Description

Sevi provides an innovative "Order now, Pay later" platform in Kenya and Uganda. Our mission is to empower entrepreneurs—especially small shop owners and kiosks—with ethical and affordable credit to purchase stock and grow their businesses. We enable suppliers to offer flexible payment terms while ensuring responsible lending and sustainable growth for our clients.

Job Purpose

The Head of Credit will lead the credit management function, overseeing the entire credit lifecycle from origination to recovery. This role is responsible for developing and implementing credit policies, strategies, and procedures to ensure portfolio quality, minimize delinquency, and align with Sevi’s mission of ethical and accessible credit.

Key Responsibilities

1. Credit Strategy & Policy Development

• Develop, implement, and continually refine credit policies, procedures, and risk frameworks.
• Define credit scoring models, approval limits, and terms in line with regulatory and business requirements.
• Establish delinquency management and recovery strategies to maintain healthy portfolio performance.

2. Portfolio Management & Monitoring

• Oversee daily monitoring of credit facilities to identify and mitigate delinquency and impairment risks.
• Ensure timely corrective actions in line with established policies.
• Monitor compliance with legal, financial, and regulatory standards across all credit processes.

3. Recovery & Collections Leadership

• Lead the credit recovery team, ensuring effective follow-up through calls, reminders, letters, and field visits.
• Design and optimize recovery workflows and escalation paths.
• Approve restructuring proposals and negotiate sustainable repayment plans.
• Manage relationships with legal services for escalated recovery cases.

4. Reporting & Analysis

• Prepare and present regular reports on portfolio performance, collections, delinquency trends, and recovery rates to senior management.
• Use data insights to drive decision-making and strategic improvements.

5. Team Leadership & Development

• Manage and mentor the credit and recovery teams, fostering a culture of accountability, compliance, and customer empathy.
• Promote skill development in investigation, negotiation, and regulatory adherence.

6. Process Improvement & Innovation

• Continuously improve credit assessment, monitoring, and recovery processes through technology and best practices.
• Ensure accurate maintenance of credit records and systems.

7. Cross-functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Sales, Finance, Legal, and Technology teams to align credit strategies with business goals.
• Support product development with credit risk insights.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Economics, or related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in credit management, risk, or recovery within fintech, microfinance, or retail banking.
• Proven experience in developing credit policies and managing a loan portfolio.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements in Kenya and/or Uganda.
• Experience with digital lending platforms and data-driven decision-making.
• Excellent leadership, negotiation, and analytical skills.
• Proficiency in English; local language skills are an advantage.

Preferred Skills

• Investigation and due diligence capabilities.
• Strong network within the financial or regulatory sector in East Africa.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
• High ethical standards and customer-centric approach.

Skills

• Analytical Skills

• Develop, implement, and continually refine credit policies, procedures, and risk frameworks.
• Define credit scoring models, approval limits, and terms in line with regulatory and business requirements.
• Establish delinquency management and recovery strategies to maintain healthy portfolio performance.
• Oversee daily monitoring of credit facilities to identify and mitigate delinquency and impairment risks.
• Ensure timely corrective actions in line with established policies.
• Monitor compliance with legal, financial, and regulatory standards across all credit processes.
• Lead the credit recovery team, ensuring effective follow-up through calls, reminders, letters, and field visits.
• Design and optimize recovery workflows and escalation paths.
• Approve restructuring proposals and negotiate sustainable repayment plans.
• Manage relationships with legal services for escalated recovery cases.
• Prepare and present regular reports on portfolio performance, collections, delinquency trends, and recovery rates to senior management.
• Use data insights to drive decision-making and strategic improvements.
• Manage and mentor the credit and recovery teams, fostering a culture of accountability, compliance, and customer empathy.
• Promote skill development in investigation, negotiation, and regulatory adherence.
• Continuously improve credit assessment, monitoring, and recovery processes through technology and best practices.
• Ensure accurate maintenance of credit records and systems.
• Work closely with Sales, Finance, Legal, and Technology teams to align credit strategies with business goals.
• Support product development with credit risk insights.

• Analytical Skills
• Investigation and due diligence capabilities.
• Strong network within the financial or regulatory sector in East Africa.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
• High ethical standards and customer-centric approach.

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business, Economics, or related field.
• Proven experience in developing credit policies and managing a loan portfolio.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements in Kenya and/or Uganda.
• Experience with digital lending platforms and data-driven decision-making.
• Excellent leadership, negotiation, and analytical skills.
• Proficiency in English; local language skills are an advantage.