Sacco Loan Issuance Officer

Role Overview

This position is central to a Sacco’s lending operations, handling the full cycle of member loan requests from initial receipt through to disbursement. The role involves deep credit analysis, strict adherence to the Sacco’s credit policy, and close collaboration with members to ensure borrowing decisions are both responsible and timely. By getting loan processing right, the jobholder directly protects the Sacco’s portfolio quality while enabling members to access the credit they need.

Key Responsibilities

• Receive, validate, and process member loan applications, making sure each file is complete before it moves to appraisal.
• Perform thorough credit assessments and confirm member eligibility against policy benchmarks such as repayment capacity, deposit history, income, guarantor strength, and credit record.
• Produce written loan appraisal reports that include a clear recommended decision for the approver.
• Check that every loan file is fully documented and compliant before any disbursement takes place.
• Disburse approved loans within the agreed turnaround times.
• Flag high-risk loan requests that fall outside normal policy parameters or show elevated default risk, and escalate them to the appropriate authority.
• Keep loan records accurate and up to date, and generate regular reports on processing volumes and portfolio health.
• Explain loan products and repayment terms clearly to members, and help grow the branch loan book through member engagement and promotion of suitable credit offerings.

Requirements & Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in finance, accounting, banking, business administration, economics, or a similar discipline.
• At least two years of hands-on experience in credit administration, loan appraisal, or lending, ideally gained within a Sacco, microfinance institution, or commercial bank.
• A solid grasp of credit appraisal methods and core lending principles.
• Comfortable using Microsoft Office tools and Sacco or core banking systems.
• A professional qualification in credit management would be an advantage.
• Strong analytical and financial assessment abilities, with the capacity to solve problems and make sound decisions.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, plus a customer-focused approach to service delivery.
• High integrity, professionalism, and respect for confidentiality.
• Keen attention to detail and accuracy.
• Able to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Capable of working both independently and collaboratively as part of a team.