Chief Risk Officer (CRO)

Chief Risk Officer (CRO) | Remote | $2,500–$3,500/month

We are launching an online lending company in South Africa and are building the Risk Function from the ground up.

The Chief Risk Officer (CRO) is a key leadership position responsible for credit risk strategy, risk policy development, scoring models, portfolio performance, and sustainable profitability.

About the Role

The CRO will lead the design and implementation of the company’s risk management framework, oversee credit risk decision-making, and ensure the long-term profitability and stability of the lending portfolio.

You will manage a team of analysts and operational specialists while working closely with Product, IT, Marketing, Collections, and Finance teams.

Key Responsibilities

Portfolio Management & Risk Metrics

• Monitor and manage key portfolio risk metrics, including NPL, FPD/SPD, Vintage, CoR, LTV, and Roll Rates.
• Analyze risk-adjusted portfolio profitability.
• Optimize scoring parameters to maximize unit economics.
• Monitor approval rates and identify rejection drivers.
• Calculate impairment reserves and support financial reporting.
• Manage credit limits and lending approval matrices.

Scoring & Fraud Prevention

• Evaluate and optimize credit scoring models, including Logistic Regression and Boosting algorithms.
• Develop and maintain fraud prevention policies and blacklists.
• Identify, test, and implement new data sources.
• Conduct retrospective analyses and model performance reviews.
• Manage integrations with credit bureaus, telecom scoring providers, and fraud prevention services.

Automation & Technology

• Increase automation levels and reduce manual verification processes.
• Define business requirements for CRM and Decision Engine enhancements.
• Prioritize IT development tasks and oversee integration timelines.
• Continuously improve credit decision workflows and operational efficiency.

Team Leadership

• Manage team performance, schedules, KPIs, and incentive systems.
• Develop training programs and conduct employee assessments.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Collections, IT, and Finance teams.
• Prepare management reporting and risk performance dashboards.

Requirements

Must Have

• 3+ years of experience in retail lending risk management within an MFO, bank, fintech, or consumer finance company.
• At least 1 year of leadership experience as a Team Lead, Head of Risk, or similar role.
• Strong knowledge of risk metrics: NPL, FPD/SPD, Vintage, Roll Rates, CoR, and LTV.
• Basic SQL skills.
• Advanced Excel and/or Google Sheets proficiency.
• Solid understanding of credit bureaus, scoring methodologies, and fraud prevention solutions.
• Experience managing cross-functional teams and KPI frameworks.
• Experience writing technical requirements for development teams.
• Understanding of the end-to-end credit lifecycle and lending architecture.

Nice to Have

• Knowledge of Python or R.
• Experience with BI tools such as Power BI, Tableau, or Metabase.
• Experience scaling scoring models and running A/B tests.
• Experience working with large datasets.

What We Offer

• Salary: $2,500–$3,500 per month.
• Fully remote work or relocation to Cyprus with company support.
• Opportunity to participate in launching a lending brand in South Africa.
• Ability to build the Risk Department and risk culture from scratch.
• Work with a modern fintech product in a rapidly growing market.
• Long-term employment and official contract.

Who We Are Looking For

We are looking for a hands-on risk professional who can build a risk function from the ground up, not just manage established processes.

The ideal candidate combines strong analytical thinking, a systematic approach to problem-solving, and a willingness to take ownership of business results.