Head of Retail Credit – Commercial Lending at NMB Bank Plc, Tanzania – October 2026

About NMB Bank Plc

NMB Bank Plc is a leading financial services institution in Tanzania, providing banking products and services to individuals, businesses and corporate customers. The bank offers a range of financial solutions, including personal banking, business banking, lending, savings and investment services.

NMB Bank is committed to responsible lending, effective risk management, customer service and sustainable business growth.

Job Title: Head of Retail Credit – Commercial Lending

Company: NMB Bank Plc
Location: Head Office, Tanzania
Job Type: Full-time
Number of Positions: 1
Opening Date: 19 October 2026
Application Deadline: 2 November 2026

Job Purpose

The Head of Retail Credit – Commercial Lending will be responsible for leading and managing the Commercial Lending Credit function. The role involves ensuring effective assessment, approval, administration, monitoring, inspection and reporting of credit risks associated with the bank’s commercial lending portfolio.

The successful candidate will provide strategic leadership, maintain high credit quality standards, strengthen portfolio management and ensure compliance with the bank’s credit policies, procedures, risk appetite and applicable regulatory requirements.

Main Responsibilities

1. Strategic Focus

• Lead and manage the Commercial Lending Credit function, ensuring timely and effective assessment of business, financial and credit risks arising from commercial lending applications through review, challenge and approval or recommendation of credit applications within delegated authority.
• Lead and manage the team responsible for credit assessment, analysis and approval of commercial lending facilities in accordance with the bank’s credit policies, procedures and risk appetite.
• Maintain high standards of credit quality through robust assessment, review, sampling and application of best practices in credit analysis and portfolio management.
• Provide timely advice to the Chief Credit Officer (CCO), Credit Committees and relevant stakeholders regarding actual or potential changes in the risk profiles of borrowers, sectors and the commercial lending portfolio, including appropriate mitigation and remedial actions.
• Conduct and oversee comprehensive credit analysis covering counterpart, obligor, industry, business and transaction risks for commercial lending customers.
• Ensure commercial lending propositions are appropriately structured, priced and secured to optimise risk-adjusted returns and protect the bank against potential credit losses.
• Participate as a full member of relevant Credit Committees, the Watchlist Committee and other governance forums, and attend Board Credit Committee meetings when required.
• Engage proactively with the Front Office to identify emerging risks early and ensure appropriate transaction structures, conditions and risk mitigants are incorporated.
• Identify portfolio hotspots, emerging risks, growth opportunities and concentration risks, and recommend appropriate actions to management.
• Lead the development and enhancement of credit risk reporting and monitoring for the Commercial Lending portfolio, including monthly, quarterly and ad hoc reports for management and the Board.

2. Leadership and People Focus

• Work closely with the Chief Credit Officer, cross-functional teams, Credit Heads of Department, Zonal Managers and Branch Managers to strengthen credit processes and support the execution of the bank’s commercial lending strategy.
• Collaborate with Commercial Banking, Relationship Managers and other business stakeholders to identify improvements in products, processes and services while maintaining appropriate risk controls.
• Provide effective leadership, direction and oversight to the Commercial Lending Credit team.
• Manage information flow effectively, ensuring timely communication of strategic priorities, policies, risks and performance expectations.
• Build, develop and lead high-performing teams through guidance, coaching, training, delegation and empowerment.
• Act as a role model in leadership and management for direct reports and other team members.
• Implement the bank’s performance management directives and ensure effective performance management of departmental staff.
• Ensure staff understand their roles and responsibilities in relation to the Credit Department and the bank’s overall strategy.
• Manage staff performance through objective setting, performance reviews, coaching, development and appraisal.
• Strengthen the team’s capabilities in credit analysis, commercial lending, risk assessment and portfolio management.

