Regional Head- SME

Founderlink Technologies Pvt.Ltd; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 3,500,000 - 7,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Founderlink Technologies Pvt.Ltd is seeking a Regional Head South for SME and mid-market lending. You will lead growth, client acquisition, portfolio performance, and team development across the South region.

You will manage a 10-15 person RM team, drive lending targets, and build trusted relationships with founders, CEOs, and CFOs. Strong credit quality and customer experience are essential.

Qualifications

• 10-15+ years in banking or NBFC lending with SME or mid-market focus
• Experience directly managing a team of 10-15 Relationship Managers is mandatory
• Strong credit appraisal, financial analysis, cash flow understanding, and risk mitigation
• Proven ability to drive regional growth, client acquisition, and portfolio performance
• Excellent relationships with founders, CEOs, CFOs in South India and established networks

Responsibilities

• Lead SME and mid-market lending across the South region, accountable for growth, disbursements, portfolio quality and profitability
• Mentor and develop a team of 10-15 RMs with clear targets and regular coaching
• Develop and execute regional business plans across priority markets and segments
• Drive new client acquisition through RM-led outreach, referrals, and founder engagement
• Oversee financing solutions across working capital, term loans, project finance, and expansion financing
• Guide RMs in evaluating performance, financial statements, cash flows, debt-servicing, and collateral
• Coordinate with credit, risk, and operations for sound credit assessment and timely disbursements
• Monitor portfolio performance and risks; coordinate corrective actions as needed
• Drive portfolio deepening, client retention and additional financing opportunities
• Recruit and strengthen RM talent and foster a culture of accountability and customer focus
• Improve onboarding and financing processes through cross-functional collaboration
• Track market trends and competitors to identify opportunities and risks
• Present regional performance, pipeline, and strategic recommendations to leadership

Skills

Leadership

Relationship mgmt

Strategic planning

Credit knowledge

Negotiation

Stakeholder mgmt

Team mentoring

Travel readiness

Education

MBA/PGDM in Management or Finance

Job description

Regional Head South | SME & Mid-Market Lending

We are looking for a relationship-driven finance leader to head our SME and mid-market lending business across the South region. The Regional Head will own regional business growth, client acquisition, portfolio performance, and team development, while maintaining strong credit quality and customer experience.

The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience managing a team of 10-15 Relationship Managers (RMs) , driving regional lending targets, and building trusted relationships with founders, CEOs, and CFOs.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the SME and mid-market lending business across the South region, with accountability for business growth, disbursements, portfolio quality, and profitability.
• Manage, mentor, and develop a team of 10-15 RMs, setting clear targets and driving performance through regular reviews, coaching, and joint client engagement.
• Develop and execute regional business plans across priority markets, sectors, and client segments.
• Drive new client acquisition through the RM team, targeted outreach, referrals, professional networks, and founder engagement.
• Build and deepen relationships with key clients and senior decision-makers, supporting the team in complex transactions and strategic negotiations.
• Oversee the structuring of financing solutions across working capital, term loans, project finance, debt consolidation, and expansion funding.
• Guide RMs in evaluating business performance, financial statements, cash flows, debt-servicing capacity, and collateral to assess financing suitability.
• Partner with credit, risk, and operations teams to facilitate sound credit assessment, efficient documentation, timely approvals, and disbursements.
• Monitor regional portfolio performance, concentration risks, early warning signals, and overdue accounts; coordinate corrective action with relevant teams.
• Drive portfolio deepening, client retention, and additional financing opportunities while balancing growth with credit discipline and compliance.
• Recruit and develop RM talent, strengthen team capability, and build a culture of accountability, collaboration, and customer focus.
• Improve onboarding and financing processes through cross-functional collaboration and client feedback.
• Track regional market trends, sector developments, and competitor offerings to identify business opportunities and emerging risks.
• Present regional business performance, pipeline forecasts, portfolio insights, and strategic recommendations to leadership.

Candidate requirements

• Minimum 10-15 years of relevant experience in banking or NBFC lending, with a strong background in SME or mid-market relationship management, working capital finance, or corporate lending.
• Proven experience directly managing a team of 1015 Relationship Managers is mandatory.
• Demonstrated success in a regional, cluster, or comparable leadership role, with accountability for business targets and lending portfolio performance.
• Strong knowledge of South Indian markets, with established client relationships and professional networks across the region.
• Proven ability to drive client acquisition, improve RM productivity, deepen relationships, and grow a lending portfolio.
• Strong understanding of credit appraisal, financial analysis, cash flows, financing structures, and risk mitigation.
• Experience guiding teams in translating client requirements into customized financing solutions.
• Confidence engaging with founders, CEOs, CFOs, and other senior stakeholders.
• Ability to balance commercial growth, profitability, credit quality, compliance, and customer experience.
• Strong leadership, coaching, negotiation, analytical, and stakeholder management skills.
• Willingness to travel across the South region.
• MBA/PGDM in Management, Finance, or a related discipline preferred.

Preferred experience

• Exposure to mid-market lending transactions with ticket sizes of 50-500 crore .
• Experience with structured lending, debt consolidation, tenor restructuring, or expansion finance.
• Experience managing teams across multiple locations and scaling lending businesses in South India.
• An established network of referral partners, industry associations, and intermediaries.
• A track record of improving team productivity, client onboarding, portfolio monitoring, or business processes.