Head of Agency Banking at Airtel

About the Job

The Head of Agency Banking is responsible for building and scaling the Agency Banking business across all regions. This includes strategic oversight of agent recruitment, aggregator management, POS infrastructure, channel optimization, performance analytics, and compliance. The role demands strong leadership to ensure service reach, operational excellence, agent engagement, and alignment with financial and growth objectives.

Your Job Description

• Strategic & Business Leadership
  • Develop and implement national agency banking growth strategy and expansion plans.
  • Drive the business roadmap for agent network coverage, transaction volume/value, POS deployment, and float management.
  • Champion digital inclusion through robust agent touchpoints and market penetration strategies.
• Agency Network Expansion
  • Oversee the recruitment, onboarding, and management of aggregators and their sub-agents across all territories.
  • Ensure each aggregator maintains at least 95% active agent base.
  • Monitor aggregator performance and provide continuous capacity development and motivation.
• POS & Infrastructure Management
  • Provide end-to-end oversight of POS terminal lifecycle: procurement, deployment, repair, retrieval, and replacement.
  • Work with IT and service vendors to manage Terminal Management Systems (TMS).
  • Maintain optimal POS-to-agent ratios and ensure maximum device uptime.
• Performance Monitoring & Reporting
  • Supervise the collation and analysis of transaction metrics, float balances, and terminal activity data.
  • Direct agency banking performance reporting at weekly, monthly, and quarterly intervals for executive management.
  • Utilize data insights to refine strategies and drive improvements across geographies.
• Regulatory Compliance & Risk Management
  • Ensure agent operations meet CBN and internal regulatory standards.
  • Implement fraud prevention, risk controls, and operational SOPs at the field level.
  • Lead periodic audit readiness exercises and risk assessments across the channel.
• Branding & Channel Visibility
  • Drive branding and PICOS (Picture of Success) standards across agent locations.
  • Ensure availability and proper deployment of POSM (Point of Sale Materials).
  • Maintain high channel visibility and uniform agent branding across regions.
• People & Stakeholder Management
  • Provide coaching and performance leadership to the regional agency teams.
  • Collaborate with marketing, finance, product, risk, and technology teams to achieve business goals.
  • Represent the Agency Banking function in leadership and regulatory forums.

The Job Requirements

• Educational Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Economics, Marketing, or related field (MBA preferred).
• Relevant Experience
• Minimum of 10 years' experience in agency banking, fintech, payments, or retail distribution, with at least 4 years in a senior leadership role.
• Demonstrated experience scaling agent banking or similar distribution networks.
• Proven ability to lead teams in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• Deep understanding of financial inclusion, digital payments, and POS technologies.
• Hands-on experience with field operations and cross-functional leadership.
• Leadership & People Management – inspire regional teams and partners to deliver results.
• Commercial Acumen – strong understanding of agency unit economics and market forces.
• Analytical Thinking – interpret performance data and drive actionable insights.
• Operational Excellence – build scalable and efficient processes.
• Stakeholder Influence – engage effectively with internal teams, vendors, and regulators.
• Innovation Orientation – challenge status quo and champion new models for agent growth.