3. Operational Focus

• Develop and implement appropriate credit risk measurement and portfolio monitoring methodologies, including probability of default (PD), loss given default (LGD), expected loss and rating migration.
• Review and challenge credit proposals and approval packs submitted to Credit Committees, ensuring that key risks, mitigants, pricing and risk-adjusted returns are adequately addressed.
• Support the Chief Credit Officer in credit risk aggregation, management and proactive monitoring of the bank’s commercial lending portfolio.
• Challenge transaction pricing, structures and terms to ensure appropriate compensation for credit risk and maximise value to the bank within the approved pricing framework.
• Identify, assess and manage deteriorating accounts and emerging credit risks in collaboration with relevant business teams and Special Asset Management.
• Ensure effective management and monitoring of commercial lending credit risk policies, procedures and delegated lending authorities.
• Develop and maintain internal assessment models and methodologies for quantifying product, sector and transaction-related credit risks.
• Ensure commercial lending credit risks are appropriately captured, communicated and monitored through the bank’s risk registers.
• Oversee compliance with applicable regulatory, consumer protection and credit risk requirements within the Commercial Lending portfolio.
• Engage effectively with Management Information (MI) and Credit Reporting teams on data quality, data clean-up, Credit Reference Bureau (CRB) reporting, Bank of Tanzania reporting, audit findings and related action plans.
• Monitor the impact of IFRS 9 impairment requirements on the Commercial Lending portfolio and ensure appropriate understanding and management of Expected Credit Loss (ECL).
• Work closely with Special Asset Management (SAM) to identify lessons from distressed and non-performing commercial lending accounts and develop proactive strategies to improve portfolio quality.
• Monitor sector, industry and customer concentration risks and recommend appropriate limits or mitigation strategies.
• Participate in system development initiatives, including Loan Management Systems (LMS), Core Banking Systems (CBS) and other credit systems, ensuring that commercial lending credit functionalities are properly designed, understood, tested and implemented.
• Continuously review credit processes and recommend improvements to turnaround time, customer experience, portfolio quality and operational efficiency without compromising credit risk standards.
• Ensure compliance with the bank’s credit policies, procedures, risk appetite, regulatory requirements and approved delegated authorities.

Knowledge and Skills

Candidates should possess the following knowledge and skills:

• Comprehensive knowledge of commercial and corporate lending, credit risk management and credit analysis.
• Strong understanding of cash-flow assessment, transaction structuring and credit risk assessment.
• Knowledge of banking products, business law, security documentation and lending principles.
• Knowledge of portfolio management, credit monitoring, restructuring and remedial management.
• Understanding of banking regulations and applicable credit risk management requirements.
• Knowledge of IFRS 9, Expected Credit Loss (ECL), Non-Performing Loans (NPL) management and other relevant credit risk frameworks.
• Understanding of commercial sectors, market dynamics and factors affecting business and credit performance.
• Business understanding of structured transactions.
• Leadership of change, adaptability, coaching, delegation and employee performance management.

Qualifications and Experience

Academic Qualifications

Applicants should possess the following qualifications:

• A Bachelor’s Degree in Banking, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Commerce, Law or Economics.
• Relevant professional certification(s), depending on the specific role requirements.

Added Advantages:

• A Master’s degree in business studies.
• Postgraduate education in Banking and/or relevant banking certifications.

Work Experience

• At least 7 years of work experience in the relevant field.
• A proven track record of leadership experience in medium to large organisations.

Equal Opportunity Employment

NMB Bank Plc is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to creating a diverse working environment and achieving a gender-balanced workforce.

Female candidates and people living with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply for this position.

Application Instructions

Interested and qualified candidates should submit their applications through the official NMB Bank Plc careers portal.

To apply, visit the link below:

CLICK HERE TO APPLY

Applicants should locate the position on the careers portal and follow the instructions provided to complete their applications.

Important Recruitment Notice

NMB Bank Plc does not charge any fee in connection with its application or recruitment processes. Applicants should disregard any request for payment relating to recruitment.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Application Deadline: 2 November 2026