Vice President and Head of Program Lending - Business Banking Group

National Bank of Ras Al-Khaimah PJSC; United Arab Emirates; On-site; AED 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading financial institution in the United Arab Emirates is seeking a Head of Program Lending to design and execute credit programs for SMEs. The ideal candidate will have deep expertise in SME lending, exceptional leadership skills, and a proven ability to drive profitability and compliance. This role involves collaborating with various teams to optimize lending solutions and enhance customer experiences.

Qualifications

• Deep expertise in program-based finance.
• Track record of driving profitability.
• Ability to deliver complex product roadmaps.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute lending strategy.
• Design SME-specific credit programs.
• Collaborate to build underwriting models.
• Monitor KPIs for lending performance.
• Lead a multidisciplinary team.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Expertise in SME lending

Cross-functional leadership

Commercial acumen

Regulatory navigation

Agile team collaboration

Job description

About the Role:

As Head of Program Lending within the Business Banking Group, you’ll lead the design, development, and execution of scalable, risk-aligned credit programs tailored for SME customers. This role is pivotal in driving financial inclusion, enabling credit growth, and expanding RAKBANK’s reach across diverse SME segments. You’ll work cross-functionally to build lending solutions that are commercially viable, digitally enabled, and compliant with regulatory standards, and report directly to the Head of Business Banking Products.

What You’ll Be Doing:

• Define and execute the program lending strategy aligned with business growth and risk appetite.
• Identify SME segments and design sector-specific credit programs (e.g., supplier finance, microfinance).
• Build partnerships with anchor corporates, fintechs, and government agencies.
• Collaborate with Credit, Risk, Data, and Tech teams to build underwriting and eligibility models.
• Digitize end-to-end lending journeys from onboarding to servicing.
• Integrate lending solutions into digital platforms and servicing channels.
• Own lending targets, portfolio quality, and risk-adjusted returns.
• Monitor KPIs including approval rates, disbursement speed, delinquency, and recovery ratios.
• Optimize program mix across risk segments to balance growth and profitability.
• Design frictionless, customer-friendly credit journeys.
• Embed flexible repayment features and lifecycle lending options.
• Collaborate with CX and distribution teams to enhance onboarding and servicing.
• Lead a multidisciplinary team of program managers and analysts.
• Champion cross-functional collaboration and agile execution.
• Ensure compliance with internal and regulatory frameworks (CBUAE, AML/CFT).

What We’re Looking For:

• A strategic thinker with deep expertise in SME lending and program-based finance.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and deliver complex product roadmaps.
• Strong commercial acumen with a track record of driving profitability and innovation.
• Experience navigating regulatory frameworks and risk governance structures.
• A collaborative leader who thrives in matrixed environments and agile squads.
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