Credit Lead

Unifi Africa; Stellenbosch; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Unifi Africa is seeking an experienced Credit Policy professional to shape and improve our credit framework across Africa, with a focus on consumer risk management in Stellenbosch. You will oversee policy, pricing, limits and provisioning, using data and analytics to balance risk and growth.

You will design experiments, translate insights into actionable policy, and collaborate with Operations, IT and Data teams to implement changes that enhance client experience while safeguarding profitability.

Qualifications

• 5–8+ years in consumer credit risk shaping credit policy, pricing and scorecut-offs.
• Degree in a quantitative field ( Statistics/Actuarial Science/ Mathematics/ Economics/ Finance ).
• Advanced SQL/Python skills and experience with large data sets (BigQuery or similar).
• Deep understanding of credit scoring, risk-based pricing and portfolio analytics.
• Experience designing credit experiments and translating analyses into policy decisions.

Responsibilities

• Shape and maintain Unifi's credit policy, ensuring clarity and local relevance.
• Improve access to credit by simplifying client experiences and reducing friction.
• Analyze and adjust credit limits, pricing, provisioning and scorecut-offs.
• Design and run controlled credit experiments and measure impact.
• Translate scoring models into practical credit rules and ensure implementation.

Skills

Credit risk analytics

SQL and Python

BigQuery experience

Policy development

Stakeholder management

Education

Statistics/Actuarial/Math/Economics/Finance degree

Tools

BigQuery

Job description

This is Unifi

Boldly different. Fiercely human. Proudly African.

Unifi is redefining credit across Africa with simple, fast personal loans. We have a strong conviction in Africa, its opportunities and its people. Our products help clients unlock their potential and achieve more. As one of Africa's fastest growing lenders, we combine a client‑first mindset with innovative technology and data analytics to make life easy for our clients.

Why this role matters

Every credit decision shapes our clients’ experience and Unifi’s future. As part of the Data and Credit team, you’ll be responsible for the shaping, development and improvement of credit policy across Unifi. You will use data, deep technical expertise and sound judgement to balance portfolio risk, profitability and sustainable growth.

What You Will Own

• Shape our credit policy. Maintain Unifi’s credit policies, ensuring credit rules are clear, consistent and adapted to local market conditions.
• Make credit easier to access. Use data and credit insights to improve credit offerings, simplify client experience and reduce friction. Work with Operations, IT and Data to turn opportunities into practical improvements.
• Make smarter credit decisions. Analyse and recommend changes to credit limits, scoring cut‑offs, pricing, provisioning and credit rules, building strong evidence based cases for approval.
• Test, learn and improve. Design and run controlled credit experiments, measure their impact and use the results to improve credit decisions, client experience and explore new opportunities.
• Balance risk and profitability. Develop risk based pricing strategies and work with Finance and Data Science on credit risk assumptions and model inputs that inform profitability and overall client experience.
• Stay ahead of portfolio risk. Monitor and report back at different levels on credit quality, repayment trends and losses or gains across our markets. Identify emerging risks and opportunities early and recommend interventions to improve portfolio performance.
• Turn models into decisions. Work closely with teams to translate scoring models and insights into practical credit policies, and to ensure credit rules are implemented and tested correctly.
• Make changes count. Own the credit policy approval process, from building the business case and securing approval to overseeing implementation, monitoring results, reporting back on outcomes and refining what doesn’t work.
• Share your expertise. Help teams understand credit decisions, challenge assumptions and build stronger credit thinking across Unifi.

What You Will Bring

• 5-8+ years of experience in consumer credit risk, with hands‑on experience shaping credit policy, pricing, credit limits, provisioning and scorecard cut‑offs in unsecured credit.
• A degree in Statistics, Actuarial Science, Mathematics, Economics, Finance or a related quantitative field.
• Advanced SQL/ Python skills and confidence working directly with large datasets (we use BigQuery) or similar cloud‑based platforms.
• Deep understanding of credit scoring, risk‑based pricing, portfolio analytics and the relationship between credit risk and profitability.
• Experience designing credit experiments, evaluating model performance and translating analytical findings into policy decisions.
• A strong understanding of credit risk modelling inputs, loss forecasting and IFRS 9 provisioning principles.
• Sound commercial judgement and the ability to challenge assumptions, influence senior stakeholders and make complex credit decisions understandable.
• Willing and able to travel to our teams across Africa at least once a quarter.

How You Show Up

• Put the client first. You always keep our client and the opportunity in mind and look for ways to make credit simpler, more fair and accessible, without compromising on responsible lending.
• See the bigger picture. You balance clients needs, risk, growth and profitability, understanding how today's decisions shape Unifi’s future.
• Back your judgement. You use evidence, challenge assumptions and have the courage to step into the awkward to make difficult recommendations, even when they aren’t popular.
• Get close to the problem. You stay curious, dig into the data and understand what's happening in our markets before deciding what needs to change.
• Work without ego. You welcome challenges, share your expertise and work across teams to find the best way forward.
• Raise the bar. You set high standards, test your thinking and keep improving how Unifi makes credit decisions.