Role Description
The Credit / Loans Manager will be responsible for designing, implementing, and managing a robust credit risk assessment and loan management system to support Farm Warehouse's lease-to-own equipment financing model. The role ensures that productive used equipment is allocated to eligible and creditworthy rural smallholder farmers and MSMEs, while safeguarding the company's capital through effective risk assessment, monitoring, and recovery processes.
Key Responsibilities
Develop and implement credit appraisal frameworks tailored to rural smallholder farmers and MSMEs.
Conduct thorough credit assessments using both quantitative and qualitative tools, including cash flow analysis, character assessment, business viability, and asset use potential.
Establish client eligibility criteria and risk grading/scoring models appropriate for low-income and informal sector borrowers.
Verify client information through field assessments, guarantor checks, community references, and alternative data sources.
Design and continuously improve credit policies, procedures, and loan manuals in line with best practices in microfinance and asset financing.
Set up and manage credit monitoring systems, repayment tracking tools, and early warning indicators.
Ensure credit processes are compliant with regulatory, ethical, and internal governance standards.
Structure lease-to-own financing terms, including pricing, repayment schedules, tenors, security, and guarantees.
Ensure loan terms are commercially viable while remaining farmer- and MSME-friendly.
Oversee documentation, contract execution, and disbursement of equipment to approved clients.
Monitor loan performance, repayment trends, and portfolio quality on a continuous basis.
Track key portfolio metrics including repayment rates, portfolio at risk (PAR), defaults, and recoveries.
Identify early signs of distress and implement proactive mitigation strategies.
Prepare periodic credit and portfolio performance reports for management.
Design and implement structured repayment follow-up and collection processes.
Manage delinquent accounts, including restructuring, renegotiation, or enforcement actions where necessary.
Work with field teams to oversee asset recovery processes for defaulting clients in a fair, transparent, and ethical manner.
Work with field teams, community leaders, and partners to support repayment discipline.
Provide credit risk inputs to management for strategic decision-making and product design.
Train field staff on credit assessment, monitoring, and customer engagement best practices.
Maintain accurate credit records and documentation.
Produce regular management reports, risk dashboards, and policy recommendations.
Continuously review and improve credit models based on portfolio performance and field realities.
Qualifications & Skills
Education:
Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Accounting, Banking, Business Administration, or related field.
Experience:
3-5 years' proven experience in credit risk management, microfinance, asset financing, or development finance
Skills:
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and loan management systems.
Strong understanding of rural farmers finance, MSMEs, and informal sector lending.
Ability to work with rural and field-based teams and clients.
Practical understanding and cash-flow based lending.
Strong analytical and risk assessment skills.
Knowledge of lease-to-own or asset-backed financing models is a strong advantage.
Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
Proven experience in credit appraisal, loan monitoring, and recovery processes.
Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities.
High level of integrity, accountability, fairness, ethical judgment, and attention to detail.