Area Sales Head - Small Enterprise Group (SEG) - Thane

About the Role

The Area Sales Head leads the Small Enterprise Group (SEG) business for Aditya Birla Finance Limited within the designated region, aiming to achieve portfolio growth and profitability targets while keeping non-performing assets (NPAs) minimal and maximizing return on equity. This role involves managing, motivating, and developing a regional sales team to meet set objectives.

Business Context and Challenges

Aditya Birla Finance Limited (ABFL) is a prominent diversified NBFC in India offering a broad range of financial solutions including personal, SME, and corporate finance. ABFL maintains strong credit ratings and has a significant portfolio size, with SME finance constituting 35% of its assets as of FY23.

The SME segment serves diverse clients such as self-employed professionals and enterprise owners by providing customized financing options secured by various forms of collateral. Loan underwriting requires in-depth evaluation of clients’ financial health, business models, cash flows, and collateral quality to structure risk-mitigated lending solutions.

Within SME, the SEG business specializes in tailored financing for small enterprises via industry cluster-based programs, emphasizing flexible tenures and simplified documentation. However, the business faces intense competition from banks, NBFCs, and fintech firms, making pricing and customer acquisition challenging.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead channel management by identifying, onboarding, and motivating diverse channel partners such as direct sales agents and mediators to meet sales targets.
• Drive customer acquisition by setting targets, tracking sales activities, negotiating commercial terms, and ensuring efficient loan approval processes.
• Manage loan disbursal processes to ensure timely delivery with proper documentation and high customer satisfaction.
• Collect and analyze market intelligence to inform business strategy, including competitive benchmarking and recommended improvements.
• Maintain portfolio quality by minimizing NPAs through regular monitoring and collaboration with collections teams; ensure area profitability via appropriate pricing and fee management.
• Enhance process efficiencies by enforcing policy adherence, conducting audits, and mentoring the sales team in ethical and effective sales practices.
• Lead people management activities including recruitment, training, performance appraisal, motivation, and retention of team members.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Growth in portfolio size and customer base as per specified targets.
• Achievement of profit before tax (PBT) and return on equity (ROE) milestones for the area.
• Reduction in cost-to-income ratio (CIR) and maintenance of asset quality with low GNPA percentages.
• Expansion of branch network and channel partner count.
• Implementation of robust governance frameworks and process improvements.

Qualifications and Experience

Experience in sales leadership within financial services, preferably with SME or retail lending exposure, is essential. The role requires skills in channel development, team management, credit evaluation awareness, and business strategy execution.

Additional Information

The Area Sales Head reports to the Regional Sales Head of SEG and coordinates extensively with internal stakeholders to achieve business objectives. The role demands strategic agility to adapt to evolving market conditions, technological changes, and regulatory environments, alongside fostering a culture aligned with Aditya Birla Group's values and ethics.