Credit and Marketing Officer

Responsibilities:

• Identify and engage prospective SME borrowers through direct outreach, referrals, networking, associations, digital channels, and other business development activities.
• Develop and maintain relationships with SME owners, business associations, professional networks, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Promote the company's lending products and clearly communicate loan requirements, processes, and terms to prospective customers.
• Generate and follow up on qualified leads to convert prospects into loan applicants.
• Assess prospective borrowers and identify businesses that meet the company's credit and lending criteria.
• Conduct preliminary credit assessments by reviewing business information, financial records, bank statements, credit reports, and other relevant documentation.
• Identify potential credit risks and escalate concerns appropriately before loan approval.
• Work closely with the Credit and Operations teams throughout the loan application and approval process.
• Monitor assigned loan accounts and maintain regular communication with borrowers to support timely repayments.
• Manage and maintain a healthy loan portfolio by monitoring repayment performance and identifying early signs of potential default.
• Follow up with customers on outstanding or overdue repayments and support the collections process where required.
• Maintain accurate records of leads, prospects, applications, customer interactions, and portfolio performance.
• Conduct market research to identify new SME segments, industries, associations, and business opportunities.
• Develop and execute marketing and customer acquisition initiatives targeted at SMEs.
• Track marketing and acquisition results and provide regular reports and insights to management.
• Gather customer feedback and market intelligence to support improvements to the company's lending products and customer experience.
• Ensure all customer acquisition and credit activities comply with the company's policies, procedures, and applicable regulatory requirements.

Requirements:

• 3 years of experience in SME-focused marketing, with experience in tech-driven lending or fintech preferred.
• Proven ability to identify creditworthy SME borrowers and manage a healthy loan portfolio.
• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Business Administration, Marketing, Banking and Finance, or a related field.
• Professional certifications in Credit Management, Microfinance, Banking, Risk Management, Marketing, or related disciplines are an added advantage.
• Strong understanding of SME credit assessment, customer acquisition, and relationship management.
• Relevant university degree and professional certifications.
• Proven ability to meet customer acquisition and portfolio growth targets.
• Proactive and independent worker with the ability to take initiative and work with minimal supervision.
• Strong communication, negotiation, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working in SME lending, microfinance, fintech, commercial banking, or a similar financial services environment is an advantage.