Head, Credit & Lending (Banking) at Veridion Advisory Partners

Veridion Advisory Partners - Our client is a licensed fintech-driven microfinance bank positioned to redefine digital financial inclusion through technology-enabled lending, payments, and savings solutions. As a startup institution entering a critical growth phase, the organization is building a scalable digital banking model designed to serve individuals, SMEs, and underserved markets through secure, data-driven financial services aligned with CBN regulatory standards.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Head, Credit & Lending (Banking)

Location: Lagos
Employment Type: Full-time

Job Description

• The role is responsible for building and leading the Bank’s credit, lending, and loan portfolio management function within a fintech-driven digital microfinance bank.
• The successful candidate will design and establish the Bank’s lending structure, credit policies, underwriting frameworks, loan processes, collection systems, portfolio monitoring mechanisms, and credit risk controls from inception while driving sustainable loan growth and portfolio quality.
• The role requires a highly strategic, commercially driven, and execution-focused professional with strong experience in digital lending, retail lending, SME lending, credit underwriting, collections, loan recovery, and portfolio risk management within banking, fintech, or financial services environments.
• The ideal candidate must possess strong understanding of digital credit ecosystems, automated lending models, credit scoring methodologies, loan operations, delinquency management, and regulatory lending requirements while being capable of independently providing strategic direction and building scalable lending structures from the ground up.

Responsibilities
Credit Strategy & Lending Framework Development:

• Develop and implement the Bank’s overall credit and lending strategy from inception.
• Design and establish scalable lending structures, credit workflows, underwriting standards, and approval processes.
• Develop credit policies, SOPs, lending guidelines, and operational frameworks.
• Define the Bank’s risk appetite for retail, SME, salary-backed, and digital loan products.
• Establish governance structures for loan approvals, disbursements, monitoring, and recovery.
• Build credit processes that support rapid growth while maintaining portfolio quality and regulatory compliance.

Loan Portfolio Growth & Business Development:

• Drive sustainable growth of the Bank’s loan portfolio across retail, SME, salary-backed, and digital lending segments.
• Develop innovative lending products tailored to market needs and customer behavior.
• Identify new lending opportunities and strategic market segments.
• Collaborate with Growth and Product teams to increase lending penetration and customer acquisition.
• Monitor loan portfolio profitability, yield performance, and revenue contribution.
• Drive achievement of lending targets while maintaining acceptable risk levels.

Credit Underwriting & Risk Assessment:

• Oversee loan appraisal, credit analysis, customer assessment, and approval processes.
• Implement strong underwriting standards and credit evaluation methodologies.
• Develop credit scoring models and risk assessment frameworks for digital lending.
• Ensure proper KYC, documentation, and due diligence processes.
• Monitor credit exposure, concentration risks, and portfolio performance.
• Ensure proper segregation of duties and approval authority frameworks.

Loan Operations & Disbursement Management:

• Supervise loan booking, disbursement, repayment tracking, and loan administration activities.
• Ensure accurate and timely processing of loan applications and disbursements.
• Collaborate with Operations and Technology teams to automate lending workflows and improve turnaround times.
• Ensure seamless integration between lending platforms and core banking systems.
• Monitor loan processing efficiency and service delivery standards.

Collections, Recovery & Delinquency Management:

• Develop and implement effective collections and recovery strategies.
• Establish delinquency management frameworks and portfolio monitoring systems.
• Monitor PAR (Portfolio at Risk), NPL ratios, recovery performance, and delinquency trends.
• Lead recovery efforts on overdue and non-performing loans.
• Implement early warning systems and proactive portfolio management controls.
• Collaborate with Legal and Recovery teams on recovery actions where necessary.

Credit Risk Management & Compliance:

• Ensure compliance with CBN regulations, internal credit policies, and lending guidelines.
• Implement strong credit control mechanisms and portfolio monitoring frameworks.
• Monitor portfolio quality and recommend corrective actions where required.
• Conduct periodic credit reviews, stress testing, and portfolio analysis.
• Ensure proper documentation and audit readiness for all credit activities.
• Support internal audits, regulatory examinations, and compliance reviews.

Data Analytics & Portfolio Reporting:

• Develop credit dashboards, MIS reports, and portfolio performance analytics.
• Monitor lending KPIs including loan growth, PAR ratios, recovery rates, and portfolio profitability.
• Analyze customer repayment behavior and lending trends.
• Provide strategic portfolio insights and recommendations to Executive Management.
• Use data-driven decision-making to optimize lending performance and minimize portfolio risk.

Technology & Digital Lending Oversight:

• Collaborate with Technology and Product teams on digital lending architecture and automation initiatives.
• Support integration of credit scoring engines, loan management systems, and digital onboarding platforms.
• Ensure secure, scalable, and efficient lending operations within the digital banking ecosystem.
• Drive automation and digitization of lending processes to improve efficiency and customer experience.

Department Setup & Leadership:

• Build and structure the Bank’s Credit & Lending function from the ground up.
• Recruit, mentor, and lead high-performing credit and lending teams.
• Establish reporting structures, approval matrices, monitoring systems, and performance frameworks.
• Embed a strong credit culture focused on quality, discipline, accountability, and portfolio sustainability.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to Executive Management on lending growth and credit risk matters.

Requirements
Educational Qualification:

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Banking, Business Administration, or related discipline.
• MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification is an advantage.
• Professional certifications such as ACA, ACCA, CFA, ACIB, CRC, or related certifications will be an added advantage.

Experience:

• Must have 8–12 years experience in Credit, Lending,or Financial Services.
• Must have 4–6 years in senior credit or lending leadership roles.
• Strong experience in retail lending, SME lending, digital lending, and loan portfolio management.
• Proven experience managing collections, recoveries, and delinquency portfolios.
• Strong understanding of digital lending ecosystems, automated underwriting, and credit scoring models.
• Experience in microfinance banking, fintech, digital banking, or commercial banking environments is highly desirable.
• Strong knowledge of CBN credit regulations, lending compliance requirements, and portfolio risk management.
• Experience working in startup or fast-growth financial institutions is an added advantage.

Skills:

• Credit & Lending Management
• Digital Lending Operations
• Credit Underwriting & Risk Assessment
• Retail & SME Lending
• Loan Portfolio Management
• Collections & Recovery Management
• Delinquency & PAR Management
• Credit Policy Development
• Credit Risk Analysis
• Loan Operations & Administration
• Financial Analysis & Portfolio Monitoring
• Digital Lending Platforms
• Regulatory Compliance
• Leadership & Stakeholder Management
• Strong Analytical & Decision-Making Skills

Other Requirements:

• Strong commercial and business development mindset.
• High level of integrity, accountability, and credit discipline.
• Strong leadership and team management capability.
• Ability to work independently and provide strategic direction with minimal supervision.
• Excellent analytical, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Strong understanding of fintech lending models and digital financial ecosystems.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup environment.
• Must be proactive, structured, and capable of building scalable lending systems, policies, and portfolio management frameworks from the ground up.

Remuneration

• Salary: N800,000 - N1,000,000 / Month.
• Performance-based incentives linked to performance.

Application Closing Date
29th May, 2026.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV to: info.veridionadvisorypartners@gmail.com using “Head, Credit & Lending (Banking)” as the subject of the email.