Job Description
Branch Overview
Branch delivers world-class financial services to the mobile generation. With offices in the United States, Nigeria, Kenya, and India, Branch is a for-profit socially conscious company that uses the power of data science to reduce the cost of delivering financial services in emerging markets. We believe that everyone everywhere deserves fair financial access. The rapid spread of smartphones presents an opportunity for the world’s emerging middle class to access banking options and achieve financial flexibility.
Branch’s mission-driven team is led by the founder and former CEO of Kiva.org. The company presents a rich opportunity for our team members to drive meaningful growth in rapidly evolving and changing markets. In 2019, Branch announced its Series C and has garnered more than $100M in funding with investments from leading Silicon Valley firms including Andreessen Horowitz, Trinity Capital, Foundation Capital, Visa, and the International Finance Corporation (IFC).
We value diversity and are committed to providing an inclusive working environment where human beings of all backgrounds can thrive.
Job Overview
Branch launched in Kenya in 2015 and has seen rapid adoption and growth. As a company, we are passionate about our customers, fearless in the face of barriers, and driven by data.
We are seeking a dynamic and strategic Credit & Analytics Lead to drive the credit strategy and performance of Branch Microfinance Bank across East Africa. This role goes beyond traditional credit management, it is about shaping the lending business, balancing growth and risk, and driving innovation in how we deliver credit solutions to our customers.
As the key driver of the credit function, you will lead credit policy, portfolio strategy, analytics, and performance management while collaborating cross-functionally to deliver sustainable growth. You will own the end-to-end credit lifecycle, from product design and risk modeling to portfolio optimization and recovery strategy
Key Responsibilities
1. Credit Strategy & Leadership
- Lead the credit and portfolio strategy across the East Africa portfolio to ensure a healthy balance of growth, risk, and profitability.
- Drive the credit policy framework, ensuring it supports strategic business objectives and regulatory requirements.
- Provide thought leadership and represent the credit function in global forums and cross-functional discussions, influencing priorities and advocating for regional needs.
- Collaborate with leadership to design and launch new products, expand into new segments, and support diversification into traditional and digital lending products.
2. Product & Portfolio Development
- Drive the lending product roadmap, ensuring product-market fit and strong performance across loans, wallets, and savings.
- Use data insights to identify new credit opportunities, refine existing offerings, and improve customer lifetime value.
- Partner with product, engineering, and data science teams to continuously optimize underwriting models, pricing, and segmentation.
- Champion experimentation and data-driven decision-making to refine risk and growth strategies.
3. Portfolio Performance, Risk Oversight & Credit Operations
- Oversee the portfolio performance and recovery strategy, ensuring end-to-end ownership of the credit lifecycle from origination to repayment.
- Lead credit quality and risk oversight, using analytics to identify trends, predict risk shifts, and implement proactive mitigation measures.
- Strengthen portfolio monitoring, recovery efficiency, and process improvements to safeguard asset quality and maximize returns.
- Integrate previously separate functions, portfolio performance management and credit quality oversight, under the credit department to drive consistency and accountability.
- Collaborate with operations, product, and data teams to ensure seamless execution of the credit strategy.
4. Credit Analytics & Reporting
- Develop and maintain credit models, dashboards, and decision tools to provide accurate, timely insights into portfolio performance and risk drivers.
- Conduct in-depth, ad-hoc analysis to explain performance trends, uncover root causes, and propose data-led solutions.
- Partner with data science and analytics teams to design and implement predictive and behavioral credit scoring models.
- Deliver regular performance updates and insights to management, the Board Credit Committee, and other key stakeholders.
5. Compliance, Governance & Stakeholder Engagement
- Ensure accurate and timely data submission to regulatory and external stakeholders (e.g., Central Bank, Credit Reference Bureau).
- Run and coordinate quarterly Board Credit Committee meetings, providing clear portfolio insights and risk updates.
- Maintain strong controls and governance processes to ensure regulatory compliance and alignment with internal policies.
- Collaborate closely with audit, risk, and compliance teams to ensure a robust control environment.
Qualifications, Skills & Experience
- Minimum 6 years’ experience in credit risk, portfolio management, or analytics, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
- Experience in banking, digital lending, or fintech environments
- Strong proficiency in SQL and Excel; knowledge of Python, R, or similar tools for statistical analysis is an advantage.
- Proven track record of leveraging data and analytics to drive strategic credit decisions.
- Experience in developing and managing lending products in both traditional and digital ecosystems.
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive impact through collaboration.
- Strong strategic thinking, commercial acumen, and decision-making capabilities.
Core Attributes & Competencies
- Strategic Focus: Anticipates future trends and integrates them into lending and portfolio strategies.
- Business Acumen: Understands market drivers and aligns credit strategy with overall business growth.
- Analytical Insight: Uses data to uncover patterns, anticipate risks, and drive informed decisions.
- Innovation & Initiative: Proactively identifies opportunities and drives change.
- Stakeholder Leadership: Builds influence and alignment across technical and non-technical teams.
- Customer-Centric Mindset: Keeps customer needs at the core of lending solutions and risk management.
- Manages Ambiguity: Navigates evolving priorities and market dynamics with clarity and confidence.
- Results-Oriented: Driven to deliver measurable outcomes for growth, profitability, and portfolio health.
Why Join Us
- Purpose with impact: Be part of a mission-driven organization that’s redefining access to finance across Africa: fast-paced, data-led, and entrepreneurial in spirit
- Leadership that empowers: You’ll have the autonomy to shape strategy, influence outcomes, and drive meaningful growth.
- Reward for performance: We offer a competitive compensation package, including salary and equity, reflecting the value of your contribution.
- Collaborative culture: Work within a flat, inclusive environment that values ideas, transparency, and cross-functional teamwork.
- How we work: Our hybrid model supports focused, deep work time, while enabling in-person collaboration for innovation and alignment.
- Comprehensive wellbeing: Fully paid health insurance and a company-matched pension plan to give you peace of mind.
- Balance that’s real: 28 days of annual leave, 30 days of sick leave, and bereavement leave, because rest and recovery drive results.
- Family-first policies: Enjoy fully paid parental leave, 6 months maternity and 3 months paternity, to support what matters most.
- Continuous growth: Annual professional development budget to invest in your skills, knowledge, and leadership journey.
- Work your best: Monthly work-from-home stipend to help you stay productive and comfortable wherever you work.
- Connection beyond work: Team meals, virtual social events, and in-person meetups to strengthen bonds and celebrate achievements.
- Global exposure: Opportunities to collaborate with and travel to our offices around the world, supported by global travel medical insurance
We’re looking for more than just qualifications - if you’re unsure that you meet the criteria but identify with our vision of providing equal opportunity to everyone to access financial services, please do not hesitate to apply!
Branch International is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The company does not and will not discriminate in employment on any basis prohibited by applicable law.
Why This Role Matters
Credit is the engine that powers our business. This role is central to Branch’s mission of delivering accessible, responsible financial solutions that drive growth for our customers and business alike. The Credit & Analytics Lead will ensure we continue to innovate, scale, and grow sustainably, while maintaining the highest standards of risk management and compliance.
