Manager, Retail Credit Underwriting (Hybrid)

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Manager, Retail Credit Underwriting

Location: Lagos
Job type: Full-time (Hybrid)
Workplace Type: Onsite
Reports To: Head Risk Management

Job Summary

• The Manager, Retail Credit Underwriting will be responsible for leading the end-to-end underwriting of retail credit exposures, ensuring high-quality credit decisions that support loan growth while maintaining strong portfolio quality.
• The role also provides insight into portfolio performance through underwriting trends and decision analytics, supporting continuous improvement in credit quality.
• The role will oversee credit risk assessment, approval governance, and underwriting standards for retail lending, ensuring alignment with the organization’s risk appetite, credit policies, and regulatory requirements.

Responsibilities
Credit Underwriting & Risk Assessment:

• Conduct detailed credit analysis including income validation, affordability (DTIR), and repayment capacity
• Evaluate credit bureau reports, repayment history, and customer behavior
• Ensure all decisions align with credit policy, risk appetite, and regulatory standards
• Lead the review and assessment of retail loan applications (salary loans, personal loans, etc.)
• Approve or recommend credit decisions within assigned authority limits

Approval Governance & Decision Quality:

• Minimize approval of high-risk customers that could lead to early delinquency
• Track and analyze approval trends, decline reasons, and exceptions
• Ensure consistency in risk acceptance criteria and decision-making frameworks
• Maintain strong oversight on quality of credit decisions and underwriting discipline
• Review escalated or complex applications and provide structured recommendations

Portfolio Feedback & Diagnostics (Underwriting Lens):

• Support continuous improvement in underwriting models and scorecards
• Identify patterns in: early-stage delinquency (0–30 DPD), paypoint/deduction failures, customer segments with elevated risk
• Analyze post-disbursement performance of booked loans to assess underwriting effectiveness
• Provide feedback into credit policy, product design, and risk frameworks

Turnaround Time (TAT) & Process Efficiency:

• Optimize underwriting workflows to improve speed without compromising quality
• Coordinate effectively with Business teams to ensure smooth application flow and resolution of queries
• Ensure timely processing of applications in line with defined service level agreements (SLAs)

Policy Compliance & Control:

• Escalate policy breaches and exceptions appropriately
• Ensure full compliance with credit policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements
• Enforce proper documentation and data integrity in all underwriting decisions
• Maintain audit-ready records and support internal and regulatory audits

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Work closely with: Business / Sales teams o Credit Administration, Risk Management, Product & Technology
• Provide risk advisory support on deal structuring and customer selection
• Balance business growth objectives with risk discipline

Team Leadership & Capacity Building:

• Provide coaching and continuous development to improve analytical and decision-making capability
• Set performance targets (quality, TAT, productivity)
• Drive a culture of accountability, quality, and consistency
• Lead and manage a team of retail underwriters

Requirements

• At least 3–5 years in a leadership role
• Bachelor’s Degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, or related field with 7–10 years’ experience in retail credit underwriting or credit risk
• Strong experience in retail lending products and underwriting frameworks

Key Competencies:

• Strong knowledge of credit bureau interpretation and affordability assessment
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management capability
• Strong analytical and decision-making skills
• Strong credit analysis and risk assessment capability
• High attention to detail and sound judgment
• Deep understanding of retail lending and customer behavior

Must have skills:

• Stakeholder Management
• Fraud Detection & Prevention
• Regulatory & Compliance Knowledge
• Decision Quality & Accountability
• Financial Analysis & Interpretation
• Technology & Systems Proficiency
• Turnaround Time (TAT) & Process Efficiency
• Leadership & Team Management
• Credit Risk Assessment & Decisioning
• Credit Policy Development & Implementation
• Data Analytics & Risk Modeling