Senior Credit Risk & Underwriting Manager | Location: South Africa (Remote / Hybrid) Salary: R55,000 – R70,000 per month CTC (Negotiable for exceptional candidates)

September 17, 2026 Auto Import

This is a remote position.<h2 style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-style:normal; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr" class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing">Join a Fast-Growing Fintech Lender </h2><p style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr" class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing">Our client is an ambitious and rapidly growing fintech lender focused on expanding access to credit through responsible and innovative lending solutions. <p style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr" class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing">As the business continues to scale its loan book and customer base, they are seeking an experienced Senior Credit Risk & Underwriting Manager to lead underwriting and risk assessment activities while helping build the foundations for future automated credit decisioning. <p style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr" class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing">At this stage of the company’s growth, lending decisions are driven primarily through expert credit judgement and manual assessment processes. The successful candidate will play a critical role in developing and managing a robust manual credit scoring framework until sufficient historical lending data is available to support automated credit models. <h2 style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-style:normal; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr" class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing">The Opportunity </h2><p style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr" class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing">This is an exciting opportunity for a highly experienced underwriter or credit risk professional to influence the future direction of a growing fintech lender. <p style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr" class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing">You will be responsible for evaluating loan applications, making informed credit decisions, developing underwriting policies, and implementing a practical credit scoring methodology that balances growth with responsible risk management. <p style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr" class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing">This role is ideal for someone who thrives in entrepreneurial environments and enjoys building scalable credit processes from the ground up. <h2 style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-style:normal; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr" class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing">Key Responsibilities </h2> <ul style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr"> <li style="direction:ltr">Assess and approve loan applications in line with established credit policies and risk appetite. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Conduct detailed affordability, cash flow, financial, and creditworthiness assessments. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Analyse bank statements, financial records, credit bureau reports, and supporting documentation. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Design, implement, and continuously improve a manual credit scoring framework. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Develop underwriting guidelines, risk policies, and credit decision-making processes. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Monitor portfolio performance and identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Collaborate with leadership to refine lending criteria and optimise portfolio quality. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Ensure all lending decisions comply with applicable South African regulatory requirements. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Document underwriting methodologies and decision frameworks to support future automation initiatives. </li> </ul> <div> </div> <h3>Requirements</h3><h3 class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing" style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-style:normal; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr">Essential Experience </h3> <ul style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr"> <li style="direction:ltr">Minimum 5 years’ experience in credit risk, loan underwriting, credit approval, or lending operations. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Proven experience making lending decisions within a fintech lender, bank, alternative lender, SME finance provider, or credit-focused financial institution. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Strong understanding of credit risk assessment, affordability analysis, and loan portfolio management. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Demonstrated ability to exercise sound credit judgement in environments where historical data is limited. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Strong analytical, commercial, and decision-making skills. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities. </li> </ul><h3 class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing" style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-style:normal; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr">Preferred Industry Background </h3><p class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing" style="font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr"><span class="size" style="font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr">We are particularly interested in candidates currently working for, or who have recently worked for, organisations such as: <ul style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr"> <li style="direction:ltr">Capitec </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Bayport </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Lula </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Capfin </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Wonga </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Lendplus </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Primeloans </li> </ul><p class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing" style="font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr"><span class="size" style="font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr">Candidates with direct exposure to SME lending, unsecured lending, alternative credit assessment, or digital lending platforms will be highly regarded. <h3 class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing" style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-style:normal; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr">Key Performance Expectations </h3><p class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing" style="font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr"><span class="size" style="font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr">Candidates should be able to demonstrate a proven track record of: <ul style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr"> <li style="direction:ltr">Growing a loan book from inception to at least R5 million within a 6-month period. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Achieving and maintaining first-month collections of 90% or higher. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Approving and managing a lending pipeline of at least 15 loans per day while maintaining sound credit quality. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Balancing portfolio growth objectives with disciplined risk management and regulatory compliance. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Implementing underwriting and collections strategies that support sustainable portfolio performance. </li> </ul><h3 class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing" style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-style:normal; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr">Qualifications </h3> <ul style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr"> <li style="direction:ltr">Degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics, Statistics, Mathematics, Risk Management, or a related discipline. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Additional credit risk, banking, or lending-related certifications would be advantageous. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Experience designing underwriting scorecards, risk frameworks, or credit policies is highly desirable. </li> </ul><h2 class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing" style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-style:normal; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr">Ideal Candidate </h2><p class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing" style="font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr"><span class="size" style="font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr">The ideal candidate is a hands-on credit professional currently involved in evaluating and approving loans within a fintech, digital lender, or commercial lending environment. <p class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing" style="font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr"><span class="size" style="font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr">You combine strong commercial judgement with disciplined risk management and are comfortable operating in a growing business where you can directly influence lending strategy and portfolio performance. <p class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing" style="font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr"><span class="size" style="font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr">You are capable of creating structure where processes are still evolving and possess the practical expertise needed to build a scalable credit function. <h2 class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing" style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-style:normal; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr">What Success Looks Like </h2><p class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing" style="font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr"><span class="size" style="font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr">Success in this role will be measured by: <ul style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr"> <li style="direction:ltr">Consistent and high-quality credit decisions. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Development of an effective and scalable manual credit scoring framework. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Improved underwriting consistency and turnaround times. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Strong portfolio performance and risk outcomes. </li> <li style="direction:ltr">Meaningful contribution toward the future development of automated credit scoring capabilities. </li> </ul><h2 class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing" style="color:rgb(33, 33, 33); font-family:Aptos; font-style:normal; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr">Remuneration </h2><p class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing" style="font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr"><span class="size" style="font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr">The package on offer is between R55,000 and R70,000 per month CTC, with flexibility for exceptional candidates who bring significant fintech lending, underwriting, or credit risk management experience. <p class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing" style="font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr"><span class="size" style="font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr">If you’re passionate about building scalable credit processes and shaping the future of lending within a high-growth fintech environment, we’d love to hear from you. <p class="ms-outlook-mobile-reference-message skipProofing" style="font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr"><span class="size" style="font-size:16px; font-style:normal; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:normal; orphans:2; text-indent:0px; text-transform:none; white-space:normal; widows:2; word-spacing:0px; direction:ltr">Apply for a confidential discussion.

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