Head of Credit at Ascentech Services Limited

Job Summary

• We are hiring a proactive and experienced Head of Credit to manage credit operations across the South-South region.
• This role is based in Benin City and will oversee lending activities in Warriand Port Harcourt.
• The successful candidate will bring a strong background in micro-lending, fintech lending platforms (e.g., Palmpay, Opay), or microfinance institutions, and must be capable of working directly with clients and field teams.
• The Head of Credit will be responsible for building and maintaining a strong regional loan portfolio, leading credit evaluations, managing a team of officers, and maintaining compliance with company and regulatory policies.
• This role requires extensive field engagement and the ability to guide sales teams in identifying and assessing credible borrowers.

Key Responsibilities
Credit Operations & Management:

• Direct all credit operations in Benin, Warri, and Port Harcourt.
• Define and enforce credit standards and procedures tailored to the regional market.
• Monitor credit performance, PAR levels, and delinquency rates.
• Oversee loan approvals, disbursement processes, and recovery efforts.

Field Evaluation & Sales Collaboration:

• Work hand-in-hand with sales agents to assess customer viability at the point of sale.
• Conduct on-site visits to evaluate customer businesses and validate loan requests.
• Ensure credit decisions are data-driven and reflect real-time client assessments.

Team Leadership & Performance:

• Lead a credit team consisting of 1 CRO, 1 Loan Officer, and 1 Recovery Agent in the region.
• Drive performance through KPIs, coaching, and structured credit evaluation processes.
• Promote accountability, transparency, and efficiency in the field.

Risk & Compliance Oversight:

• Ensure adherence to internal credit policies and external regulatory frameworks.
• Mitigate risks through sound portfolio management and consistent loan monitoring.
• Maintain up-to-date client documentation, including KYC, affordability checks, and site verifications.

Reporting & Stakeholder Management

• Report regional credit performance to the National Head of Credit.
• Collaborate with product, technology, and operations teams to enhance credit systems.
• Participate in strategic planning and regional expansion efforts.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or related discipline (MBA or industry certification preferred).
• Minimum of 5 years experience in credit, lending operations, or collections within fintech lending platforms, consumer finance, or microfinance banks.
• Strong credit evaluation and recovery background.
• Experience managing teams and delivering performance across multiple locations.
• Familiarity with lending in the South-South region is a strong advantage.

Key Skills & Attributes:

• Excellent interpersonal skills and team leadership.
• Strong communication and negotiation abilities.
• Field-oriented with willingness to travel frequently.
• Analytical mindset with ability to assess and mitigate credit risks.
• Commitment to ethical lending practices and financial inclusion.

Working Conditions:

• Based in Benin City, with active oversight of Warriand Port Harcourt.
• Frequent travel and field-based client evaluations required.
• Hybrid work model with emphasis on field supervision and results delivery.