Executive Manager : Lending Risk And Credit Solutions

Fempower; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 80 000 - 150 000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a strategic leader to head its Credit Risk and Lending Governance portfolio. This pivotal role will shape the credit vision, ensuring sustainable and inclusive lending practices across South Africa's agricultural sectors. The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in business lending and credit risk management, with a strong commitment to innovation and transformation. Join a forward-thinking organization focused on advancing agricultural development and economic enablement, where your leadership will contribute significantly to the institution's mission and impact.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in credit granting or lending at a business or corporate level.
• Demonstrated experience with complex transaction structuring and credit policy development.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of the organisation's credit risk strategy.
• Oversee credit policy formulation and portfolio risk monitoring.

Skills

Business Lending

Credit Risk Management

Risk Mitigation

Credit Policy Development

Leadership

Education

Finance

Risk Management

Agricultural Economics

Commerce

Job description

Our client, a financial institution supporting national development and agricultural transformation, is seeking to appoint a strategic leader to head its Credit Risk and Lending Governance portfolio.

This role is critical in shaping the institution's credit vision as it strengthens its role in advancing sustainable, inclusive, and commercially viable lending across South Africa's agricultural and agribusiness value chains. This appointment is part of a broader institutional renewal, including financial repositioning and operational reform, with a focus on restoring and expanding lending capacity, particularly in the agricultural sector.

The ideal candidate will be deeply familiar with the complexities of business lending and committed to advancing credit practices that are responsive, developmentally aligned, and risk-sound.

What You'll Be Responsible For :

1. Lead the development and implementation of the organisation's credit risk strategy and ensure its alignment with institutional goals.
2. Oversee credit policy formulation, approval governance, and portfolio risk monitoring across business and corporate lending structures.
3. Provide strategic leadership and guidance on credit origination, approval processes, risk mitigation measures, and decision frameworks.
4. Ensure that credit practices, governance, and compliance align with relevant legislation (FICA, NCA, PFMA, Companies Act, etc.).
5. Champion innovation in credit process design, lending structures, and risk evaluation methodologies, particularly for under-served sectors.
6. Engage in executive and board-level reporting, oversight, and decision-making relating to credit risk.
7. Play a central role in supporting the turnaround and sustainable recovery of the credit function as part of a broader financial repositioning strategy.

Candidate Profile : We are seeking a seasoned executive with a strong background in business or corporate credit lending, ideally with exposure to the agricultural or development finance sector.

Qualifications and experience should include:

• Finance, Risk, Agricultural Economics, Commerce.
• Extensive experience in credit granting or lending at a business or corporate level – understanding both front-end credit processes and enterprise-wide risk strategy.
• Prior experience or strong familiarity with agricultural credit/lending, agri-enterprise financing, or supporting high-impact lending in under-served rural economies.
• Demonstrated experience with complex transaction structuring, portfolio risk assessment, and credit policy development.
• Proven track record in aligning credit strategies with organisational growth and impact objectives, especially in regulated or state-linked environments.
• Strong leadership capability to manage cross-regional teams and influence credit-related governance and decision-making frameworks.
• Experience in driving process innovation, with a forward-thinking approach to lending and credit design.

We are looking for a strategic individual with a leadership style that combines technical depth with a passion for transformation, inclusive finance, and long-term agricultural development for economic enablement.