Manager Collections Strategy Credit Risk - Transactional and Deposits

Absa Group; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 800,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

A major bank in South Africa seeks a Collections Strategy Manager to drive collections strategies and risk management. The role involves leading a team, embedding analytics, and ensuring compliance with regulations. Ideal candidates have extensive banking experience and strong leadership skills. Competitive remuneration and development opportunities are offered.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of banking experience, including 2+ years in a senior retail banking role.
• Proven success in credit risk and collections strategy.
• Experience in managing and developing teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead data-driven collections strategies across the credit lifecycle.
• Implement risk models and enhance operational efficiency.
• Manage a team of senior analysts and promote professional growth.

Skills

Credit risk

Data analytics

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Honours Degree in Mathematics or Statistics

Tools

SAS

Job description

Empowering Africa’s tomorrow, together…one story at a time.

With over 100 years of rich history and strongly positioned as a local bank with regional and international expertise, a career with our family offers the opportunity to be part of this exciting growth journey, to reset our future and shape our destiny as a proudly African group.

Job Summary

The Collections Strategy Manager is responsible for leading the design, execution, and continuous optimisation of collections and recoveries strategies, with a strong emphasis on Transactional products (TxD / Card). The role balances credit risk, operational efficiency, and customer experience, while embedding predictive modelling, SAS-driven analytics, and automation into decision-making. As a senior leader, the incumbent also manages and develops a specialist team, fostering a high-performance culture to drive portfolio health, enhance recoveries, and sustain risk outcomes within appetite.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

Strategy, Planning & Risk Management

• Lead the development, execution, and maintenance of agile, data-driven collections strategies across the credit lifecycle (early delinquency to off-balance sheet).
• Conduct gap analyses to identify inefficiencies and implement data-backed solutions to improve strategy outcomes.
• Implement risk models in early and late-stage delinquency, enhancing the use of digital capabilities, operational resources, and outsourcing.
• Drive debt sales strategies, having successfully executed multiple sales since 2022 to optimise recoveries.
• Redesign collections strategies to integrate new and complex account types.
• Provide input into fees suspension rules and treatments to balance loss mitigation with fair customer outcomes.
• Embed SAS-driven automation, scorecard monitoring, and predictive modelling in collections and recoveries strategies.
• Use scenario analysis and forecasting to adjust strategies in line with macroeconomic shifts.
• Ensure compliance with the National Credit Act (NCA), ERMF, and model governance standards.

Data Analytics & Optimisation

• Analyse data trends to uncover revenue opportunities and loss mitigation levers.
• Lead the implementation of champion/challenger testing frameworks to refine collections strategies.
• Maintain full documentation of SAS models, processes, and decision logic.

Leadership & People Management

• Manage and develop a team of senior risk analysts and graduates, setting clear objectives and fostering professional growth.
• Oversee team performance through PD plans, succession planning, and continuous feedback.
• Build a collaborative culture, promoting accountability, recognition, and innovation.
• Lead large-scale projects with multiple data streams and strict deadlines, ensuring timely delivery.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Build strong relationships with Credit Risk, Product Support, Technical Teams, Decisioning Systems, Debt Manager, Operations, and External Debt Collectors.
• Drive alignment with Operations through daily and monthly engagements, ensuring consistent execution of strategies.
• Present portfolio performance, trends, and strategy updates to senior governance forums and BU leadership.

Control & Governance

• Maintain a robust control environment that balances customer experience with organizational risk and financial objectives.
• Ensure SAS audit trails, reporting standards, and documentation support transparency and compliance.

Qualifications & Experience

• Honours Degree in Mathematics, Statistics, or equivalent (NQF 8).
• 8+ years banking experience, with 2+ years in a senior role in Retail Banking or Collections.
• Proven success in credit risk, collections strategy, and recoveries management.
• Expertise in SAS modelling, scorecard development, and predictive analytics.
• Experience in staff management, coaching, and leadership.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, financial analysis, and decisioning capability.

Education

Bachelor`s Degrees and Advanced Diplomas: Business, Commerce and Management Studies (Required), Bachelor Honours Degree: BMI - Business Management and Informatics

Absa Bank Limited is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. In compliance with the Employment Equity Act 55 of 1998, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups whose appointments will contribute towards achievement of equitable demographic representation of our workforce profile and add to the diversity of the Bank.

Absa Bank Limited reserves the right not to make an appointment to the post as advertised