Associate – CRO's Office

Job Description: Associate – Chief Risk Officer's (CRO's) Office About the Company : Established in 2019, Credit Saison India (CS India) is one of the country’s fastest growing Non-Bank Financial Company (NBFC) lenders, with verticals in wholesale, direct lending and tech-enabled partnerships with Non-Bank Financial Companies (NBFCs) and fintechs. Its tech-enabled model coupled with underwriting capability facilitates lending at scale, meeting India’s huge gap for credit, especially with underserved and under penetrated segments of the population. Credit Saison India is committed to growing as a lender and evolving its offerings in India for the long-term for MSMEs, households, individuals and more. Credit Saison India is registered with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and has an AAA rating from CRISIL (a subsidiary of S&P Global) and CARE Ratings. Currently, Credit Saison India has a branch network of 80+ physical offices, 2.06 million active loans, an AUM of over US$2B and an employee base of about 1,400 employees. Credit Saison India is part of Saison International, a global financial company with a mission to bring people, partners and technology together, creating resilient and innovative financial solutions for positive impact. Across its business arms of lending and corporate venture capital, Saison International is committed to being a transformative partner in creating opportunities and enabling the dreams of people. Saison International is the international headquarters (IHQ) of Credit Saison Company Limited, founded in 1951 and one of Japan’s largest lending conglomerates with over 70 years of history and listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The Company has evolved from a credit-card issuer to a diversified financial services provider across payments, leasing, finance, real estate and entertainment. Based in Singapore, Saison International’s global operations span over Singapore, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico, Brazil, with active investments in debt, equity, corporate venture capital, and technology. Who we are Credit Saison India (CS) is a digital neo-lending NBFC operating across the Consumer and SME lending verticals both directly as well as through our fintech and digital ecosystem partners. We are on a mission to help address India’s credit gap and create an enduring lending franchise. Since our launch in India in late 2019, we have established ourselves as one of India’s fastest growing NBFCs with a loan portfolio of nearly a billion dollars and are the fastest to get a AAA rating. More about us at https://creditsaison.in We are a part of the Tokyo-listed Credit Saison group, Japan’s 3rd largest credit card issuer with a track record of over 70 years. About the Role The CRO’s Office is the central nerve center for the risk function, acting as a strategic partner to the Chief Risk Officer (CRO) and the business. This role will provide critical support to the CRO's Chief of Staff, enabling the risk leadership to operate more efficiently and effectively. You will be at the intersection of strategy, operations, and governance, with a unique vantage point across the entire organization. Key Responsibilities - Budget & Financial Management: Assist in the creation, meticulous tracking, and management of the risk function's annual budget. - Governance & Task Tracking: Prepare and maintain minutes for critical risk committees and leadership meetings; own the tracking of action items to ensure timely completion. - Cross-Functional Coordination: Act as a key coordination point for the CRO's office, liaising with various teams (e.g., Credit, Operations, Tech, Compliance) to resolve blockers and ensure smooth execution of risk-related projects. - Leadership Materials: Develop high-quality materials, presentations, MIS, and reports for senior leadership, including the CRO, Management Committee, and Board. - Industry & Competitor Analysis: Conduct regular industry analysis and competitor benchmarking, with a specific focus on risk-related trends, portfolio quality, and delinquency metrics across the Indian NBFC/Fintech landscape. - Strategic Initiatives & OKRs: Support the tracking and monitoring of the risk department's Objectives and Key Results (OKRs), highlighting progress and areas needing leadership intervention. - Regulatory Monitoring: Actively monitor regulatory changes from the RBI and other relevant bodies; collaborate with the Compliance team to ensure new guidelines are understood and their implementation is tracked. - Vendor Management: Assist in managing relationships with key vendors and partners related to the risk function (e.g., credit bureaus, analytics providers, legal firms). - Analytical Support: Provide data-gathering and analytical support for ad-hoc strategic projects and new risk initiatives as directed by the CRO or Chief of Staff. Qualification & Experience: - 2-4 years of experience in a relevant, fast-paced environment such as Management Consulting, Financial Services (NBFC/Bank/Fintech), Risk Management, or a 'Chief of Staff's Office' / 'Founder's Office' role. - Undergraduate degree is required; preference for a quantitative field (e.g., Finance, Economics, Engineering, Statistics). - High proficiency in MS Excel (for budgeting and analysis) and MS PowerPoint (for creating leadership materials) is essential. - Experience within an Indian NBFC or Fintech environment is a significant advantage. You will excel in this role if you: - Possess strong analytical skills and have an exceptional eye for detail. - Are a natural at time management and prioritization - capable of balancing multiple projects and deadlines with finesse. - Are proactive, resourceful, and take end-to-end ownership of your tasks. - Are a sharp and succinct communicator (both written and verbal) and a strong collaborator, able to build relationships across teams. - Are a structured problem-solver who can think clearly under pressure. - Can handle sensitive information with a high degree of discretion and confidentiality. - Have a "zero-to-one" mindset, willing to take on new challenges and build processes from scratch.