Operations Specialist

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Location: Lilongwe
Job reference: JR-84815-1
Closing date: 6 November 2026 at 23:59

Job overview

Old Mutual seeks an Operations Specialist to coordinate and supervise OMFIN’s back-office operations.

The successful candidate will ensure efficient digital loan processing, strong operational controls, timely customer onboarding, effective sales-agent administration and consistent service delivery.

The role will support the expansion of private employer payroll lending, annuitant lending and the government payroll lending product.

Key responsibilities

Operational leadership and process management

• Coordinate the daily activities of the Credit and Operations back-office team, allocating work effectively and ensuring service targets are met.
• Monitor loan processing from application receipt and verification through credit decisions, approval, disbursement and post-disbursement administration.
• Identify operational bottlenecks, control weaknesses and process inefficiencies, and implement approved corrective measures.
• Develop, maintain and improve standard operating procedures, checklists, process maps and operational controls.
• Ensure operations comply with approved credit policies, product terms, delegated authorities and regulatory requirements.
• Coordinate operational readiness for new products, process changes, system enhancements and business expansion.

Digital lending and service-level management

• Monitor application volumes, processing turnaround times, pending applications, approval queues and disbursement performance.
• Ensure compliance with approved turnaround times and escalate cases exceeding service standards.
• Work with Credit, Finance, ICT, Digital and other teams to resolve system issues and processing exceptions.
• Monitor the integrity of information transferred between the decision engine, core banking system and other approved platforms.
• Ensure consistent application of system access controls, maker-checker controls, exception handling and transaction authorisations.
• Analyse operational data to identify recurring delays, errors and opportunities for automation.

Sales-agent administration and performance oversight

• Coordinate sales-agent onboarding, ensuring required documentation, training, system access and compliance checks are completed.
• Monitor agent application pipelines, daily activity, application quality, conversion rates and productivity.
• Ensure agent-submitted applications meet OMFIN’s onboarding and customer verification requirements.
• Identify unusual application patterns, potential fraud, misrepresentation and breaches of agent conduct standards.
• Maintain agent performance dashboards and prepare management reports.
• Work with Sales and other stakeholders to improve productivity while maintaining credit and operational controls.
• Escalate agent misconduct, customer complaints and suspected fraud through approved channels.

Team management and capacity planning

• Supervise and coach Collections Administrators, the Customer Experience Administrator and the Recovery Officer, subject to the approved reporting structure.
• Set work priorities, monitor productivity and support staff development.
• Assess workloads against transaction volumes and recommend staffing or process adjustments.
• Ensure adequate operational coverage, continuity of critical activities and adherence to deadlines.
• Conduct performance reviews and provide regular feedback.

Operational risk and portfolio support

• Monitor operational risks relating to onboarding, disbursements, collections, system processing and customer data.
• Ensure disbursements are supported by complete documentation and valid approvals.
• Review collection and recovery reports and coordinate action on emerging portfolio risks with relevant personnel.
• Maintain operational incident and exception registers, tracking corrective actions to completion.
• Support compliance reviews, internal audits, risk assessments and regulatory inspections.
• Ensure proper records management, business continuity, data protection and customer confidentiality.

Reporting and continuous improvement

• Prepare dashboards and management reports covering loan volumes, turnaround times, disbursements, pending applications, collections, recovery and agent productivity.
• Analyse performance trends and recommend improvements to operational efficiency and customer service.
• Track implementation of management decisions and agreed remedial actions.
• Provide operational input into product reviews, business planning, budgeting and capacity planning.

Minimum qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Finance, Banking, Business Administration, Operations Management or another relevant discipline.
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and operational reporting tools.

The listing also specifies Bachelor of Accounting (BAcc): Accounting and Business Administration under its education field.

Required experience

• At least five years’ relevant experience in banking, microfinance, digital lending, credit operations or financial services operations.
• At least two years in a supervisory, team leadership or operational coordination role.
• Demonstrated experience managing loan processing workflows, operational controls, reconciliations or service-level performance.
• Experience with core banking systems, loan management systems and digital credit decisioning platforms is highly desirable.
• Experience managing sales-agent networks, payroll lending operations or high-volume digital lending processes will be an advantage.

Technical and behavioural competencies

• Strong operational planning, coordination and problem-solving skills.
• Sound knowledge of credit administration, digital lending and operational risk controls.
• Ability to interpret operational data and use performance indicators to drive improvement.
• Strong team leadership, coaching and performance management skills.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Sound judgement, integrity and accountability.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a growing financial services business.

Additional skills

Action planning, analytical thinking, computer and digital literacy, current-state assessment, data compilation, interpretation, management and modelling; document management; information evaluation; legal practices; management reporting; numerical aptitude; and oral communication.

Core competencies

• Collaboration.
• Courage.
• Accountability.
• Financial acumen.
• Building trust.
• Managing complexity.
• Optimising work processes.
• Organisational awareness.

Key performance indicators

• Achievement of approved loan processing turnaround times.
• Reduction in application backlogs and processing errors.
• Accurate and complete operational reporting.
• Sales-agent onboarding turnaround time and productivity.
• Compliance with operational procedures and internal controls.
• Timely resolution of operational incidents and system exceptions.
• Team productivity and achievement of departmental service targets.
• Improved customer service and operational efficiency.

How to apply

Submit your application through the Old Mutual careers portal:

Apply for the Operations Specialist position

Closing date: 6 November 2026 at 23:59.

Applications go directly to the employer, not to Malawi24.

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