Relationship Officer

Role Overview

You will be the front-line link between the institution and its clients, responsible for growing the loan portfolio while safeguarding repayment performance. Day to day, you will identify and onboard new borrowers, evaluate their financial standing, and stay closely engaged with existing clients to ensure every disbursement is followed by timely collection. Your ability to balance customer care with firm, tactful follow-up directly determines the health of the lending book and the trust clients place in the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Proactively source and attract new loan clients through referrals, outreach, and relationship building, while retaining and nurturing the existing customer base.
• Meet monthly and quarterly disbursement targets by converting qualified leads into approved loans and ensuring smooth, well-documented disbursement processes.
• Meet collection targets by closely monitoring repayment schedules, identifying defaults early, and initiating prompt follow-up with clients.
• Negotiate realistic repayment plans with clients facing financial difficulty, balancing the institution's interest with customer circumstances.
• Deliver quality customer service at every touchpoint, from first inquiry through loan maturity, addressing concerns quickly and professionally.
• Maintain complete, accurate records of client interactions, loan files, payment histories, and collection actions to support reporting and audit requirements.
• Collaborate with credit and operations teams to verify client information, assess repayment capacity, and escalate high-risk cases as needed.
• Represent the institution in a manner that strengthens long-term client loyalty and enhances its reputation in the community.

Requirements & Qualifications

• A bachelor's degree in business administration, finance, accounting, economics, marketing, or a related business field.
• At least 2 years of hands-on work experience as a loan officer, collection officer, or relationship officer in a bank, microfinance institution, or similar financial services setting.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to explain loan terms clearly and engage clients from diverse backgrounds.
• Demonstrated customer service skills, including patience, active listening, and the ability to de-escalate difficult conversations.
• Good negotiation skills, particularly in persuading clients to honour repayment commitments and reaching mutually acceptable settlement arrangements.
• A proven record of meeting disbursement and collection targets in a previous lending or collections role.
• Ability to work independently, prioritise a high-volume workload, and maintain composure under pressure.