Head of Operations and Customer Experience

Key Responsibilities

1. Branch and Banking Operations

• Oversee the Bank's daily branch and operational activities to ensure efficient and uninterrupted service delivery.
  
• Ensure account opening, customer onboarding, transaction processing and account maintenance are completed accurately and within approved turnaround times.
  
• Ensure all operational activities comply with approved policies, procedures, delegated authorities and regulatory requirements.
  
• Establish and monitor operational service standards across all customer-facing functions.
  
• Identify operational bottlenecks and implement improvements to enhance efficiency and service delivery.
  
• Maintain operational readiness for internal audit, external audit and regulatory inspections.
  

2. Cash and Vault Management

• Oversee all cash operations, including teller activities, vault management, cash transfers and cash-in-transit arrangements.
  
• Ensure appropriate dual-control and maker-checker procedures are maintained for cash and vault operations.
  
• Monitor teller cash limits, vault balances and daily cash positions.
  
• Ensure daily cash counts, reconciliations and balancing are completed accurately.
  
• Investigate and escalate cash differences, unusual transactions and control exceptions promptly.
  
• Ensure adequate cash availability to meet legitimate customer and operational requirements.
  

3. Customer Experience and Service Quality

• Develop and implement customer service standards that differentiate the Bank through responsiveness, reliability and professionalism.
  
• Monitor customer experience across branch, digital and other service channels.
  
• Establish effective processes for receiving, recording, investigating and resolving customer complaints.
  
• Monitor complaint trends and identify recurring service issues requiring corrective action.
  
• Ensure customers receive clear, accurate and timely information regarding products, services, transactions and account requirements.
  
• Work with Business and Technology to improve the customer journey and remove unnecessary service friction.
  

4. KYC, Account Opening and Transaction Processing

• Ensure effective implementation of customer identification, KYC and account-opening procedures.
  
• Ensure customer documentation and account information are complete, accurate and appropriately maintained.
  
• Monitor compliance with applicable customer due diligence and transaction-monitoring requirements in collaboration with Compliance and Risk.
  
• Ensure transaction processing is performed accurately and within approved turnaround times.
  
• Monitor exceptions, failed transactions and operational discrepancies and ensure timely resolution.
  
• Maintain appropriate controls over customer account changes, mandates, access rights and transaction instructions.
  

5. Internal Controls and Operational Risk

• Maintain effective segregation of duties across operational processes.
  
• Ensure maker-checker controls are consistently applied to transactions and sensitive operational activities.
  
• Monitor compliance with operational procedures and identify control weaknesses.
  
• Work with Risk, Compliance and Internal Audit to address operational risks and control deficiencies.
  
• Ensure operational incidents are properly documented, investigated and escalated.
  
• Implement corrective actions arising from audits, regulatory examinations and internal control reviews.
  

6. Digital Operations and Technology Support

• Oversee the operational aspects of digital banking channels in collaboration with Technology.
  
• Monitor failed, delayed, reversed and exceptional digital transactions and ensure timely resolution.
  
• Establish effective processes for escalating system-related customer complaints and transaction issues.
  
• Monitor digital transaction trends and identify recurring operational problems.
  
• Work with Technology to improve digital service reliability and customer experience.
  
• Ensure appropriate operational support is available for customers using digital channels.
  

7. Treasury and Back-Office Operations

• Oversee the Treasury Officer's back-office activities, including transaction recording, confirmation, maturity tracking and reconciliation.
  
• Ensure appropriate segregation between treasury dealing and treasury back-office functions.
  
• Monitor maturity schedules and ensure relevant information is accurately maintained.
  
• Coordinate with Treasury and Finance to ensure treasury transactions are properly recorded and reconciled.
  
• Escalate unmatched, unauthorized or exceptional treasury transactions promptly.
  

8. Process Improvement and Operational Efficiency

• Review operational processes regularly and identify opportunities for automation, simplification and cost reduction.
  
• Establish and monitor turnaround-time standards for key operational processes.
  
• Develop and maintain appropriate standard operating procedures and operational manuals.
  
• Use operational data and customer feedback to identify opportunities for service improvement.
  
• Work with Technology and other functions to automate manual processes where appropriate.
  

9. Regulatory Compliance and Reporting

• Ensure operational activities comply with applicable CBN, NDIC and other regulatory requirements.
  
• Maintain appropriate operational records and documentation for regulatory examination.
  
• Prepare operational reports and management information for the MD/CEO and relevant committees.
  
• Coordinate responses to operational audit and regulatory findings and ensure timely closure of agreed actions.
  
• Ensure the Bank maintains adequate operational readiness for regulatory inspection at all times.
  

10. Team Leadership and Development

• Lead, supervise and develop the Operations and Customer Experience team.
  
• Set clear performance expectations, service standards and operational KPIs.
  
• Ensure appropriate staffing and competency levels across critical operational functions.
  
• Coach team members and develop succession and capability plans for key operational roles.
  
• Promote a culture of customer service, accountability, accuracy, integrity and strong internal control.
  

Requirements

• First degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Accounting, Banking, Management or another relevant discipline.
  
• Professional certification or membership of a recognized banking or financial services body such as CIBN is required.
  
• A relevant postgraduate qualification or customer experience certification is an advantage.
  
• Minimum of 10 years' relevant professional experience, with at least 5 years in banking, microfinance or financial services operations.
  
• At least 2 years' experience in a management or supervisory role, preferably within a Microfinance Bank or retail banking environment.
  
• Experience managing branch operations, cash management, customer service, KYC processes, transaction processing and operational controls is strongly preferred.
  
• Experience with digital banking operations and technology-enabled financial services is an advantage.
  

Core Competencies

• Banking and branch operations
  
• Cash and vault management
  
• Customer experience management
  
• KYC and account administration
  
• Transaction processing and reconciliation
  
• Operational risk and internal controls
  
• Complaint management and service recovery
  
• Process improvement and operational efficiency
  
• Digital banking operations
  
• Regulatory compliance
  
• Team leadership and people development
  
• Problem-solving and decision-making
  
• Attention to detail and operational discipline
  

Performance Measures

• Zero or minimal unexplained cash differences and accurate daily cash/vault reconciliations.
  
• Account-opening and customer onboarding turnaround times.
  
• Transaction processing accuracy and turnaround times.
  
• Customer complaint resolution time and reduction in recurring complaints.
  
• Digital transaction exception and failed-transaction resolution time.
  
• Compliance with maker-checker and segregation-of-duties requirements.
  
• Timely reconciliation and resolution of operational exceptions.
  
• Closure of operational audit and regulatory findings within agreed timelines.
  
• Operational service availability and readiness for regulatory inspection.
  
• Customer satisfaction and service-quality indicators.
  
• Reduction in avoidable operational errors, delays and process exceptions.
  
• Effective performance and development of the Operations and Customer Experience team.
  

Benefits

An opportunity to build and lead the operational engine of a growing Microfinance Bank, ensuring that customers experience reliable, efficient and professional banking services while the Bank maintains strong operational discipline and control. The role offers broad exposure to banking operations, customer experience, digital financial services and business transformation, together with a competitive compensation package aligned with the responsibilities and performance expectations of the position.