Head Collections

Airtel; Gurugram District; On-site; INR 2,000,000 - 3,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Airtel is looking for a Head Of Collections based in Gurugram, Haryana, to develop and implement the end-to-end collections strategy across products and customer segments. The role involves building an in-house collections team and managing vendor relationships while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.

The ideal candidate should have 12-18 years of experience in collections, a strong analytical mindset, and excellent leadership skills. A Graduate/Postgraduate in Business or Finance is required, with an MBA preferred.

Qualifications

• 12-18 years of experience in collections/recovery management in NBFCs, banks, or fintechs.
• Proven experience in setting up or scaling collections operations.
• Strong understanding of both secured and unsecured portfolios.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement the end-to-end collections strategy.
• Build and lead an in-house collections team and manage outsourced partners.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory and RBI guidelines.

Skills

Collections process knowledge

Data analytics

Leadership

Negotiation skills

Education

Graduate/Postgraduate in Business, Finance or related fields

MBA preferred

Tools

Collections technology tools

Job description

Head Of Collections

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Framework Design

• Develop and implement the end-to-end collections strategy for all products and customer segments (PL, SME, etc.).
• Establish early, mid, and late-stage bucket strategies across digital, call center, and field-based recovery.
• Design policies, SOPs, and control frameworks in alignment with regulatory and RBI guidelines.
• Create KPIs and dashboards for collection performance tracking, portfolio trends, and recovery efficiencies.

Operations Setup & Execution

• Build and lead an in-house collections team (tele-calling, field operations, skip tracing) and manage outsourced agency partners.
• Implement digital tools for automation dialers, collection CRM, digital reminders, payment links, and NACH/UPI-based auto-recovery mechanisms.
• Ensure efficient allocation, follow-up, and reconciliation of delinquent accounts.
• Collaborate with tech and product teams to co-design the collections module within the Loan Management System (LMS).

Partner & Vendor Management

• Empanel and manage collection agencies, legal partners, repossession agents, and field force vendors.
• Establish clear performance metrics, SLAs, and incentive mechanisms for agencies.
• Ensure vendor compliance with company standards and fair practices code.

Risk, Compliance & Customer Sensitivity

• Ensure collections practices comply with RBI Fair Practices Code, DPD frameworks, and DLG guidelines.
• Drive ethical and customer-centric collection approaches, focusing on dignity and transparency.
• Collaborate with the Chief Risk Officer (CRO) to design loss‑forecasting, recovery rate modeling, and write-off policies.

Analytics & Portfolio Monitoring

• Leverage data and analytics to identify early warning signals (EWS), segmentation strategies, and behavioral scoring.
• Develop predictive collection models in collaboration with data science and credit teams.
• Generate MIS and dashboards for management and board-level reviews.

Experience

• 12-18 years of experience in collections / recovery management in NBFCs, banks, or fintechs.
• Proven experience in setting up or scaling collections operations from inception or early stage.
• Exposure across both secured and unsecured portfolios (preferably PL, consumer loans, or SME).
• Strong understanding of collections technology tools, digital engagement platforms, and agency networks.

Key Requirements

• Deep knowledge of collections processes, legal frameworks (SARFAESI, arbitration, etc.), and regulatory guidelines.
• Strong analytical mindset with ability to interpret portfolio data and drive actionable insights.
• Experience in managing large field teams and outsourced agencies.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and negotiation skills.
• Hands‑on, execution-oriented leader who can scale operations rapidly in a startup-like NBFC environment.

Education

• Graduate / Postgraduate in Business, Finance, or related fields.
• MBA preferred.