Head of Credit at Ave Maria Microfinance Bank Limited

Ave Maria Microfinance Bank of the Catholic Diocese of Oyo is a faith-based Microfinance Bank established by the Catholic Diocese of Oyo to cater for all people, with emphasis on the poor and the vulnerable irrespective of religion, race, age or gender that are financially excluded. The Bank was officially incorporated as a bank by the Corporate Affair Commission on the 10th day of MAY, 2022 with registration number RC 1927811 and was finally licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on the 27th October 2022.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Head of Credit

Location: Oyo Town, Oyo
Employment Type: Full-time

Key Responsibilities

• Evaluates whether Business Banking proposals meet sound business criteria and credit risk falls within acceptable parameters, approve and recommends appropriate credit facilities including terms or conditions of facilities.
• Ensure accuracy and reliability of approvals within, or referrals to higher authority, on business credit applications reviewed.
• Identifies, quantifies and evaluates sources of risk in relation to profitability of business proposals and financial viability of Retail clients as a whole, interrogates/probes.
• Utilizes Industry risk analysis available to identify and understand contextual threats to existing and potential clients.
• Ensure timely and quality credit assessment and decision are made.
• Manage adherence to the service level agreement that have been concluded.
• Builds relationship with and across the network to improve quality of business proposals and turnaround time on credit evaluations.
• Detects and evaluate shifts or changes in key risk parameters and evaluate the implications of such changes on continued banking relationship.
• Issuing of sanction letters, clearly stating the conditions and requirements of the lending.
• Actively hind sighting lending decisions to ensure that correct procedure are being followed in the approval of facilities, which will prevent new NPL's.
• Regular perusal of relevant internal & external communication, such as circulars, economic reviews on industries, & financial or industry publications to ensure that any development, new requirements or external risks are properly taken cognisance off in lending decisions or conditions of lending.
• Staff training internally (credit staff) and externally by supporting staff with the emphasis on the requirements to make a meaningful assessment of the credit risks involved.
• Manage the implementation of business credit processing systems and software and monitor performance of same.
• Participate in the relevant committees as required.
• Ensure proper management and monitoring of the Bank's Retail NPL book.
• Ensure that all the necessary systems and controls are in place to properly manage the NPL book, and maximise the rehabilitation of accounts in arrears.

Problem solving:

• Expected to solve job related problems within a broadly defined framework and policy. Required to be pro-active in forward thinking and sensitive to the impact the decision will have on the book. Should be able to generate solutions to job related problems.
• Evaluates the risks and benefits of each credit facility application and supporting information, taking into account broad industry risks, total bank exposure to specific industries, and the risk profile of the counterparty applying for credit.
• Analyses the performance of one or more industries, to identify contextual risks that may influence the ability of corporate counterparties to repay debt.
• Takes decision regarding appropriate corrective action in the management of increasing risk profiles, and counterparty failure to comply with credit agreements.
• Identified industry trends and conditions that may threaten the value of security/collateral held, and manage appropriate corrective action in a way that is sensitive to the bank's relationship with its clients, without unnecessarily compromising the bank's security position.
• Makes judgement calls regarding the effectiveness of security/collateral offered, and sets appropriate risk parameters in respect of specific facility structures within which clients will need to operate to contain risk at acceptable levels
• Manage teams and handle the problems associated with working with a diverse group of people.
• Manage the cross-functional conflicts that may arise in the course of working with the BB business teams.
• Utilize experience and knowledge in providing solutions to ambiguous situations where intuitive calls are required.

Planning:

• Planning, setting up and management of Business Banking Function, ensuring that all the following relevant processes are sufficiently addressed:
• Returns/reports: Preparation and submission of all relevant returns/reports.
• Proactively drive review of existing processes and procedures to ensure efficiency that delivers timely and consistent decisions as well as adaptability to changing business needs.
• Proactively ensure that all reporting requirements are met.
• Detect shifts or changes in key risk parameters in a business relationship, target population or industry, or the economy generally; evaluate the short, medium and long term implications of such changes on continued business dealings and feed these into the policy making process for personal credits.
• Monitor exceptions (type and frequency of occurrence) and feed this into product review and modifications.
• Ensure staff planning is in line with optimal business requirements e.g. recruit & train staff in time for expected peak business periods, put proper succession plan in place to facilitate effective backup, etc.

Decision Making:

• Suitability of staff, collateral documentation, legal action, systems and controls, processes, procedure and external attorneys/council/liquidators/administrators.
• Approve viable credit proposals that fit agreed criteria and decline non-viable ones.
• Exhibit decisiveness in application of credit standards and policies.
• Exhibit objectivity and firmness in dealing with non-performance among staff.

Knowledge, Experience and Personal Competencies
Knowledge:

• Degree-qualified.
• Minimum of a good University First Degree in any of the Social Science fields as well as a post graduate Degree and/or professional qualification.
• CIBN certification will be an added advantage.
• Sound knowledge and understanding of the local as well as international personal credit industry, retail lending analysis techniques, advances, credit criteria, credit policies, risk and financial analysis, credit control and application thereof.
• Sound understanding of business practices and the Bank's personal credit products suite, credit policies and processes.
• Exposure to basic credit scoring and automated decisioning.

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years Banking experience, particularly pertaining to credit risk management, banking processes with regard to banking products and the operation thereof. Must have service management roles.
• Broad knowledge of applicable Acts and Bank Manuals.

Personal Competencies:

• Adaptability: Capable of adapting to and accepting change, opposing views, new ideas, as well as being imaginative and creative.
• Numeracy & Analytical Skills: Have the capacity to work with numbers and figures, as well as to collect, process, analyze and integrate data into relevant, factual outcomes or conclusions. Have the ability to undertake and/or analyze underwriting metrics such as through-the-door analysis.
• Excellence Orientation: Disposed to setting and achieving high standards of excellence.
• Organizational Alertness: Capacity to appreciate and understand how job fits in with other jobs and overall job structure of the organization; and the importance of company policies & procedures.
• Communication: Ability to convey information (both verbally and in writing) by articulating messages clearly, concisely, accurately and understandably.
• Customer Orientation: Able to focus on and achieve high standards of service that meet the expectations of clients.
• Judgement: Capable of evaluating and judging situations or alternative actions and outcomes against rational, logical assumptions.
• Leadership: Ability to lead and manage a large team of people engaged in fairly routine processing functions. Ability to develop subordinates by providing them with simple, clear instructions; demonstrations; systematic exposure to increasingly challenging tasks; continuous feedback, appraisal, counselling and rewards.
• Decisiveness: Show the readiness and ability to make decisions/render Judgment and take full responsibility for same; take action and apply corrective measures when and where necessary.
• Computer Literacy: Ability to use the various software e.g Microsoft Word, Excel, etc.
• Attention to details: Meticulous approach to issues.

Application Closing Date
28th February, 2026.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV and Cover Letter to: recruitment@avemariamfb.com using the Job Title as the subject of the email.