Head of Collections

Airtel Wireless; Gurugram District; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 7,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Airtel Money NBFC is seeking a Head of Collections to design and lead end-to-end recovery strategies across PL, SME and other segments, embedding RBI guidelines and ethical practices. The role will build in-house and partner networks, drive KPI dashboards, risk controls, and analytics to optimize recovery efficiency while maintaining customer dignity and transparency across all touchpoints.

The incumbent will lead a large, cross-functional team and collaborate with tech, product, and CRO to

Qualifications

• MBA or equivalent, plus exposure to collections leadership in NBFC/bank/fintech.
• 8-16 years of experience in collections/recovery management across PL, SME, or consumer portfolios.
• Experience in scaling collections operations from inception or early stage.
• Familiarity with RBI guidelines and SARFAESI/arbitration frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Design end-to-end collections strategy for all products and segments.
• Set up in-house collections team and manage outsourced partners.
• Establish governance with vendors, SLAs, and incentive structures.
• Ensure compliance with RBI Fair Practices Code and risk policies.
• Develop analytics, dashboards and MIS for leadership reviews.

Skills

Collections leadership

Strategic planning

Stakeholder management

Regulatory compliance

Data analytics

Vendor management

Team building

Negotiation

Leadership in startups

Education

MBA

Graduate / Postgraduate in Business/Finance

Tools

LMS integration

Collection CRM

Digital recovery tools

Job description

Head Of Collections - Airtel Money NBFC

Key Responsibilities

1. 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 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.

2. 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).

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

Key Requirements:

Experience

• 8-16 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.

Skills

• 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.