Senior Credit Analyst at Sage-Grey Finance Limited

Summary

• The Senior Credit Analyst is responsible for leading the evaluation of credit applications, ensuring robust risk assessment, and maintaining portfolio quality.
• The role is pivotal in safeguarding the institution’s financial sustainability by providing expert analysis, risk insights, and recommendations that enable sound lending decisions and alignment with strategic goals, including impact-focused lending.

Responsibilities
Credit Assessment & Analysis:

• Conduct in-depth credit appraisals, including financial statement reviews, cash flow projections, and sensitivity analyses.
• Assess loan proposals and recommend suitable credit terms in line with the applicant’s risk profile.
• Review and validate supporting documentation such as invoices, contracts, and bank statements.
• Provide independent, well-substantiated credit recommendations to the Credit Committee.

Risk Evaluation & Monitoring:

• Identify and assess inherent and emerging risks in credit transactions, recommending effective mitigants.
• Maintain and enhance credit grading models, scoring frameworks, and risk-rating tools.
• Monitor the loan book to identify early warning signs, conduct stress tests, and propose corrective actions.

Portfolio Management:

• Track and report on the performance of all credit products (e.g., SME Loans, Vendor Loan Schemes).
• Recommend restructuring, recovery strategies, or remedial actions where required.
• Support management with comprehensive portfolio reports, risk trend analyses, and regulatory submissions.

Documentation & Compliance:

• Ensure loan files are complete, accurate, and compliant with internal credit policies and regulatory guidelines.
• Collaborate with Legal, Compliance, and Risk teams to ensure full KYC/AML checks and policy adherence.
• Prepare timely reports on portfolio quality, delinquency ratios, and sector exposures.
• Stay abreast of regulatory developments, macroeconomic shifts, and industry best practices in credit analysis.

Leadership & Team Management:

• Provide leadership, mentorship, and technical guidance to junior credit analysts and other members of the credit team.
• Oversee workload allocation, set performance targets, and monitor progress within the credit function.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous learning, and high professional standards.
• Act as a key liaison between the credit team and senior management.
• Support capacity building by delivering training sessions and knowledge-sharing initiatives on credit risk, portfolio monitoring, and compliance.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or related discipline.
• 5 - 7 years of experience in credit analysis within a financial institution.
• Demonstrated expertise in financial statement analysis, cash flow modeling, and credit risk assessment.
• Solid understanding of lending dynamics, particularly within the Nigerian market.
• Proven experience in leading and managing credit teams or mentoring junior analysts.

Competencies & Attributes:

• Strong leadership, coaching, and team-building capabilities.
• Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills with meticulous attention to detail.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with ability to present complex information clearly.
• High level of integrity, accountability, and sound judgment.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders under tight deadlines.
• Proactive, self-driven, and adaptable to evolving market and regulatory conditions.