to their specific skillset, for example actuarial students meet actuaries and IT students go to places like FNB Online, eWallet, Connect, etc.
Each business unit lets you know about what a student would be doing within FNB, oversees the groups and what career opportunities lie ahead. It's a truly hands-on approach and we're there to help. At the end of the FNB Future League Programme the unit will assess the students, and who knows, you may just land your dream FNB job that you take up once you graduate. Now that's a kick-start to your career.
But as they say, "that's not all". In the evenings, students meet past graduates, managers and they even rub shoulders with the execs, learning what it's really like within a company as innovative as ours.
And at the end of it all, the student groups will be put to the test, but we don't mean a sit down, pick up your pencils test. It's a test that shows us what you're made of while having fun and showing what a team player you are, because that's what we're all about, teamwork.
The Future League sessions are part of the graduate programme experience and take place in June and July annually. You need to be in your penultimate or final year of studies to qualify. To be invited submit your application between 1 March and 30 June.
Funds for those with focus
So you may not have the funds to complete your studies, but you sure have the dedication and skills. Well, then the FNB Bursary Programme is for you. It provides top-class students with the funds they need to complete their studies of commerce and science degrees.
We don't expect you to pay back the funds or work it back either, it's simply a way we at FNB contribute towards developing future leaders.
Think you've got what it takes?
Get in touch with a bursary service provider.
With so many strong academic students with limited resources, we realised there was a great need for access to tertiary education. That's why we've partnered with only the best bursary service providers who will offer deserving students the education, mentorship and support they need.
Bursary service providers
African Scholars Fund
Further Education and Training Colleges
www.asf.org.za
021 689-9094
Career Wise
Commerce, Science and Engineering
www.careerwise.co.za
011 484-7505
Rural Education Access Programme
Commerce, Science and Engineering
www.reap.org.za
021 696-5500
SAICA Thuthuka Bursary Fund
Accounting only
www.saica.co.za
086 107-2422
South African Actuary Development Programme
Actuarial Science only
www.saadp.co.za
011 642-2202
Study Trust
Commerce, Science and Engineering
www.studytrust.org.za
011 726-5604
Tertiary School in Business Administration
Bachelor of Business Administration
www.tsiba.org.za
021 532-2750
Get ready for the CA big time
There are CAs and there are FirstRand CAs. We want the exceptional CA recruits, the ones who go out and get it done. Who see a challenge and tackle it. Our CA Training experience will help you establish your career and give you entrepreneurial skills you need to soar within the FirstRand Group.
You + FirstRand, well that's a team
Three years of articles
Exposure to core areas of experience as prescribed by SAICA
What to expect
In the three years of articles, you will gain essential life-skill building experience. And by being placed on a rotation between various entities of FirstRand Bank, you'll gain knowledge across a vast range of sectors. It's hands on, fastpaced and a challenge, just what our CA candidates are looking for.
Rotations where training takes place
Do you make the cut?
The CA Training Programme is open to applicants who have completed a BCom Acc (Hons)/CTA degree. Applicants who are in the final year of BCom Acc (Hons)/CTA, may also submit applications which must be received prior to the closing date of 31st August.
These applicants, in the event that they are successful in the recruitment and selection process, and have passed their BCom Acc (Hons)/CTA examination, will be made offers to commence training at the beginning of the following year.
Business Intelligence Developer
FNB Business Segment
Executive Assistant
Head of Advanced Analytics Business Unit
Name: Jerrard Kaira
When did you join FNB?
December 2014
What is your role at FNB?
Business Intelligence Developer at Cash MIS, Cash Delivery, Point of Presence
Describe your career at FNB
My career at FNB has been educational. This being my first official employment has taught me a lot about the corporate world and the role that I have to play. I am currently a Business Intelligence Analyst/ Developer, this role is vital to the survival of my business unit as we track the business progress by collecting data from the business functions and apply logic to the data in order to present the current state of the business to management so that they can make strategic decisions.
The challenging part of this job is the steep learning curve, you have to know the entire business operations before you can apply any business logic and the technology used is also very challenging and quite complex to understand. The constant challenge that I face though, is to continue to be innovative and challenge the current processes in place, in order to be more efficient.
Describe the culture of FNB
The culture at FNB is the best to say the least. FNB is a corporate organisation but it's a corporate organisation that does things very differently. Everyone is easy going and the focus is on work rather than dress code and micro management. Working flexi hours is a plus, this increases my productivity because I work at hours I feel most productive as opposed to fixed hours, like most companies.
What do you need to succeed at FNB?
