HEAD OF CREDIT AND RISK

Key Duties and Responsibilities

1. Credit Approval & Lending Oversight

➢ Review, analyze, and approve or decline all credit applications submitted by branch offices in accordance with the Company's Credit Policy and Lending Matrix.

➢ Conduct comprehensive assessments of borrowers' financial capacity, repayment ability, collateral adequacy, and overall creditworthiness.

➢ Ensure all required documentation is complete, authentic, and compliant before loan disbursement.

➢ Decline loan applications that fall outside the Company's risk appetite and provide documented reasons and recommendations where applicable.

➢ Exercise sound credit judgment while balancing portfolio growth with prudent risk management.

2. Enterprise Risk Management

➢ Develop, implement, and continuously improve the Company's Credit Risk Management Framework.

➢ Identify, assess, monitor, and mitigate credit, operational, collateral, fraud, and portfolio risks across the organization.

➢ Recommend risk mitigation strategies to Management and ensure effective implementation.

➢ Establish risk tolerance levels and monitor adherence across all branches.

3. Credit Policy & Governance

➢ Develop, review, and recommend improvements to credit policies, lending procedures, and risk management guidelines.

➢ Ensure consistent application of credit policies throughout all branches.

➢ Review and update the Company's Lending Matrix periodically to reflect market conditions and portfolio performance.

➢ Recommend policy amendments based on emerging risks and business needs.

4. Portfolio Quality Management

➢ Monitor the overall quality and performance of the Company's loan portfolio.

➢ Analyze portfolio trends, delinquency ratios, non-performing loans (NPLs), concentration risks, and portfolio exposures.

➢ Recommend corrective measures to improve portfolio quality and reduce default rates.

➢ Produce regular portfolio risk reports for Executive Management.

5. Collateral & Security Management

➢ Oversee verification, perfection, and custody of all loan securities.

➢ Conduct periodic audits and verification of vehicle logbooks and other collateral to ensure authenticity, legal compliance, and proper documentation.

➢ Ensure collateral values remain adequate throughout the loan lifecycle.

➢ Recommend additional security where risk exposure requires enhancement.

6. Branch Credit Oversight

➢ Provide technical guidance and support to Branch Credit Officers and Lending Teams.

➢ Review branch lending practices to ensure compliance with Company standards.

➢ Identify inconsistencies in branch credit assessments and recommend corrective actions.

➢ Conduct periodic branch credit audits and compliance reviews.

7. Risk Analytics & Reporting

➢ Prepare comprehensive monthly, quarterly, and annual credit risk reports for Senior Management and the Board.

➢ Analyze portfolio performance, approval trends, rejection rates, exposure concentrations, and emerging risks.

➢ Provide data-driven recommendations to strengthen credit quality and improve lending decisions.

➢ Develop Key Risk Indicators (KRIs) and monitor adherence across the business.

8. Compliance & Regulatory Oversight

➢ Ensure all lending activities comply with internal policies, applicable laws, regulatory requirements, and industry best practices.

➢ Monitor changes in financial regulations and recommend operational adjustments where necessary.

➢ Support internal and external audits relating to the credit function.

9. Fraud Prevention & Operational Risk

➢ Identify potential fraud indicators within loan applications and collateral documentation.

➢ Strengthen internal controls to minimize operational and financial losses.

➢ Investigate suspicious lending transactions and recommend appropriate action.

10. Process Improvement & Strategic Advisory

➢ Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of the Company's credit approval process.

➢ Recommend innovative approaches, automation opportunities, and process enhancements that improve turnaround times while maintaining strong risk controls.

➢ Advise Executive Management on credit strategy, portfolio diversification, and emerging market risks.

➢ Participate in strategic planning by providing insights into risk trends affecting business growth.

11. Leadership & Team Development

➢ Lead, mentor, and develop the Credit & Risk team.

➢ Build a high-performance culture focused on accountability, sound credit judgment, and continuous learning.

➢ Conduct regular training on credit policy, risk assessment methodologies, fraud detection, and regulatory compliance.

➢ Evaluate staff performance and identify development opportunities.

12. Stakeholder Collaboration

➢ Work closely with Branch Managers, Operations, Legal, Finance, Recovery, and Senior Management to ensure effective risk management across the organization.

➢ Support the Collections and Recovery teams by providing risk insights on delinquent accounts.

➢ Participate in Credit Committee meetings and provide expert recommendations on complex lending decisions.

Requirements

* Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, Banking, Risk Management, or a related field

* Minimum of 5years' experience in credit, risk management, working in microfinance

* Proven experience in credit appraisal, portfolio management, enterprise risk management, and policy development.

* Strong understanding of secured lending, particularly vehicle logbook lending and collateral management.

* Demonstrated experience managing loan portfolios and reducing credit losses and non-performing loans.

* Sound knowledge of regulatory and compliance requirements governing financial institutions and lending operations.