Lead Program Manager

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 100+ physical offices, 2.06 million active loans, an AUM of over US$2B and an employee base of about 2000 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, Brazil, with active investments in debt, equity, corporate venture capital, and technology.

Location: Bengaluru (Hybrid)

Experience: 7–9 Years

Industry Preference: NBFC / FinTech / Financial Services / Startup Ecosystem

About the Role

We are looking for a highly driven and execution-focused Lead Program Manager to handle multiple strategic programs and cross-functional initiatives in a fast-paced NBFC startup environment. This role requires a strong blend of program execution, stakeholder management, process governance, operational rigor, and people leadership.

The ideal candidate should be capable of independently driving large programs/streams end-to-end while also mentoring junior program managers managing parallel workstreams. The role demands someone who thrives in ambiguity, handles high-pressure situations effectively, demonstrates strong ownership, and is willing to roll up their sleeves to get things done on the ground.

This is a high-impact role requiring collaboration across business, operations, product, technology, risk, compliance, and leadership teams.

Key Responsibilities

Program & Delivery Management

• Independently lead and execute multiple strategic programs/workstreams with complete ownership.
• Define program plans, milestones, dependencies, risks, and execution frameworks.
• Ensure delivery within committed timelines, scope, and quality benchmarks.
• Drive execution rigor across cross-functional teams in a fast-moving startup environment.
• Track progress through structured governance mechanisms and periodic reviews.

Team Leadership & Mentorship

• Mentor and oversee junior program managers managing independent streams.
• Provide guidance, prioritization support, escalation handling, and execution coaching.
• Build accountability and execution discipline across the program management team.

Process Excellence & Governance

• Design, implement, and optimize scalable operational and execution processes.
• Establish governance frameworks, reporting cadences, and review mechanisms.
• Continuously identify process gaps, inefficiencies, and improvement opportunities.

Stakeholder & Escalation Management

• Manage senior leadership stakeholders with confidence, clarity, and professionalism.
• Drive alignment across business, product, operations, risk, compliance, and technology teams.
• Proactively identify risks and manage escalations with structured problem-solving approaches.
• Be assertive in handling scope creep while balancing business priorities and delivery commitments.

Agile & Cross-functional Execution

• Run Scrum ceremonies, daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, and execution governance calls.
• Coordinate across multiple teams to unblock dependencies and ensure execution continuity.
• Operate effectively in chaotic or ambiguous situations while maintaining delivery focus.

Ownership & Operational Excellence

• Demonstrate strong ownership mindset and bias for action.
• Be willing to work hands-on and contribute at ground level when required.
• Thrive in startup environments with evolving priorities and rapid execution cycles.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• 7–9 years of experience in Program Management, Project Management, or PMO roles.
• Strong experience managing complex cross-functional programs independently.
• Proven ability to mentor and manage junior program managers.
• Excellent stakeholder management and executive communication skills.
• Strong escalation management and conflict resolution capabilities.
• Experience in Agile/Scrum methodologies and execution frameworks.
• Ability to manage ambiguity, shifting priorities, and high-pressure delivery environments.
• Strong analytical, planning, prioritization, and execution skills.
• Demonstrated ownership mindset and accountability.
• Assertive yet collaborative working style.

Domain Preference

• Prior experience or understanding of the NBFC, FinTech, Lending, Financial Services, or Banking domain is plus.
• Familiarity with operational processes, risk/compliance coordination, or lending ecosystems will be an advantage.

Preferred Traits

• Strong execution orientation with get things done attitude.
• Comfortable working in startup and high-growth environments.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with operational execution.
• High resilience and composure during chaotic situations.
• Strong interpersonal and leadership capabilities.
• Positive attitude, adaptability, and collaborative mindset.

Work Environment

• Hybrid work model based out of Bengaluru.
• Candidates should either be based in Bengaluru or willing to relocate.

Ideal Candidate Snapshot

You are someone who:

• Can independently run large programs with minimal supervision.
• Can lead people while staying deeply involved in execution.
• Brings structure to ambiguity.
• Is comfortable challenging scope creep and driving accountability.
• Can effectively engage senior stakeholders while also working closely with execution teams.
• Thrives in startup environments where agility, ownership, and resilience are critical.