Collection & Recovery Lead at Strivo Labs

Job Summary

• We are seeking an experienced Collections & Recovery Lead to oversee the recovery of outstanding device financing obligations across the retail and channel network.
• The successful candidate will lead the Collections & Recovery team, develop and execute effective recovery strategies, monitor portfolio performance, identify emerging credit risks, and ensure delinquent accounts are recovered professionally and within regulatory and company guidelines.
• The ideal candidate should be highly target-driven, assertive, persistent, and experienced in managing collections teams within a fintech, microfinance bank, credit, or device financing environment.

Key Responsibilties
Recovery Strategy & Execution:

• Lead the end-to-end collections and recovery process for device financing accounts, from early-stage delinquency through to write-off recommendations.
• Develop and implement structured recovery strategies based on delinquency age, risk tier, customer profile, and portfolio characteristics.
• Set, monitor, and drive achievement of monthly, weekly, and daily recovery targets.
• Track key recovery metrics including Portfolio at Risk (PAR), recovery/conversion rates, delinquency levels, and cost of collection.
• Continuously review recovery performance and implement strategies to improve collection efficiency.

Team Leadership & Performance Management:

• Lead and manage all Collection & Recovery Officers and Supervisors.
• Set clear daily and weekly performance expectations for the collections team.
• Coach team members on negotiation, customer engagement, field recovery techniques, and effective follow-up.
• Monitor individual and team performance against recovery targets.
• Hold Supervisors and Collection Officers accountable for achieving agreed recovery KPIs.
• Build a disciplined, high-performance, and target-driven collections culture.

Risk Identification & Escalation:

• Identify emerging risk patterns within the credit portfolio, including fraud indicators, default clusters, and channel-specific delinquency trends.
• Monitor high-risk and severely delinquent accounts and ensure timely escalation.
• Provide clear recommendations on significant credit and recovery risks.
• Ensure all recovery activities comply with applicable regulations, consumer protection requirements, and internal policies.
• Recommend appropriate escalation actions, including legal recovery or write-off where necessary.

Stakeholder Management:

• Manage relationships with field recovery agents, third-party collection/recovery partners, and legal counsel.
• Work closely with Credit and Risk teams to identify trends and improve credit decision-making.
• Collaborate with Retail and Finance teams to ensure effective resolution of outstanding obligations.
• Provide recovery insights that can support improvements in underwriting, credit policies, and customer management.

Reporting & Analysis:

• Prepare regular collections, recovery, and portfolio risk reports for the CCO and senior management.
• Analyse recovery data and translate findings into clear, actionable business insights.
• Provide updates on recovery performance, delinquency trends, portfolio risk, and collection effectiveness.
• Maintain accurate records of recovery activities, outcomes, and escalated accounts.

What Sucess Looks Like

• Consistent achievement of recovery and collections targets.
• Reduction in portfolio delinquency and PAR.
• Improved recovery/conversion rates.
• Effective management and performance of the collections team.
• Timely identification and escalation of high-risk accounts.
• Controlled cost of collection.
• Strong compliance with internal policies and applicable regulations.

Requirements
Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, Accounting, or a related discipline.
• A postgraduate qualification in a relevant field is an advantage.

Experience:

• 5–7 years of relevant experience in collections, recovery, credit risk, or debt recovery.
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience leading a collections or recovery team.
• Experience within a fintech, microfinance bank, financial institution, credit, lending, or device financing environment is strongly preferred.
• Proven experience working in a high-pressure, target-driven collections environment.
• Demonstrable track record of improving recovery rates and converting delinquent accounts.

Professional Certifications:

• Certification in credit or collections practice, such as Certified Credit and Collections Administrator (CCCA) from NICA, or an equivalent qualification, is an advantage.
• Risk management certifications such as CIBN, RIMAN, CRMI, or AERMP will be an added advantage.

Technical Skills:

• Strong debt collection, negotiation, and recovery skills.
• Strong understanding of credit and collections processes.
• Ability to work with and interpret PAR, recovery/conversion rates, delinquency, and cost-to-collect metrics.
• Strong analytical and reporting skills.
• Familiarity with device, asset, or consumer financing recovery processes is an advantage.
• Proficiency with relevant collections, CRM, and reporting tools.

Key Competencies:

• Strong leadership and people management skills.
• Highly results-oriented and target-driven.
• Assertive, persistent, and disciplined.
• Excellent negotiation and communication skills.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making ability.
• High level of accountability and attention to detail.
• Ability to operate effectively under pressure.
• Strong stakeholder management skills.
• Professional and ethical approach to debt recovery.
• Strong understanding of regulatory and consumer protection requirements