Head of Credit and Risk Scoring Models Data Analytics Artificial Intelligence Johannesburg South Africa

Job Description:

Our client is seeking to employ a Head of Credit & Risk to be based in Johannesburg South Africa. The role involves comprehensive oversight and accountability for Group Credit & Risk Policies. This encompasses activities such as drafting recommending amending updating and implementing changes to credit risk and collections strategies to align with evolving business needs while balancing risk perceptions. Additionally the responsibilities include monitoring legislative compliance across all operational countries supporting senior management and boards of directors to ensure adherence to applicable laws and minimizing collection risks through targeted interventions. The incumbent is tasked with staying informed about regional international and market segment risks that could impact payment and collections performance and taking preventive actions. The position also involves conducting periodic reviews of historical collections data making recommendations for policy adjustments and actively contributing to the ongoing development and enhancement of the Group's collections platforms and systems. Furthermore the role requires the development maintenance and ownership of risk models with a focus on motivating and influencing collections teams at regional and country levels to achieve specified performance levels thereby acting as a crucial link between senior and local management.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and guide central and regional collection teams to achieve and maintain a collections rate as budgeted.
• Provide appropriate budget inputs to setting of these collections rates and targets.
• Ensure the correct collections strategies are defined and implemented across all countries and silos to maintain loan book impairments within budgeted rates.
• Be the custodian of all policies and procedures relating to credit granting collections and general business conduct to ensure compliance to the legislation and corporate governance.
• Maintain responsibility for the recruitment retention and performance management of all collections personnel across the Group and ensure the collections team are adequately staffed and incentivised to deliver the expected results.
• Source contract and supervise all collections trace and legal partners to ensure efficient external collections.
• Ensure the availability of timeous accurate and correctly presented information to support business decision making.
• Maintain responsibility for the following Divisions:
  • Payment Solutions.
  • Later stage and off payroll collections.
  • Earlystage collections from source.
  • External Debt Collectors (“EDCs”) and Legal Associates.
• Assist with the design and development of the collections and reporting utilities of the Group’s debtors’ management system aimed at extracting maximum value from same. This will include developing and maintaining scoring models for different products in each country and continually analysing the results of same in order to optimize outcomes.
• Periodically review the credit policies and procedures at both a group and country level and propose necessary amendments to ensure that they remain relevant and provide the Group’s companies with the optimal balance between risk and business volumes.

Requirements: Qualification and Skills

• A relevant tertiary qualification (such as a B Com or B Com Law Degree) is highly preferred.
• Our client will only look at candidates who have no less than TEN years’ relevant working experience in a similar role or a similar organisation.
• Previous experience within Financial Services is essential.
• Previous experience within the Microfinance industry will be advantageous.
• Extensive experience in developing workflows and scoring models is essential.
• Extensive experience in data analytics and risk modelling is essential.
• A working understanding of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) is essential.
• Previous collections experience is essential. The successful candidate will have worked in a collections department.
• Candidates with a legal background will receive preference. Please note that we are not looking for an admitted attorney. We require someone who understands the legal side of collections and who understands compliance.
• Preference will be given to candidates who have collections experience in multinational African Countries.
• A strong command of English both written and verbal is a requirement of the job.

If you wish to apply for the position please send your CV to Shearidan Rabsch at

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