VP, Senior Impact & ESG Officer

Job Title: VP, Senior Impact & ESG Officer

Location: Bangalore, India

Reporting Line: SVP, Head of Impact

About Credit Saison India:

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 85+ physical offices, 2.0+ million active loans, an AUM of over US$2.4B 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, and Brazil, with active investments in debt, equity, corporate venture capital, and technology.

About the Role:

This is a senior leadership role responsible for driving the next phase of Credit Saison I ndia’s ESG and impact management practice, from strategy design to institutional embedding. The successful candidate will lead and grow a dedicated team, serving as the primary internal authority on sustainability matters and championing the integration of ESG and Impact standards across all business lines. S/he will be expected to steer complex, cross-functional projects, drive internal advocacy at the highest levels of the organization, and navigate a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape (including, but not limited to RBI guidelines, IFC Performance Standards and international investor frameworks) while positioning Credit Saison India as a credible, standards-aligned responsible finance institution. The role is an opportunity to build a lasting institutional legacy in responsible finance at a pivotal moment for the sector. The candidate will report to Saison International’s Head of Impact. The position is based in Bangalore, India.

What You Will Do (Key Responsibility Areas (KRAs)

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• Lead the development and implementation of Credit Saison India’s Impact & ESG management framework, processes, policies and tools, in close coordination with the Head of Impact and Credit Saison India’s business teams, while ensuring compliance with applicable regulatory frameworks and sector standards.
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• Collaborate with and train the various business teams at Credit Saison India for seamless integration of the developed Impact & ESG processes and tools, from pipelining to execution and portfolio management.
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• Ensure accurate and thorough Impact and ESG risks assessment of Credit Saison India’s portfolio and provide expert advice on ESG matters to the various business teams and portfolio companies as required.
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• Manage and track Credit Saison India’s Impact and ESG performance of portfolio across verticals, by sourcing data from investees, addressing underperforming companies and report accordingly.
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• Drive the company’s presence among impact-related sector stakeholders, initiatives and events in India and foster adhesion to relevant sector standards.
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• Keep all internally developed Impact and ESG methodologies up to date and relevant, ensuring alignment with international/sector standards and relevant regulations.
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• Contribute to the development of reporting/communication framework and materials on portfolio impact, ESG risk/performance, and case studies for both internal and external stakeholders.
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• Contribute to the development and deployment of global impact-related initiatives and projects, in collaboration with SI’ and Credit Saison’s relevant teams.
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This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the position and it is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the position.

What You Will Bring (Skills & Qualifications )

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• 10+ years of relevant professional experience in the lending/financial services sector (fintech, responsible/impact finance, microfinance, SME finance), of which a minimum of 7 years in ESG risks/impact management, preferably in private debt; including demonstrated experience managing a team or function.
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• Demonstrated track record of building and operationalizing ESG & Impact practices from the ground up within a financial services or lending institution, including designing governance structures, policies, assessment tools and reporting frameworks.
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• Demonstrated experience in performing ESG due diligences/risk assessments for financial institutions, including in high environmental and social risks industries.
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• Knowledge of, and experience with the IFC Performance Standards, the Operating Principles for Impact Management, and the GIIN IRIS+ metrics is a must.
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• Proven ability to lead and deliver complex, multi-stakeholder projects in a dynamic environment, with strong internal influence and advocacy skills; able to engage and align senior leadership, investors and regulators around ESG priorities
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• Desire to work within a multicultural environment.
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• Excellent oral and written communication and presentation skills.
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• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications
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Our ideal candidate is an experienced Impact & ESG professional and an excellent communicator. S/he has an entrepreneurial mindset and a high degree of professional accountability. S/he has excellent work ethic, positive energy, with a demonstrated commitment to contributing to positive impact, as well as to be part of an inclusive and diverse team. S/he is excited to re-imagine the impact and financial inclusion space, specifically by building solutions that will contribute to creating a positive impact on low-income/underserved populations. S/He has a strong interest in topics including financial inclusion, fintech, climate change. S/he has good interpersonal skills, is a team player with a track record of having worked in multi-cultural environments. S/he is keen on mentoring and growing junior team members.