Head Of Customer Finance Job (500-650K)

Finance Jobs. Brites Management Jobs.

The Head of Customer Finance is responsible for leading and advancing the company’s credit function in Kenya. This role provides strategic direction, operational leadership, and oversight of customer financing activities, including credit assessment, loan recovery, and portfolio management.

The position ensures sustainable portfolio growth, strong credit quality, and full compliance with company policies and regulatory requirements, while supporting business growth objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Responsibilities

• Define and lead the country customer finance strategy, aligned with Group and country business objectives.
• Act as the primary authority on credit risk, portfolio strategy, and customer financing decisions in Kenya.
• Provide strategic direction on customer segmentation, risk-based pricing, and credit policies.
• Lead market intelligence efforts, including competitor benchmarking and customer insights.
• Drive innovation in digital and mobile-money-based lending models.
• Serve as a key advisor to the Country Leadership Team on risk-return trade-offs and growth strategy.

Credit & Portfolio Ownership

• Own the end-to-end performance of the credit portfolio, including growth, quality, and profitability.
• Approve and oversee high-value and complex credit decisions.
• Ensure optimal balance between portfolio expansion and risk exposure.
• Lead proactive management of portfolio health, including early warning systems and remediation strategies.
• Oversee collections and recovery strategies to minimize losses.
• Establish and enforce best-in-class credit underwriting standards.

 Financial & Business Accountability

• Operate the Customer Finance function as a profit center, with full accountability for:
• Revenue contribution
• Portfolio profitability
• Cost management
• Contribute directly to sales growth through effective credit enablement.
• Develop and manage budgets, forecasts, and financial performance metrics.
• Ensure all financial approvals are aligned with risk appetite and company policies.

 Risk, Compliance & Governance

• Ensure full compliance with:
• Internal credit policies
• Kenyan regulatory requirements
• Credit bureau and reporting standards
• Lead risk identification, assessment, and mitigation strategies.
• Design and oversee credit risk measurement, monitoring, and reporting frameworks.
• Act as the custodian of credit governance and control standards within the country.

Operational Leadership

• Oversee day-to-day credit operations across the full customer lifecycle:
• Credit assessment
• Underwriting
• Loan monitoring
• Collections and recovery
• Drive process optimization, automation, and operational efficiency.
• Lead response strategies for portfolio underperformance or market shocks.
• Localize and enhance global credit frameworks for the Kenyan market.

Team Leadership & Organizational Development

• Build, lead, and scale a high-performing credit organization.
• Own organizational design, hiring, and succession planning.
• Set and monitor clear KPIs and performance standards.
• Foster a strong performance culture and accountability mindset.
• Coach and develop team members to build future leadership capacity.
• Promote a culture of integrity, inclusion, and continuous improvement.

Stakeholder Management

• Partner closely with Sales, Operations, Product, and Global Credit teams.
• Influence cross-functional decisions to ensure alignment between growth and risk management.
• Represent the credit function in senior leadership forums.
• Share insights and best practices across regional and global teams.

Qualifications & Experience

• Master’s degree is preferred with a Bachelors degree in Finance, Banking and Finance, Economics or a related field. Must be a holder of CPA-K
• Minimum 8+ years in credit management, lending, or portfolio management
• Experience in Microfinance institutions (MFI), SME banking or Mobile Network Operators (MNO)
• Proven experience managing teams and credit operations
• Exposure to digital/mobile lending systems is an added advantage

How to Apply

• If you meet the above qualifications, skills and experience share CV on recruitment@britesmanagement.com
• Interviews will be carried out on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
• Only the shortlisted candidates will be contacted.