Credit Operations Lead at Kuda Bank

Role Overview

As the Collections and Underwriting Manager, you will be responsible for overseeing and optimizing the performance of the underwriting and collections teams. Your primary focus will be on developing and implementing effective underwriting standards, procedures, and policies to evaluate borrower creditworthiness and manage portfolio risk across retail lending products.

Responsibilities

• Manage a team of underwriters, collection agents, and analysts, including recruitment, training, development, and performance management
• Develop and implement underwriting standards, procedures, and policies for all retail lending products to effectively evaluate borrower creditworthiness and manage portfolio risk
• Oversee the underwriting process from application through decisioning to ensure consistency, accuracy and compliance with policies and regulations
• Monitor portfolio performance metrics including delinquencies, losses, and recoveries; analyze trends and recommend strategies to optimize results
• Establish collection policies and procedures, including account segmentation, treatment strategies, contact strategies, promise-to-pay options, settlement authority.
• Develop and manage collections performance metrics such as promise-to-pay ratios, contact rates, promise ratios, roll rates, and recovery rates. Identify trends and continuously refine strategies.
• Manage timelines for accounts moving through collections cycle, ensuring appropriate treatment strategies are utilized based on delinquency status.
• Oversee late stage collections including pre-charge off activities, lien perfection, repossessions, foreclosures, bankruptcies, probate/estates.
• Determine appropriate use of internal collections staff versus placement with external collection agencies. Establish agreements and manage relationships with third party agencies.
• Monitor performance of external agencies, ensuring compliance with regulations and company policies.
• Implement collections technology solutions to increase productivity and enhance strategies. Stay current on collections best practices.
• Develop tailored workout programs to maximize recoveries including loan modifications, payment plans, settlements.
• Ensure collections practices adhere to all applicable regulations and consumer protection laws.
• Partner with other business leaders to balance portfolio growth with risk management and deliver on broader organizational objectives
• Participate in new product development, providing input on credit risk factors, underwriting criteria, and portfolio implications
• Contribute to long-term credit strategy by analyzing competitive intelligence, emerging trends, and regulatory changes to identify growth opportunities
• Stay current on industry best practices, lending technologies, and data analytics to identify opportunities for increased efficiency and reduced costs

Requirements

• Minimum of 6-7 years of experience in financial services/ fintech, with a focus on loan recovery and managing loan portfolios
• Proven track record in loan recovery
• Demonstrated experience in managing loan portfolios
• Extensive background in financial services or Fintech, underscoring a deep understanding of the industry's nuances and dynamics
• Solid understanding of Credit regulation within the Nigeria banking industry
• BSc in Accounting, Economics, Banking, Finance and Commerce (or relevant fields)