Head of Lending Operations

Our client is a financial technology firm building a lending platform. They are seeking a Head of Lending Operations who can design scalable systems, optimize processes, and build the operational infrastructure required to support significant growth. This is not a traditional loan operations role. They are looking for a systems builder who can transform lending operations into a high-performance engine capable of processing increasing transaction volumes without proportional increases in headcount or cost.

Job Summary

The Head of Lending Operations will be responsible for designing, managing, and continuously improving the end-to-end lending operations lifecycle. The successful candidate will create scalable workflows, reduce operational friction, strengthen controls, and ensure seamless integration between internal systems, financial institutions, telecommunications partners, and employer payroll platforms.

Success in this role will be measured by operational efficiency, process predictability, turnaround times, and the organization's ability to scale sustainably.

Job Responsibilities

Lending Operations Management Oversee the complete lending operations lifecycle, including: Customer onboarding Verification and identity validation Loan processing and documentation Loan disbursement Repayment monitoring Collections coordination Reconciliation activities Customer support Exception management Process Design & Optimization Architect and continuously improve end-to-end operational workflows.

Conduct process mapping exercises to identify inefficiencies and bottlenecks. Reduce operational friction across verification, bank validation, payroll clearance, and loan servicing processes. Standardize operating procedures and workflow controls across all operational functions. Implement service-level agreements (SLAs) and performance monitoring frameworks.

Systems Integration & Automation Ensure smooth operational integration between our client platforms and external partners, including banks, mobile money providers, and payroll systems. Identify manual processes suitable for automation. Collaborate with technology teams to improve workflow efficiency and scalability. Develop systems that enable increased transaction volumes without proportional operational costs.

Risk, Controls & Exception Management Design operational controls that reduce fraud and operational risk. Establish rule-based workflows for managing exceptions and edge cases. Monitor and resolve issues related to missing data, delayed remittances, system failures, and processing errors. Balance customer experience requirements with effective risk management practices.

Continuous Improvement Analyze how operations function in practice and identify areas where processes differ from documented procedures. Investigate recurring operational issues and determine root causes. Convert repetitive exceptions into standardized operational processes. Establish metrics that enable proactive management of operational performance.

First 90 Days Priorities Conduct a comprehensive audit of the current lending operations process. Identify and eliminate operational waste across the loan origination-to-collections cycle. Reduce processing cycle times by at least 30%. Standardize operational procedures for verification teams, collections partners, and field agents.

Implement real-time SLA monitoring across every stage of the loan lifecycle.

Requirements

Experience managing operations within lending, fintech, banking, payments, insurance, telecommunications, logistics, marketplaces, or other high-volume operational environments. Demonstrated success improving, redesigning, automating, or scaling operational processes. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and process improvement skills.

Experience working with workflow optimization, operational controls, and performance measurement systems. Process mapping and business process re-engineering. Operations management and workflow automation. Risk and fraud control frameworks. Data-driven decision making. Cross-functional stakeholder management. Ideal Candidate Profile You may be an excellent fit if you: Naturally look for opportunities to automate manual work.

Think in systems rather than isolated tasks. Focus on root causes rather than symptoms. Make decisions effectively despite incomplete information. Prioritize overall organizational performance over departmental convenience. Have a track record of improving operational systems rather than simply managing them. Success Measures After 90 Days Operational bottlenecks are identified and prioritized.

High-risk failure points are documented and mitigation plans established. Opportunities for automation and efficiency gains are identified. After 6 Months Core lending processes are standardized, measurable, and assigned to accountable owners. Operational failures are detected and resolved earlier. Key performance indicators are consistently tracked and reported.

After 12 Months Lending volumes can increase significantly without proportional increases in operational staffing. Lending operations become a scalable and sustainable competitive advantage for the organization.