Credit Manager - Retail Risk Operations in Guwahati

Overview

This position involves managing credit and risk operations for retail housing finance transactions following established guidelines, to maintain the quality and safety of the loan portfolio. The role requires close collaboration with Sales, Operations, and Risk colleagues to ensure effective risk control.

Organizational Background

• Aditya Birla Housing Finance Limited (ABHFL) operates within the Rs. 11.4 trillion Indian housing finance market, offering home loans, construction finance, and related products. Established in 2014, ABHFL targets accelerated growth while maintaining asset quality.
• The housing finance market has grown steadily at 17% CAGR over three years, with newer entrants in affordable housing and self-employed borrower segments gaining traction. HFCs continue to hold ~37% of the mortgage market despite rising competition.
• The sensitive nature of housing loans and regulatory oversight demands strict adherence to risk management and compliance frameworks to protect both business interests and customers.

Job Role and Challenges

• As a key member of the Risk unit, the Credit Manager executes underwriting and ensures robust creditworthiness assessment for loan applications, including onsite customer meetings and property visits.
• This role entails understanding legal and valuation guidelines related to property and housing finance.
• Managing construction-related risk is critical since ABHFL finances under-construction projects, which carry completion risk.
• The candidate must balance growth ambitions with prudent risk oversight to avoid sub-prime exposures and maintain portfolio health during the company’s rapid expansion phase.

Key Responsibilities

• Execute risk assessments and credit underwriting for assigned retail transactions carefully, referring to senior colleagues and specialists for complex or location-specific issues.
• Collaborate with Credit Processing Analysts and Sales/Operations teams to coordinate efficient workflow from case logging to approval, escalating challenges appropriately.
• Maintain compliance with risk policies and control procedures, preparing periodic management information, reports, and documentation for escalation cases.
• Implement local risk controls including exception approvals, collateral valuations, post-dated cheque processing, and cheque bounce follow-ups under a strict maker-checker mechanism.
• Work with Collections and Operations teams to monitor delinquent accounts and support effective loan recovery efforts, escalating problematic cases to senior management when necessary.
• Pursue continual self-improvement by enhancing knowledge of legal/technical documents, property valuation norms, and overall underwriting practices.
• Foster constructive relationships across internal stakeholders to facilitate smooth handling of complex or exceptional cases.