Branch Operations Manager

Role Summary

This position is responsible for running day-to-day branch operations and administration for home loan disbursements. The job focuses on keeping closures on track within regulatory requirements, handling customer issues before they escalate, reducing delinquency, and ensuring customers receive timely and efficient support. It also involves tracking branch-level performance, maintaining zero critical escalations where possible, and sharing regular updates with the zonal head. The role works closely with Credit and Collections teams to support smooth disbursement and post-disbursement activities, and also reviews process effectiveness, recommends improvements, and manages both internal and external branch audits.

Organization Context

The role sits within Aditya Birla Housing Finance Limited and Aditya Birla Finance Limited, part of the Aditya Birla Financial Services Group. ABHFL operates as a housing finance company registered with the National Housing Bank, while ABFL provides lending and financing solutions across capital markets, corporate and trade finance, commercial real estate, and mortgages. The operations function begins after credit approval and covers documentation review, loan disbursement and transaction handling, along with selected post-disbursement processes.

Job Scope and Environment

The branch operations setup supports secured and unsecured loan processing, repayments, and compliance with regulatory frameworks. The branch team handles customer service, documentation, system updates, transaction processing, collections support, and closure-related activities. The Branch Operations Manager also manages bounce cheque information and delinquency reporting. Much of the work depends on manual intervention, and larger locations may have a wider span of control because more branches come under the role.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead branch operations so that loans are processed and disbursed within agreed turnaround times.
• Ensure the branch receives complete loan files from Credit, including collaterals, agreements, KYC records, and verification documents within defined service levels.
• Check files for gaps or discrepancies and ensure corrective action is completed before processing moves ahead.
• Optimize resources and monitor end-to-end transaction queues effectively.
• Handle fund management and closure-related documentation for NOC processing.
• Track the dispatch of loan disbursal kits and ensure it happens on schedule.
• Oversee internal and external audits for the branch and act on findings and recommendations.
• Review operating processes regularly and reduce emerging risks through timely preventive action.
• Benchmark practices with other branches and adopt useful operating methods.
• Suggest process improvements based on team feedback, coordination with support functions, and market developments.
• Manage post-disbursement documentation by following up with stakeholders, reporting exceptions, and keeping systems updated periodically.
• Maintain process efficiency, reduce errors, and minimize critical escalations.
• Keep FTR percentage and performance measures under control.
• Maintain process quality and resolve errors within a short turnaround time.
• Ensure regulatory adherence and keep records ready for audit and query responses.
• Follow up on post-disbursement activities within agreed timelines.
• Review user guidelines and process documents periodically and recommend changes where needed.
• Engage customers directly when a matter is high-value or complex.
• Support the Collections team in cases of late payment or delinquency.
• Work on improving customer satisfaction through efficient service handling.
• Track performance indicators regularly and take corrective action when required.
• Prepare periodic MIS reports and share them with the Zonal Head along with meaningful insights for decision-making.
• Strengthen audit compliance and reduce audit observations through process discipline.
• Align the team with branch goals and create awareness around performance expectations.
• Build team capability through performance review, coaching, and training opportunities.
• Encourage practical problem-solving and support implementation of new ideas.

Requirements

• Postgraduate qualification is required.
• Minimum 7 to 10 years of experience in banking and lending operations is expected.
• Strong ability to stay goal-focused and deliver results through structured follow-through.
• Comfortable working closely with teams across functions and levels.
• Good interpersonal and influencing skills for customer and stakeholder management.
• Ability to manage operational accuracy, documentation control, and regulatory compliance.

Eligibility

Candidates with a postgraduate background and substantial experience in banking or lending operations are suitable for this role. The position is intended for professionals who can manage branch-level operations, customer handling, audits, reporting, and coordination with credit, collections, and sales teams.

Reporting Lines

The role reports to the Zonal Operations Head for ABHFL or ABFL Mortgages. The next level above is the Head of Operations for ABHFL and ABFL Mortgages.

Direct Report Purpose

The direct report for this role is the Customer Account Manager. This position supports the post-credit disbursement process, checks documentation prepared by Credit, maintains and stores files properly, services customers within agreed timelines, handles local banking work promptly, and completes closure and post-closure documentation for NOC.

Relationships

Internal coordination includes the Collections Team, Credit Team, Sales, and Auditors. Externally, the role interacts with customers, local banks, and auditors. These relationships are ongoing or periodic depending on the stakeholder and cover repayment issues, disbursement support, banking coordination, and audit-related matters.

Performance Expectations

The role is measured on operational turnaround times, timely reporting, customer satisfaction, delinquency control, audit observations, process quality, and adherence to regulatory requirements. A key expectation is to maintain zero audit non-conformities/observations where possible and keep branch operations controlled and efficient.

Additional Information

The role is located across branches in four regions: West, South, North, and East. The business belongs to the financial services sector. The job context notes that branch operations are heavily process-driven and require careful handling of loan documents, customer property papers, and transaction records. It also highlights that processes involve around 60% manual intervention, and the role may cover a larger number of branches in bigger locations.

Organization and Market Context

ABHFL works in the Indian housing finance market and offers home loans, home improvement loans, home construction loans, balance transfer and top-up loans, loans against property, and construction finance. ABHFL received its licence on 9 July 2014 and has aggressive growth plans. ABFL is among the top 25 NBFCs in India and has a balance sheet of over INR 15,000 crore. The wider market context emphasizes competition, growth in affordable housing and self-employed borrower segments, and the need for disciplined operations to preserve asset quality.

Signing Section

The source document also includes a sign-off section for the job holder, the superior, and the job analyst, along with fields for signatures and date.