Head of Collections - Strategy, Transformation & Performance (Remote) at Fairmoney Microfinance Bank

FairMoney is building the leading mobile bank for emerging markets. We started with a digital microcredit application on Android, and currently roll out additional financial services (current account, savings, debit card) while expanding the product to Western Africa and South-East Asia.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Head of Collections - Strategy, Transformation & Performance

Location: Remote

Job Description
End-to-End Ownership:

• Full accountability for cash collected, arrears, roll-rates, PAR/NPL, and recovery economics
• Own outcomes, not activities or excuses
• Actively shape upstream inputs (Risk, Product, CX, Tech) to improve downstream collections performance

Strategy & System Design:
Design and execute a multi-horizon collections strategy:

• Short-term cash optimisation
• Mid-term recovery improvement
• Long-term customer behaviour change

Build structured approaches to:

• Early vs late-stage collections
• Segmentation-driven treatment strategies
• Behavioural and incentive-based interventions

Introduce clear experimentation frameworks (control vs test, ROI-driven rollouts)

Data-Led Decision Making:
Use data to drive decisions:
Partner deeply with Risk and Data Science on:

• Roll-rate optimisation
• Behavioural analytics
• Treatment effectiveness measurement
• Unit economics and ROI of collections actions
• Demand transparent, decision-ready reporting with clear accountability

Team & Bench Strength:

• Build a high-calibre leadership bench within Collections
• Upgrade talent decisively where required
• Develop leaders, not just agents
• Create a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement

Cross-Functional Leadership:

• Actively influence Product, Risk, Tech, and CX — do not wait for alignment
• Challenge constructively where design or policy decisions harm recoveries
• Be a respected, firm voice at senior leadership and ExCo forums

Customer & Brand Balance:

• Improve collections outcomes without damaging long-term customer value
• Reduce escalations through system fixes, not firefighting
• Balance firmness with fairness through smarter design, not leniency

Time-Bound Success Expectations:
First 90 Days (Stabilise & Diagnose):

• Take full ownership of collections performance and escalations
• Establish clear visibility on cash, arrears, roll-rates, and recovery drivers
• Identify and begin fixing the highest-impact structural blockers
• Deliver a credible, data-backed transformation roadmap with priorities and owners
• Reset accountability standards and leadership expectations within the team

First 6 Months (Deliver Step-Change):
Demonstrate measurable improvement in:

• Cash collected
• Cash-to-arrears and cash-to-instalment ratios
• Late-stage roll-rates
• Implement segmentation-driven treatment strategies at scale
• Reduce escalations and repeat failure points through system and process redesign
• Strengthen leadership bench with clear successors and upgraded capability

Requirements

• Minimum of first degree in any related field of study.
• Senior leadership experience in collections within lending, fintech, or credit-led businesses
• Proven track record of turning around or materially improving collections performance
• Experience operating in data-rich, fast-moving environments

Mindset & Traits:

• Builder, not caretaker
• Strong personal ownership — “the buck stops with me”
• Comfortable with ambiguity and transformation
• Proactive, commercially minded, and decisive
• Willing to challenge peers and leadership when required
• Low tolerance for excuses; high tolerance for accountability.

Benefits

• Private Health Insurance.
• Pension Plan.
• Paid Time Off.
• Hybrid Work Model.
• Training & Development.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.