Executive Manager: Lending Risk and Credit Solutions

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 forms 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.

Minimum Requirements:

1. A relevant postgraduate qualification (e.g. Finance, Risk, Agricultural Economics, Commerce).
2. Extensive experience in credit granting or lending at a business or corporate level – understanding both front-end credit processes and enterprise-wide risk strategy.
3. Prior experience or strong familiarity with agricultural credit/lending, agri-enterprise financing, or supporting high-impact lending in under-served rural economies.
4. Demonstrated experience with complex transaction structuring, portfolio risk assessment, and credit policy development.
5. Proven track record in aligning credit strategies with organisational growth and impact objectives, especially in regulated or state-linked environments.
6. Strong leadership capability to manage cross-regional teams and influence credit-related governance and decision-making frameworks.
7. 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 will combine technical depth with a passion for transformation, inclusive finance, and long-term agricultural development for economic enablement.

Desired Skills:

1. Credit
2. Lending
3. Risk Management

About The Employer:

Financial Services