Manager, Retail Credit Underwriting at Zedcrest Capital Limited

JOB SUMMARY

• The Manager, Retail Credit Underwriting will be responsible for leading the end-to-end underwriting of retail credit exposures, ensuring high-quality credit decisions that support loan growth while maintaining strong portfolio quality. The role will oversee credit risk assessment, approval governance, and underwriting standards for retail lending, ensuring alignment with the organization’s risk appetite, credit policies, and regulatory requirements. The role also provides insight into portfolio performance through underwriting trends and decision analytics, supporting continuous improvement in credit quality.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Credit Underwriting & Risk Assessment

• Lead the review and assessment of retail loan applications (salary loans, personal loans, etc.)
• Conduct detailed credit analysis including income validation, affordability (DTIR), and repayment capacity
• Evaluate credit bureau reports, repayment history, and customer behavior
• Approve or recommend credit decisions within assigned authority limits
• Ensure all decisions align with credit policy, risk appetite, and regulatory standards

 Approval Governance & Decision Quality

• Maintain strong oversight on quality of credit decisions and underwriting discipline
• Ensure consistency in risk acceptance criteria and decision-making frameworks
• Review escalated or complex applications and provide structured recommendations
• Track and analyze approval trends, decline reasons, and exceptions
• Minimize approval of high-risk customers that could lead to early delinquency

 Portfolio Feedback & Diagnostics (Underwriting Lens)

• Analyze post-disbursement performance of booked loans to assess underwriting effectiveness
• Identify patterns in: early-stage delinquency (0–30 DPD), paypoint/deduction failures, customer segments with elevated risk
• Provide feedback into credit policy, product design, and risk frameworks
• Support continuous improvement in underwriting models and scorecards

Turnaround Time (TAT) & Process Efficiency

• Ensure timely processing of applications in line with defined service level agreements (SLAs)
• Optimize underwriting workflows to improve speed without compromising quality
• Coordinate effectively with Business teams to ensure smooth application flow and resolution of queries

Policy Compliance & Control

• Ensure full compliance with credit policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements
• Enforce proper documentation and data integrity in all underwriting decisions
• Maintain audit-ready records and support internal and regulatory audits
• Escalate policy breaches and exceptions appropriately

Stakeholder Engagement

• Work closely with: Business / Sales teams o Credit Administration, Risk Management, Product & Technology
• Provide risk advisory support on deal structuring and customer selection
• Balance business growth objectives with risk discipline

Team Leadership & Capacity Building

• Lead and manage a team of retail underwriters
• Set performance targets (quality, TAT, productivity)
• Provide coaching and continuous development to improve analytical and decision-making capability
• Drive a culture of accountability, quality, and consistency

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field
• Minimum 7–10 years’ experience in retail credit underwriting or credit risk
• At least 3–5 years in a leadership role
• Strong experience in retail lending products and underwriting frameworks

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Strong credit analysis and risk assessment capability
• Deep understanding of retail lending and customer behavior
• Strong knowledge of credit bureau interpretation and affordability assessment
• High attention to detail and sound judgment
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management capability