The Role

The Head, Underwriting Services will be responsible for leading the underwriting function for P4L Funds' credit guarantee, risk-sharing, and financial support programmes. The successful candidate will develop underwriting policies, evaluate applications, assess financial and operational risks, and recommend appropriate guarantee structures that balance developmental impact with financial sustainability.

Reporting directly to the COO, the Head of Underwriting Services will oversee the end-to-end underwriting process, ensuring consistency, transparency, and adherence to approved risk appetite and governance standards.

This role requires an experienced credit and underwriting professional with strong analytical capabilities, sound commercial judgement, and extensive experience in banking, development finance, agricultural finance, infrastructure finance, or financial guarantee institutions

Key Responsibilities

Underwriting Strategy

Develop and implement P4L Funds' underwriting strategy, policies, and operating framework.
Establish underwriting standards that align with the organization's credit risk appetite and developmental objectives.
Continuously review underwriting methodologies to reflect changing market conditions and emerging risks.
Recommend improvements that enhance underwriting efficiency and portfolio quality.

Credit & Underwriting Assessment

Lead the assessment of guarantee applications submitted by financial institutions, SMEs, agribusinesses, cooperatives, infrastructure developers, and strategic partners.
Analyze financial statements, cash flow projections, business plans, collateral, repayment capacity, and industry risks.
Evaluate creditworthiness and recommend appropriate guarantee structures and coverage levels.
Ensure underwriting decisions are objective, commercially sound, and evidence-based.

Risk Evaluation

Conduct comprehensive financial, operational, market, legal, environmental, and sector risk assessments.
Perform stress testing and sensitivity analysis on major financing proposals.
Identify emerging risks that may affect guarantee performance.
Recommend appropriate risk mitigation measures before guarantee approval.

Portfolio Quality Management

Monitor underwriting quality across the guarantee portfolio.
Analyze portfolio performance, default trends, sector concentration, and underwriting outcomes.
Review high-risk exposures and recommend corrective actions.
Develop early warning indicators to support proactive portfolio management.

Policy & Governance

Develop underwriting manuals, approval authorities, and operational guidelines.
Ensure compliance with internal policies, regulatory requirements, and governance standards.
Participate in Credit and Risk Committee meetings by providing independent underwriting recommendations.
Maintain robust documentation supporting all underwriting decisions.

Stakeholder Engagement

Collaborate with commercial banks, development finance institutions, insurance companies, investors, and strategic partners throughout the underwriting process.
Provide technical guidance to participating financial institutions on underwriting requirements.
Support business development teams in structuring bankable financing solutions.
Represent LAFSINCO in technical discussions relating to underwriting and credit evaluation.

Process Improvement & Digital Transformation

Drive automation of underwriting workflows and decision-making processes.
Implement data analytics and digital underwriting tools to improve turnaround time and decision quality.
Promote continuous improvement in underwriting systems and operational efficiency.
Support the integration of technology into underwriting and portfolio monitoring.

Reporting & Performance Management

Prepare underwriting reports, portfolio analysis, and management dashboards.
Monitor underwriting turnaround times, approval quality, and portfolio performance.
Present underwriting insights to Executive Management and the Board.
Recommend strategic improvements based on portfolio trends and market intelligence.

Leadership & Capacity Building

Build and lead a high-performing underwriting team.
Coach and mentor underwriting professionals on best practices and technical excellence.
Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.
Work closely with Credit Risk, Guarantee Operations, Finance, Legal, Commercial, and Investment teams to ensure seamless execution.

Qualification & Skills

Bachelor's Degree in Finance, Economics, Banking, Accounting, Business Administration, Agricultural Economics, Risk Management, or a related discipline.
MBA or Master's Degree in Finance, Risk Management, Economics, Business Administration, or related field is highly desirable.
Professional qualifications such as ACA, ACCA, ICAN, CFA or equivalent will be an added advantage.
Minimum of 12–15 years of experience in credit underwriting, corporate banking, development finance, credit risk, agricultural finance, project finance, or financial services.
At least 5 years in a senior underwriting or credit leadership role.
Strong knowledge of corporate credit analysis, financial modelling, project finance, infrastructure finance, agricultural finance, and risk assessment.
Experience with credit guarantee schemes, DFIs, multilateral institutions, or public-private partnerships will be a significant advantage.
Excellent financial analysis, negotiation, report writing, and presentation skills.
Strong understanding of Nigerian financial regulations and international credit risk standards.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, ERP platforms, loan origination systems, financial modelling software, and business intelligence tools.