To succeed at FNB you need to constantly invest in yourself through education. FNB does provide useful training courses that can make you much more desirable as a candidate. But the most important factor to succeeding at FNB is creating a network. Your network is your net worth, from my experience you are more likely to get to the next step of your career if someone recommends or refers you.
Name: Candice Martin
What degrees did you complete and at which university?
MSc Agricultural Economics at the University of KwaZulu-Natal
When did you join FNB?
31 March 2012
What is your role at FNB?
FNB Business Segment - Talent Sourcing
Please describe your career at FNB
I am a fiercely dedicated Talent Sourcing Lead for the FNB Business Segment. I started out my career at FNB as a Talent Sourcing Specialist back in 2012. My love affair with all things recruitment has assisted me in identifying and placing exceptional talent in FNB. During my four-year tenure I have had the opportunity to gain extensive exposure across various business units and segments including EasyPlan, Homeloans, our Centre of Expertise (COE) as well as HR Shared Services (HRSS). What I most enjoy about my role is finding and introducing game changers in the external market to a world-class employer. I don't only get to meet fascinating people but I get to change many South African lives by simply doing my job. At FNB you get the opportunity to 'write your own job description' so whilst my core function is sourcing talent I am also involved in many other innovative business projects which diversify my portfolio, strengthens my knowledge of the business and its requirements, increases my accountability to the organisation and keeps me motivated to outperform myself.
How would you describe FNB's culture?
FNB has a unique culture. It is built on the power of relationships and collaboration in the achievement of excellence and innovation. While we love what we do and take what we do seriously (but we don't take ourselves too seriously), this allows us with a safe space to come up with new ideas and fresh ways of doing things. Our people are committed to working together to achieving extraordinary results and we all truly live by the mantra, "how can we help you". Regardless of where you are in the business there is a strong sense of family and this provides us with a sense of belonging and accountability.
What does it take to succeed at FNB?
In order to be successful at FNB you have to be enthusiastic and passionately curious about your craft which will directly translate into a solid delivery track record over time. We are a people-based organisation which means we have an accountability to each other to be reliable and conscientious in all we do. Other qualities that we look out for in future FNBers is a courageous spirit coupled with a can-do, will-do attitude which not only enables our business strategy but helps us achieve what was once un-imaginable. Most of all we look for people who want to make a significant difference in their field and are prepared to but be diligent enough to achieve it.
Name: Khathutshelo (Khathu) Ramoliko
What degrees did you complete and at which university?
MBA, PDM (Post Graduate Diploma in Management) and BSc Economic Science all from Wits University
When did you join FNB?
January 2009
What is your role at FNB?
Executive Assistant at FirstRand Group Executive Office
Please describe your career at FNB
I am a committed and highly focused leader and strategist with experience, skills and specialty in financial services, analytics, strategy development and implementation, product design, product management, rewards and non-interest pricing.
I hold an MBA, PDM (Post Graduate Diploma in Management) and BSc Economic Science all from Wits University. I have held various roles in product and pricing with my latest role being one of Executive Assistant to the FirstRand Group Executives (CEO, Deputy CEO and CFO). As a result, I have a unique ability to manage multi-disciplinary projects and departments as well as navigate complex challenges.
My current role as Executive Assistant involves providing strategic support to the office of the Group Executives which includes producing strategy documents, board reports, presentation materials and briefing documents on behalf of the group executives; assisting Investor Relations with results activity, including presentations, financial reporting and investor meetings; and analysing business and investment reports and providing feedback.
This role offers me high-level exposure to the strategies and operations of the entire FirstRand group, strategic decision making, business, finance and stakeholder management.
As a Pricing Manager and Head of Pricing I have worked on a number of revenue enhancement initiatives in South Africa and in its mature subsidiaries in the rest of Africa. I have also setup new pricing for FNB's subsidiaries in the rest of Africa like Ghana and Tanzania.
As Product Manager I managed various cheque/current account products in the FNB world embarking in a number of product redesign and process efficiency projects. A notable project I worked on is the re-branding project that FNB embarked on to re-launch FNB Private Clients and launch the new FNB Private Wealth segment.
My passion is helping to grow and empower young South Africans to make a success of themselves and make a difference in their communities in any way they can.
How would you describe FNB's culture?
The FNB culture is one where everyone feels accountable and empowered; this is driven by the owner-manager culture of the group, the relatively flat structures and our leaders not taking themselves too seriously as everyone is able to contribute to the success of the company through influence as opposed to positional power. People are motivated by making a positive difference in our customer's lives and this comes through in how we work together to innovate in whatever we do.
