Relationship Officer - Kitale

Role Overview

This position sits at the heart of our lending operations, where you will actively build and manage a portfolio of clients while driving both new business growth and timely repayments. Your daily work involves engaging with borrowers at every stage of the loan lifecycle, identifying early signs of repayment difficulty, and protecting the company's asset quality while preserving long-term customer relationships. Success in this role directly contributes to the stability of our loan book and the reputation we hold as a dependable financial partner.

Key Responsibilities

• Proactively prospect and onboard new clients while nurturing existing relationships to maintain a healthy and growing loan portfolio.
• Meet individual and team targets for loan disbursement, ensuring that approved credits are processed and released efficiently.
• Monitor repayment schedules and implement structured collection strategies to keep delinquency rates low and meet monthly collection goals.
• Negotiate workable repayment plans with clients facing temporary financial hardship, balancing empathy with the need to recover outstanding amounts.
• Act as the first point of contact for client inquiries regarding loan terms, payment options, and account status, providing clear and accurate guidance.
• Identify retention risks and take proactive steps to keep valuable clients engaged, including follow-up communication and tailored service solutions.
• Maintain up-to-date records of client interactions, payment commitments, and recovery actions in our internal tracking systems.
• Flag suspected fraud or misrepresentation during the application or collection process and escalate concerns to management promptly.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, finance, accounting, economics, or a closely related field.
• At least two years of hands-on experience as a loan officer, collection officer, or relationship officer in a formal lending environment.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate clearly and professionally with clients of diverse backgrounds, both verbally and in writing.
• Strong customer service mindset, with a proven track record of resolving client issues in a way that builds trust and loyalty.
• Solid negotiation skills, including the ability to handle pushback and reach mutually acceptable repayment outcomes.
• Comfortable working with numerical data, loan tracking tools, and basic office software to manage accounts and prepare reports.
• Self-motivated and organised, with the capacity to manage a busy pipeline of clients and meet deadlines consistently.