Head - Risk Management - Credit Cards & Lending

Role Overview :

- The Head of Risk will be responsible for designing and executing a holistic risk strategy across multiple product lines, including Credit Cards, Personal Loans, P2P Lending, Prepaid Payment Instruments (PPI), Investments, and Savings. This role is not just about risk mitigation-it's about leveraging risk insights to drive product innovation, optimize portfolio returns, and ensure a scalable and sustainable credit business.

- The ideal candidate is an industry thought leader with deep expertise in credit risk, fraud prevention, regulatory compliance, and data-driven decision-making. They will work at the intersection of finance, technology, and data science, ensuring that risk frameworks evolve with market dynamics and regulatory landscapes.

Key Responsibilities:

Vision & Strategy:

- Developing and executing a next-gen risk strategy that enables sustainable, profitable growth across Credit Cards, Personal Loans, PPI, Investments, and Savings.

- Balance risk appetite with business objectives, ensuring a risk-adjusted growth model that enhances company's competitive advantage.

- Lending will be at the core of company's revenue engine, making risk strategy a critical business driver. The Head of Risk will be responsible for building robust risk frameworks for high-impact lending verticals, including Credit Cards, Personal Loans, P2P Lending, and Insurance.

- This role will ensure that risk management is not just a safeguard but a competitive advantage in driving profitability and business expansion.

Innovation & Data-Driven Decision Making:

- Drive AI/ML-powered risk management frameworks, leveraging alternative data sources, behavioral analytics, and real-time risk assessment models.

- Partner with Product & Data Science teams to create customized risk models, dynamic underwriting frameworks, and risk-driven pricing strategies.

- Ensure the implementation of real-time fraud prevention mechanisms that evolve with emerging threats and digital payment trends.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Influence:

- Collaborate closely with Product, Growth, Credit, Collections, Compliance, and Engineering teams to build a risk-first culture while ensuring frictionless customer experiences.

- Provide strategic insights to leadership and investors on portfolio health, risk-adjusted returns, and regulatory landscape shifts.

- Champion risk as a growth enabler, ensuring that risk management strategies directly contribute to product expansion and user acquisition.

Regulatory Strategy & Compliance:

- Ensure adherence to RBI guidelines while balancing compliance with product innovation.

- Proactively engage with regulatory bodies and industry forums to stay ahead of compliance trends and shape fintech-friendly policies.

- Develop and maintain risk governance frameworks that align with global best practices in fintech risk management.

Portfolio & Risk Performance Optimization:

- Continuously monitor portfolio performance, delinquency trends, and customer segmentation to optimize risk-adjusted returns.

- Define limit management strategies that align with company's evolving credit and lending product suite.

- Design collections and recovery strategies that minimize NPAs while preserving customer relationships.

People Management & Leadership:

- Build and mentor a high-performing risk management team, fostering a culture of innovation, analytical thinking, and proactive risk management.

- Drive capability building within the team by implementing structured training programs, fostering a data-driven mindset, and encouraging collaboration across departments.

- Establish a leadership pipeline within the risk function to ensure the long-term sustainability of risk strategies.

- Inspire and empower team members to challenge conventional risk methodologies and explore next-gen approaches to risk management.

Qualifications & Experience:

- 14+ years of experience in credit risk management within a fintech, bank, or NBFC, with a proven track record in Credit Cards & Lending.

- Expertise in credit risk strategy, fraud risk, limit assessment, portfolio risk management, and regulatory compliance.

- Strong analytical skills with hands-on experience in AI/ML-driven risk modeling, scorecard development, and risk analytics.

- Familiarity with alternative data sources, digital lending platforms, and real-time fraud detection methodologies.

- Experience in risk-driven product innovation, enabling sustainable growth while minimizing portfolio risk.

- Strong leadership, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills with a proven ability to influence cross-functional teams.