Head, Agent Banking

Job Title: Head, Agent Banking
Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Industry: Microfinance Banking
Employment Type: Full-Time
Salary: Very Attractive and Competitive

About the Role
We are seeking an experienced, innovative, and commercially driven professional to lead our Agent Banking Department. The successful candidate will provide strategic leadership for the Bank’s Agent Banking business by driving agent network expansion, increasing digital financial services adoption, growing transaction volumes, enhancing financial inclusion, and delivering sustainable revenue growth.
The ideal candidate will be responsible for developing and implementing strategies that strengthen the Bank’s agent network, improve customer accessibility, ensure regulatory compliance, minimize operational risks, and position the Agent Banking channel as a key driver of the Bank’s business growth.

Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & Business Development

• Develop and execute the Bank’s Agent Banking strategy in line with corporate goals.
• Prepare and implement annual business plans, budgets, and growth initiatives.
• Identify emerging market opportunities, industry trends, and innovative business solutions.
• Drive the achievement of revenue, profitability, transaction, and customer acquisition targets.
• Develop strategic partnerships that support the growth of the Agent Banking business.

Agent Network Development

• Lead the recruitment, onboarding, activation, and retention of high-performing agents.
• Expand the Bank’s agent network across urban, semi-urban, rural, and underserved communities.
• Ensure optimal distribution and productivity of agents across all operating locations.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with super agents, aggregators, fintech companies, payment service providers, and other strategic partners.

Business Growth & Financial Inclusion

• Drive customer acquisition through the Agent Banking channel.
• Promote financial inclusion by expanding access to affordable financial services.
• Increase adoption of digital banking products and services through the agent network.
• Drive business growth across savings mobilization, loans, digital banking, and other retail banking products.

Transaction & Digital Channel Growth
Lead initiatives that increase transaction volumes across the Bank’s Agent Banking services, including:

• Cash deposits and withdrawals
• Cash-in and cash-out services
• Funds transfers
• Bill payments
• Savings mobilization
• Account opening
• Loan origination and repayments
• Airtime and data recharge
• BVN/NIN-related services (where applicable)
• Digital banking enrolment
• Cross-selling of the Bank’s financial products and services

Revenue & Profitability

• Drive growth in transaction volumes and fee-based income.
• Improve profitability through operational efficiency and effective cost management.
• Develop initiatives that increase channel utilization and revenue generation.
• Monitor business performance and implement corrective actions where required.

Agent Performance Management

• Establish performance standards and KPIs for agents.
• Monitor productivity, transaction volumes, revenue contribution, and customer acquisition.
• Implement initiatives that improve agent activation, retention, and operational efficiency.
• Conduct periodic business reviews and recommend performance improvement strategies.

Training & Capacity Building

• Develop and coordinate onboarding programmes for newly recruited agents.
• Organize regular training and refresher sessions on products, digital platforms, regulatory requirements, customer service, and operational procedures.
• Develop user guides, training manuals, and standard operating procedures.
• Evaluate training effectiveness and implement continuous improvement initiatives.

Customer Experience

• Ensure agents consistently deliver exceptional customer service.
• Monitor customer complaints and ensure timely resolution.
• Improve customer satisfaction through service quality initiatives.
• Promote a customer-centric culture across the entire agent network.

Risk Management & Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Agent Banking Guidelines, AML, KYC, and all applicable regulations.
• Develop and implement effective controls to minimize fraud, operational risks, and compliance breaches.
• Monitor agent activities to detect suspicious transactions and prevent fraud.
• Conduct periodic compliance reviews and risk assessments.
• Collaborate with Risk Management, Compliance, Internal Audit, and Operations teams to strengthen internal controls.

Stakeholder Management

• Build strong relationships with regulators, fintech companies, payment service providers, aggregators, technology partners, and other key stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Business Development, Operations, Technology, Marketing, Finance, Risk, Compliance, Internal Audit, and Branch Operations to ensure seamless service delivery.
• Represent the Bank at industry engagements, regulatory meetings, and financial inclusion initiatives.

Leadership & People Management

• Provide strategic leadership to the Agent Banking Department.
• Lead, mentor, coach, and develop departmental staff.
• Set performance objectives and ensure achievement of departmental goals.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Reporting & Performance Management

• Prepare weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual management reports.
• Monitor departmental KPIs and business performance.
• Present business performance reports and strategic recommendations to Executive Management.
• Maintain accurate management information and business intelligence reports.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Performance will be measured using, but not limited to:

Business Growth

• Growth in active agents
• Agent activation and retention rate
• Expansion into new markets and underserved communities
• Geographic coverage
• Customer acquisition through Agent Banking

Transaction Performance

• Monthly transaction volume and value
• Cash-in and cash-out transactions
• Funds transfer volumes
• Bill payment transactions
• Loan origination and repayment volumes
• Number of accounts opened through agents
• Agent productivity

Financial Performance

• Agent Banking revenue
• Fee income growth
• Channel profitability
• Revenue per active agent
• Return on Investment (ROI)
• Budget performance
• Cost efficiency

Financial Inclusion

• Rural customer acquisition
• Growth in digital banking adoption
• Savings accounts opened through agents
• Number of previously unbanked customers onboarded
• Customer retention
• Financial inclusion outreach

Risk & Compliance

• Fraud incidence and fraud loss ratio
• Operational losses
• Agent compliance score
• KYC/AML compliance
• Regulatory compliance
• Suspicious transaction reporting
• Customer complaints resolved within SLA

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Banking & Finance, Economics, Marketing, or any related discipline.
• Professional certification such as ACIB, CIBN, PMP, or other relevant qualifications will be an added advantage.
• Minimum of 8–10 years’ banking experience.
• At least 5 years’ experience in Agency Banking, Retail Banking, Digital Banking, Business Development, Financial Inclusion, or related functions.
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in a leadership or management role.

Required Knowledge

• Agency Banking operations
• Digital Financial Services (DFS)
• Retail and Microfinance Banking
• CBN Agent Banking Guidelines
• Financial Inclusion
• Business Development
• Sales Management
• Risk Management
• Fraud Prevention
• Budgeting and Performance Management

Required Skills

• Strategic leadership and execution
• Business development and sales management
• Relationship and stakeholder management
• Negotiation and influencing skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability
• Data analysis and business reporting
• Team leadership and people management
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Planning, organization, and project management
• Customer relationship management
• Sound commercial and financial acumen

Personal Attributes
The ideal candidate should possess:

• Strong leadership presence
• High integrity and professionalism
• Results-oriented mindset
• Strategic thinking capability
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Innovative and commercially focused
• Strong decision-making ability
• Ability to work under pressure and deliver results
• Passion for financial inclusion and digital transformation

Why Join Us?

We offer an excellent career opportunity for experienced professionals seeking to make significant impact in the financial services sector. Successful candidates will enjoy a competitive remuneration package, opportunities for career advancement, continuous professional development, and the chance to lead one of the Bank’s strategic growth channels.

How to Apply:

Interested and qualified candidate should apply using the link below: https://bit.ly/4vb3Gkc