Assistant Sector Head - Check Off Loans

Role Overview

This is a senior credit leadership post accountable for the health and growth of lending within a specific sector. The role sets the sector's credit direction, manages a lending portfolio through changing market conditions, and ensures that front-line teams deliver both speed and sound underwriting. It matters because the sector's profitability, compliance standing, and customer reputation depend on disciplined credit decisions made close to the market.

Key Responsibilities

• Set the sector's credit agenda and oversee daily lending operations, aligning them with institutional risk appetite and growth goals.
• Grow the sector lending portfolio by identifying new product opportunities, expanding into underserved market segments, and strengthening origination channels.
• Monitor asset quality closely, using early-warning indicators to address arrears, restructure viable accounts, and reduce non-performing exposures.
• Improve borrower experience by streamlining loan processing, cutting unnecessary handoffs, and shortening approval cycles without weakening controls.
• Coach, supervise, and develop sector credit staff, setting clear performance standards and building a pipeline of capable credit professionals.
• Enforce internal credit policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements, and prepare for audits or reviews with complete documentation.
• Analyze sector performance, market trends, and profitability drivers, then recommend pricing, product, or process changes to senior management.
• Collaborate with sales, operations, and risk colleagues to balance commercial targets with prudent credit outcomes.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, finance, accounting, economics, or another business-related discipline from a recognized university.
• Professional credit qualification such as CPA, a credit certification, or a diploma in credit management.
• At least seven years of senior-level credit experience in a microfinance institution or similar financial services environment.
• Proven ability to lead credit teams, make sound lending decisions, and manage a portfolio through periods of stress.
• Strong analytical skills, including comfort with portfolio data, delinquency metrics, and profitability analysis.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and report-writing abilities, with the capacity to influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, for analysis and reporting.