Chief Credit Officer

Deem Finance; Dubai; On-site; AED 250,000 - 350,000; Full time

Job summary

A financial institution in Dubai is seeking a leadership role focused on digital credit transformation and risk management. The position entails leading the digital credit risk strategy, ensuring compliance with Central Bank regulations, and mentoring the underwriting team. Candidates should have relevant educational qualifications, including a Bachelor's degree, and preference will be given to those with advanced degrees and certifications. This is a pivotal role in shaping the bank's credit direction and operations.

Qualifications

• In-depth knowledge of Basel standards and internal credit review frameworks.
• Experience in overseeing credit operations and underwriting oversight.
• Familiarity with portfolio management and risk monitoring.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the bank's digital credit risk strategy.
• Develop robust credit policies and align with governance standards.
• Oversee performance of underwriting teams and drive productivity.
• Lead portfolio performance monitoring using data analytics.
• Collaborate with product teams to ensure risk alignment.

Skills

Digital credit strategy

Data-driven underwriting

Regulatory compliance

Credit risk management

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Risk Management, Economics

MBA or Master’s in Risk Management or Financial Engineering

Professional certifications such as FRM, CFA

Job description

Strategic Leadership and Digital Credit Transformation

• Define and lead the bank’s digital credit risk strategy, focusing on scalable, automated, and data-driven underwriting systems.
• Design and refine digital underwriting frameworks and scoring models across products, embedding them into end-to-end digital journeys.
• Implement rule-based decision engines and AI-driven risk assessments to support real-time approvals and risk-based pricing.
• Collaborate with IT and product teams to build API-based ecosystems that integrate credit bureaus, identity verification services, bank statement readers, and alternate data sources.
• Establish credit risk architecture for mobile apps, digital onboarding, and straight-through processing platforms.

Credit Policy, Governance, and Regulatory Compliance

• Develop and maintain robust credit policies, product-specific underwriting criteria, and risk frameworks aligned with Central Bank and internal governance standards.
• Monitor credit performance by segment (personal loans, credit cards, SME), ensuring adherence to limits, exposure, and thresholds.
• Serve as the main point of contact for regulatory bodies during credit audits and inspections.
• Ensure KYC, AML, and FATCA-related risks are controlled during the credit origination and review stages.

Credit Operations and Underwriting Oversight

• Oversee the performance and structure of underwriting teams including Team Leader Underwriters and Underwriters.
• Drive productivity through digitized workflows, performance dashboards, and process automation.
• Approve complex and exception-based cases that fall outside automated decision criteria.
• Optimize operating models to manage both high-volume retail products and higher-risk SME accounts.

Portfolio Management and Risk Monitoring

• Lead ongoing monitoring and review of portfolio performance using data analytics, portfolio segmentation, and scorecard tracking.
• Conduct risk reviews and trend analysis to identify early warning signals and take preventive action.
• Design and execute stress tests and simulations for adverse macroeconomic scenarios or sectoral shocks.
• Maintain dynamic risk appetite statements and exposure limits based on internal and external triggers.

Innovation, Product Risk & Credit Enablement

• Collaborate with the Product and Growth teams to ensure credit products are risk-aligned from the design stage.
• Support digital product launches by predefining acceptable credit parameters, pricing bands, and automated decision rules.
• Continuously evaluate market trends, competitor offerings, and alternative lending innovations to improve the bank’s credit risk posture.
• Work closely with fintech partners, credit bureaus, and third-party vendors to build credit intelligence capabilities.

Credit Review and Obligors Oversight

• Annual individual obligor reviews (Wholesale) and portfolio reviews (Retail).
• Trigger events for risk rating updates and policy amendments.
• Clear documentation for credit decisions and delegation matrix for approvals.

Exception Management

• Requirement to justify exceptions or deviations in writing.
• Process for referring exceptions to CRO for review while maintaining CCO’s decision-making autonomy.
• Collaboration with CRO when a proposal breaches risk appetite.

Regulatory Oversight

• Clear expectation of compliance with UAE Central Bank regulations, Basel norms, and audit readiness.
• Role in regulatory inspections, audits, and supporting full transparency.

Team Development and Leadership

• Lead and mentor the credit underwriting leadership team to foster high performance, accountability, and knowledge growth.
• Identify training needs related to digital credit analytics, fraud detection, and behavioral underwriting.
• Build a talent pipeline that combines traditional underwriting expertise with data analytics and digital fluency.

Encourage a culture of agility, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration

Role Specifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business Administration, Risk Management, Economics, or a related field (Mandatory)
• MBA or Master’s in Risk Management or Financial Engineering preferred
• Professional certifications such as FRM, CFA, or equivalent are highly desirable
• In depth knowledge in Basel standards and internal credit review frameworks.