Head, Agent Banking

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Head, Agent Banking

Location: Maryland, Lagos
Employment Type: Full-time
Industry: Microfinance Banking

About the Role

• The ideal candidate will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies that strengthen the Bank's agent network, improve customer accessibility, ensure regulatory compliance, minimize operational risks, and position the Agent Banking channel as a key driver of the Bank's business growth.
• We are seeking an experienced, innovative, and commercially driven professional to lead ourAgent Banking Department. The successful candidate will provide strategic leadership for the Bank's Agent Banking business by driving agent network expansion, increasing digital financial services adoption, growing transaction volumes, enhancing financial inclusion, and delivering sustainable revenue growth.

Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Business Development:

• Develop strategic partnerships that support the growth of the Agent Banking business.
• Drive the achievement of revenue, profitability, transaction, and customer acquisition targets.
• Develop and execute the Bank's Agent Banking strategy in line with corporate goals.
• Prepare and implement annual business plans, budgets, and growth initiatives.
• Identify emerging market opportunities, industry trends, and innovative business solutions.

Agent Network Development:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with super agents, aggregators, fintech companies, payment service providers, and other strategic partners.
• Expand the Bank's agent network across urban, semi-urban, rural, and underserved communities.
• Ensure optimal distribution and productivity of agents across all operating locations.
• Lead the recruitment, onboarding, activation, and retention of high-performing agents.

Business Growth & Financial Inclusion:

• Drive business growth across savings mobilization, loans, digital banking, and other retail banking products.
• Drive customer acquisition through the Agent Banking channel.
• Promote financial inclusion by expanding access to affordable financial services.
• Increase adoption of digital banking products and services through the agent network.

Transaction & Digital Channel Growth:

• Lead initiatives that increase transaction volumes across the Bank's Agent Banking services, including:
  • Account opening
  • Airtime and data recharge
  • Loan origination and repayments
  • Digital banking enrolment
  • Cross-selling of the Bank's financial products and services
  • Savings mobilization
  • BVN/NIN-related services (where applicable)
  • Funds transfers
  • Cash-in and cash-out services
  • Cash deposits and withdrawals
  • Bill payments

Revenue & Profitability:

• Develop initiatives that increase channel utilization and revenue generation.
• Improve profitability through operational efficiency and effective cost management.
• Monitor business performance and implement corrective actions where required.
• Drive growth in transaction volumes and fee-based income.

Agent Performance Management:

• Conduct periodic business reviews and recommend performance improvement strategies.
• Establish performance standards and KPIs for agents.
• Monitor productivity, transaction volumes, revenue contribution, and customer acquisition.
• Implement initiatives that improve agent activation, retention, and operational efficiency.

Training & Capacity Building:

• Organize regular training and refresher sessions on products, digital platforms, regulatory requirements, customer service, and operational procedures.
• Develop and coordinate onboarding programmes for newly recruited agents.
• Evaluate training effectiveness and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
• Develop user guides, training manuals, and standard operating procedures.

Customer Experience:

• Monitor customer complaints and ensure timely resolution.
• Ensure agents consistently deliver exceptional customer service.
• Improve customer satisfaction through service quality initiatives.
• Promote a customer-centric culture across the entire agent network.

Risk Management & Regulatory Compliance:

• Ensure full compliance with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Agent Banking Guidelines, AML, KYC, and all applicable regulations.
• Conduct periodic compliance reviews and risk assessments.
• Develop and implement effective controls to minimize fraud, operational risks, and compliance breaches.
• Collaborate with Risk Management, Compliance, Internal Audit, and Operations teams to strengthen internal controls.
• Monitor agent activities to detect suspicious transactions and prevent fraud.

Stakeholder Management:

• Collaborate with Business Development, Operations, Technology, Marketing, Finance, Risk, Compliance, Internal Audit, and Branch Operations to ensure seamless service delivery.
• Build strong relationships with regulators, fintech companies, payment service providers, aggregators, technology partners, and other key stakeholders.
• Represent the Bank at industry engagements, regulatory meetings, and financial inclusion initiatives.

Leadership & People Management:

• Set performance objectives and ensure achievement of departmental goals.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Provide strategic leadership to the Agent Banking Department.
• Lead, mentor, coach, and develop departmental staff.

Reporting & Performance Management:

• Monitor departmental KPIs and business performance.
• Prepare weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual management reports.
• Maintain accurate management information and business intelligence reports.
• Present business performance reports and strategic recommendations to Executive Management.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Performance will be measured using, but not limited to:

Business Growth:

• Geographic coverage
• Expansion into new markets and underserved communities
• Growth in active agents
• Agent activation and retention rate
• Customer acquisition through Agent Banking

Transaction Performance:

• Cash-in and cash-out transactions
• Loan origination and repayment volumes
• Agent productivity
• Number of accounts opened through agents
• Monthly transaction volume and value
• Bill payment transactions
• Funds transfer volumes

Financial Performance:

• Revenue per active agent
• Fee income growth
• Cost efficiency
• Channel profitability
• Agent Banking revenue
• Budget performance
• Return on Investment (ROI)

Financial Inclusion:

• Rural customer acquisition
• Financial inclusion outreach
• Customer retention
• Growth in digital banking adoption
• Savings accounts opened through agents
• Number of previously unbanked customers onboarded

Risk & Compliance:

• Fraud incidence and fraud loss ratio
• Suspicious transaction reporting
• Operational losses
• Agent compliance score
• KYC/AML compliance
• Customer complaints resolved within SLA
• Regulatory compliance

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum of 3 years' experience in a leadership or management role.
• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Banking & Finance, Economics, Marketing, or any related discipline.
• Professional certification such as ACIB, CIBN, PMP, or other relevant qualifications will be an added advantage.
• At least5 years' experience in Agency Banking, Retail Banking, Digital Banking, Business Development, Financial Inclusion, or related functions.
• Must have 8–10 years' banking experience.

Required Knowledge:

• Digital Financial Services (DFS)
• CBN Agent Banking Guidelines
• Agency Banking operations
• Risk Management
• Sales Management
• Fraud Prevention
• Retail and Microfinance Banking
• Budgeting and Performance Management
• Financial Inclusion
• Business Development

Required Skills:

• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability
• Negotiation and influencing skills
• Data analysis and business reporting
• Team leadership and people management
• Relationship and stakeholder management
• Customer relationship management
• Sound commercial and financial acumen
• Planning, organization, and project management
• Strategic leadership and execution
• Business development and sales management

Personal Attributes:
The ideal candidate should possess:

• Strategic thinking capability
• Innovative and commercially focused
• Results-oriented mindset
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Ability to work under pressure and deliver results
• Strong leadership presence
• Passion for financial inclusion and digital transformation
• High integrity and professionalism
• Strong decision-making ability

Salary

• Very Attractive and Competitive

Why Join Us?

• We offer an excellent career opportunity for experienced professionals seeking to make significant impact in the financial services sector. Successful candidates will enjoy a competitive remuneration package, opportunities for career advancement, continuous professional development, and the chance to lead one of the Bank's strategic growth channels.