Head of Credit

About the role

We are seeking an experienced and commercially astute Head of Credit to lead credit management, risk assessment, collections, and credit control functions. The role balances commercial objectives, credit risk management, cash‑flow optimisation and governance to support business growth.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and implement the overall credit strategy aligned with business objectives and risk appetite.
• Establish robust credit policies, approval frameworks, authority limits and risk‑rating methodologies.
• Assess creditworthiness of customers, set limits, and monitor portfolio exposure.
• Lead credit approval processes, ensure documentation, segregation of duties and internal controls.
• Oversee accounts receivable and collections, drive timely cash collection and reduce DSO, overdue receivables and bad debt.
• Monitor credit portfolio, concentration limits, utilisation and early‑warning indicators.
• Partner with Sales, Finance, Operations and Senior Management to balance growth with credit risk.
• Prepare regular credit and receivables reports, dashboards and analytics for senior management.
• Lead, develop and motivate the Credit and Collections team, setting KPIs and performance expectations.
• Ensure compliance with internal policies, UAE regulations and support audit processes.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Economics or related field; professional qualification (CA, ACCA, CPA, CFA, CIMA) advantageous.
• 10‑15+ years experience in Credit, Credit Risk, Collections or Financial Risk Management, with at least 5 years in a senior credit leadership role.
• UAE or GCC experience preferred.
• Strong financial analysis, commercial understanding and experience managing high‑value credit exposure.
• Proven ability to work closely with Sales and Finance teams and to influence commercial decisions.
• Excellent negotiation, communication and stakeholder‑management skills.

Required skills

• Advanced Excel
• ERP/financial systems
• Credit‑management tools