What does it take to succeed at FNB?
Taking initiative and going the extra mile are for me key in succeeding at FNB. However Sifiso Mthembu (Previous HR Executive at FNB and now FirstRand Human Capital Executive) shared the below characteristics of a successful FirstRander (including FNB of course) at a recent conference I attended and these resonated with me and so I would like to share them here:
The only addition to this exhaustive list from Sifiso that I could add which was mentioned by one of the founders of FirstRand and current chairman, Laurie Dipenaar, is that FNB'ers Care, a lot... we care for the quality of our work, for our customers and for those we work with.
Name: Mark Nasila
What degrees did you complete and at which university?
PHD (Mathematical Statistics) 2014, NMMU; MSc. Cum Laude (Mathematical Statistics) 2008, NMMU; BSc. Hons (Mathematical Statistics) 2007, NMMU
When did you join FNB?
September 2010
What is your role at FNB?
Head of Advanced Analytics Business unit, Chief Risk Office Segment, First National Bank
My present role has several functions which include
Leader and driver of state-of-the art data mining tools and analytical methodologies to drive improved decisions. Support deep mining analytical projects to promote growth and business development. Provide insight into customer, cardholder and transactional behaviour using a variety of predictive models, segmentation strategies, optimisation algorithms and data mining analyses. Act as an information expert, developing pro-active analytics for both internal and external clients. Meeting with the businesses to suggest analytic solutions to business problems. Design solutions and work with businesses to pilot/evaluate/implement/maintain/evolve solutions. Act as expert on sound statistical practice and provide guidance to businesses, as needed, to determine methodology, sample size, test and learn strategies, etc. End-to-end analysis and implementation of projects, as needed, including development of predictive models, conducting various types of research and statistical analyses and deep dives into the data. Participate in team discussions on emerging methodologies, share code, advise and mentor other colleagues and present findings or updates at meetings.
How would you describe FNB's culture?
FNB has a flat and open structure which allows you to identify opportunities across the group. This type of structure not only enables you to interact and get exposure to different aspects/areas of the business, but to also identify opportunities where you can add value with skills you are good at. Practically, this couples with the training and academic support allows you to manage the growth of your own career. From a personal perspective this has allowed me to use my skills across the group which include collaborating with several areas to be able to apply my skills. The support for training and academic growth allowed me to pursue my PhD and finish it within 3 years while working at the same time. The skills acquired have equipped me with knowledge on solving different analytical problems in the bank. The structure gave me an opportunity to have a mentor (Christoph Nieuwoudt FNB Chief Risk Officer) who I now report to, to guide me in using my skills to adding value to business as well as and directed me to areas where my skills were relevant. The culture has allowed me to interact with several stakeholders such as Jacques Cilliers (FNB CEO), Christoph Nieuwoudt, Sizwe Nxedlana (FNB Chief Economist), Raj Makanjeee (CEO FNB Premium), Gordon Little (FNB Chief Financial Officer) and others who have made me understand how my skills add value to the business.
What does it take to succeed at FNB?
The culture and structure of FNB is an already prepared recipe for success. It is your responsibility to identify your area of interest and to identify the right people to work with to ensure their objectives are met. This involves assessing yourself, assessing what you are good at, assessing what you are not good at, to be able to receive training or support and identifying the right opportunities to add value. In summary, one has to identify their areas of strength, their weaknesses, identify the right people to work with and work hard towards a specific course. Working hard also involves not giving up when things seem impossible or discouraging.
Philani Potwana
Product head, FNB Loans
Mia Cloete
Graduate trainee, Savings + Investments
We don't ask much. Just that you're hardworking, talented, driven by a challenge, enjoy a constantly changing environment, are curious, courageous, innovative, creative, a team player and a problem solver.
In short, if you have the talent, help yourself to a career at FNB where it will be given the opportunity to blossom. And who knows? One day you too could be part of a great management team.
Enjoy the freedom of moving in the fast lane. This is what we promise top talent.
Get a career not just a job, make a meaningful contribution
Work on ideas that help shape the new world of banking
Live and breathe innovation
Own and manage your contribution
Our Culture
At FNB, the "owner manager" culture is at the core of how we do business. Smaller, more agile groups of businesses means we're more flexible, able to react more quickly to situations and are more competitive - while also emphasising collaboration. And while we have an entrepreneurial drive to action, we're never arrogant.
Our Values
We guard our values jealously, as does everyone who works at FNB, because we understand their importance in maintaining the culture of our bank.
Our Values are:
