Head Credit Risk

About the role

Reporting to the Chief Risk Officer, the Head: Credit Risk (Line 2) oversees credit risk for OM Bank's unsecured and secured credit portfolios. The role covers origination, account management, credit limit management, collections, IFRS 9 provision, regulatory reporting and credit risk regulatory reporting, and ensures the bank's credit risk framework complies with the Banks Act and related regulations. It also represents the bank on industry forums such as the Banking Association of South Africa.

Key responsibilities

• Provide independent oversight of unsecured lending and challenge credit strategies, policies and decision frameworks
• Monitor risk appetite metrics (approval rates, expected credit losses, NPLs, vintage curves) and escalate breaches
• Challenge ECL calculations, staging allocations, macroeconomic scenarios and stress tests; contribute to ICAAP and capital planning
• Review credit policies, underwriting criteria and limit assignment strategies
• Review new product proposals and changes to lending criteria, distribution channels and use of alternative data
• Oversee early arrears management, collections treatment, write-offs and recoveries
• Track remediation of audit findings, regulatory issues and internal risk events
• Support regulatory reporting and interface with regulators on portfolio performance and risk management practices
• Train employees on risk management and support the combined assurance model
• Manage and mentor risk officers and build a strong, independent second-line credit risk function

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree or post-graduate qualification in credit risk, internal audit, engineering, finance, business administration or a related field
• 15+ years of credit risk management experience in banking, including secured and unsecured portfolios
• Detailed knowledge of the Banks Act and credit risk regulations
• Solid line 1 credit experience is advantageous

Required skills

• Risk management frameworks, scenario analysis and risk modelling software
• IFRS 9, stress testing and regulatory reporting
• Strong stakeholder management, leadership and communication skills