Head of Credit

Role Overview

This senior management role owns the credit strategy, governance, and portfolio performance for a microfinance institution headquartered in Nairobi. Day to day, you will direct underwriting and debt recovery teams, set risk appetite and lending limits, and monitor asset quality to keep Portfolio at Risk and Non-Performing Loan levels within target. Your work is central to protecting institutional capital while enabling responsible growth across micro, small, and business lending segments.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement the institution's credit risk strategy, including approval authorities, concentration limits, and lending parameters that align with regulatory expectations and growth targets.
• Review and update credit policies, risk scorecards, loan product terms, and underwriting guidelines to reflect market conditions and new product or regional expansion plans.
• Guide Credit Analysts through independent appraisals of borrower repayment capacity, cash flow projections, collateral quality, and industry-specific risks.
• Approve credit applications within delegated authority and escalate larger or higher-risk proposals to the Executive Committee or Board with clear recommendations.
• Monitor portfolio health daily, weekly, and monthly using PAR (1, 7, 30, 60, 90 days), NPL ratios, roll rates, and cure rates, and identify early-warning indicators by product, region, sales officer, sector, and vintage.
• Lead the Debt Recovery Unit in executing restructurings, collateral liquidations, demand notices, and legal enforcement, while hosting weekly PAR review meetings.
• Manage external relationships with debt collection agencies, auctioneers, and legal advocates to maximise recoveries and control recovery costs.
• Coach, evaluate, and set KPIs for Credit Analysts and Debt Recovery officers, and present credit dashboards and analytical reports to Management and the Board.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Business Administration, Commerce, Banking, Credit Management, or Risk Management.
• A Master’s degree or professional certification in credit or risk management is a strong advantage.
• At least 8 years of progressive credit management experience within a Microfinance Institution (MFI), bank, SACCO, or regulated financial institution.
• A minimum of 5 years in a senior credit leadership role, such as Head of Credit or Credit Manager.
• Demonstrated success in maintaining asset quality, improving recovery yields, and controlling PAR/NPL ratios on microfinance, SME, or business loan portfolios.
• Advanced proficiency in end-to-end credit lifecycle management, credit scoring models, recovery frameworks, legal debt procedures, and loan management software.
• Strong portfolio analytics skills, including migration modeling, stress testing, scenario analysis, and data-driven decision-making.
• High integrity, strong negotiation abilities, a commercial mindset balanced with firm risk discipline, and proven team-building experience.

What We Offer / Why Join

This is a full-time, on-site senior management position based at the head office in Nairobi. The role offers a monthly salary of Ksh 100,000 and reports directly to the Managing Director. You will have direct oversight of Credit Analysts, the Debt Recovery/Collections Team, and other credit staff, giving you significant influence over the institution's credit strategy and portfolio outcomes.