Head Credit Risk

Manage the Programmed based lending, Merchant Lending and Consumer Lending Product portfolios from a credit risk standpoint. Implement Consumer Credit Policy & Procedures, RAC’s and manage Collection, Recovery, Credit Initiation & Underwriting, Credit Policy & Analytics. Ensure compliance of policy and procedures as per internal & external regulatory environment.

Credit Risk Framework, Strategy & Regulatory Compliance

• Define and maintain the enterprise-wide credit risk management framework in line with regulatory expectations and the bank’s risk appetite. And embed it in the digital processes.
• Translate the CRO’s risk strategy into actionable credit policies, product programs, underwriting standards, and methodologies across bank’s portfolios.
• Develop all required Credit Risk score card models and establish the model validation and back testing process and function. Ensure embedding all Credit models in the digital system to optimize customer journey within the risk appetite of the bank.
• Ensure credit risk considerations are embedded into business strategy, new products, and portfolio growth plans.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, supervisory expectations (including ECL/IFRS 9 and prudential regulations), and internal credit policies.
• Support regulatory examinations, audits, and risk reviews, including issue remediation and tracking by keeping all required digital documentation and back ups.
• Attain satisfactory ratings in internal and external audits.

Credit Origination, Decisioning & Portfolio Quality

• Oversee credit application processing and decisioning within prescribed parameters and turnaround times, without compromising credit quality.
• Ensure acquisition and business targets are met within approved risk appetite and policy limits.
• Review and challenge credit proposals, new product programs, and policy deviations, and exercise prudent judgment to protect the bank’s assets.
• Deliver the portfolio NPL targets and agreed provisioning and cost-of-risk objectives during the year.
• Oversee Collections & Recovery strategy and ensure targets are delivered.

Control Responsibilities: Audit, Review, Delegation & Approval

• Implement internal control procedures and ensure the 4-eyes principle is applied across credit approvals.
• Conduct process reviews to maintain optimum TAT as per agreed SLAs and embed them into the digital customer journeys.
• Manage the approval and withdrawal of delegated credit authority, and monitor the performance of credit/limit approvers.
• Ensure digitally maintained documentation, approval records, and related MIS records are accurate and complete.
• Ensure Credit Policy and Procedure Manuals are updated in a timely manner, strictly adhered to, and monitored for quality.
• Control fraud and create deterrence through checks and balances, vigilance, and self-testing, and feed learnings back into policies and portfolios.

Process & Systems: Portfolio Monitoring, Analytics & Reporting

• Monitor, track, and measure portfolio performance, including the impact of policy changes and the behavior of segments and sub-segments under changing economic conditions.
• Have direct experience on developing Credit Risk Models and their validation.
• Conduct ongoing comprehensive reviews of the credit portfolio through effective MIS and reporting to the CRO and risk committees (e.g., MRC, BRCC).
• Develop and maintain Early Warning Indicators, concentration limits, stress testing, and risk-charge forecasting.
• Provide early warning advice to senior management on emerging or previously unforeseen portfolio risks.
• Work with the business and credit teams to implement scoring models, rating systems, and Loan Origination/Collections systems, and to create efficiencies in existing systems.
• Ensure timely, accurate, and meaningful risk reporting aligned with internal and regulatory requirements.

Portfolio Strategy & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Work with the CRO and business heads to develop portfolio strategy covering opportunities and threats, risk and reward, and portfolio mix, based on segmentation, performance, and economic and competitive intelligence.
• Act as a trusted risk advisor to business and functional leaders on credit matters.
• Collaborate with Compliance, Internal Audit, Technology, Operations, Collections, and Product teams to ensure consistent risk practices.
• Represent Credit Risk on management committees and forums.

Team & Departmental Management

• Manage hiring, training, and attrition for credit teams, keeping attrition within lower single digits.
• Prepare and finalize the departmental budget and work within it.
• Assign JDs and targets, and handle capacity planning, goal submission, promotions, appraisals, and other people matters as per bank policy.

Secondary Responsibilities

• Contribute to ERM initiatives and special risk projects as assigned by the CRO.
• Stay abreast of emerging credit risk trends, regulatory developments, and industry best practices.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Risk Management, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• Master’s degree (MBA, MS in Risk Management, Finance, or equivalent) preferred.
• Professional certifications such as FRM, PRM, CRM, CIA, CISA, or equivalent risk/compliance qualifications are highly desirable.
• 6–8 years of experience in Traditional or Digital Banking or Fintech, as in Credit Risk Management
• Hands-on experience owning the credit risk governance structure, covering policy, Credit Risk Models and deviation management, concentration and limit frameworks, provisioning and cost-of-risk oversight, and timely closure of audit and regulatory findings.
• Hands-on experience working with senior management and risk committees, with direct exposure to regulatory reviews and audits.
• Prior experience in a second line of defense role and reporting to senior risk leadership (CRO or equivalent) strongly preferred.
• Exposure to launching and governing new lending products and programs, digital credit decisioning, collections and recovery outsourcing, and major credit policy or system transformations, while safeguarding portfolio quality, is an advantage.
• Strong understanding of credit risk drivers (borrower repayment capacity, collateral and security, concentration, economic cycles, and portfolio behavior) and credit risk mitigation techniques.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex portfolio data, delinquency and NPL trends, and scoring model outputs to drive timely credit decisions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate credit risk issues, portfolio performance, and policy recommendations to senior management, committees, and the Board.
• Ability to balance credit risk discipline with business growth and pragmatic decision-making, supporting acquisition targets without compromising credit quality.