SME Business Credit/Loan Officer (Secured Loans)

Job title : SME Business Credit/Loan Officer (Secured Loans)

Purpose Statement

• We are seeking a highly driven and commercially focused SME Business Credit / Loan Officer to drive secured business loan disbursement across CredPal's SME and merchant portfolio. This role is responsible for originating, evaluating, and disbursing secured loans to qualified SMEs, while building a strong pipeline of business borrowers and maintaining high portfolio quality. You will actively source borrowers, engage merchants and business owners, convert qualified leads into approved loans, and ensure disciplined repayment behavior. The ideal candidate has strong SME networks, excellent credit assessment skills, and a proven ability to generate loan volume while maintaining portfolio quality.

Responsibilities

Loan Origination & Disbursement

• Source and originate secured SME loan opportunities including working capital loans, merchant financing, and asset-backed credit facilities.
• Achieve monthly loan disbursement targets for secured SME credit products.
• Maintain a strong and active loan pipeline from lead generation through approval and disbursement.

Lead Generation & Borrower Acquisition

• Identify and engage qualified SME borrowers across target sectors and business clusters.
• Build relationships with merchants, distributors, and SME operators to generate consistent loan opportunities.
• Drive high conversion rates from borrower onboarding to loan disbursement.

Credit Assessment & Documentation

• Evaluate borrower financials, collateral, and repayment capacity.
• Ensure proper documentation and verification of secured loan applications.
• Conduct field visits and due diligence where necessary.

Borrower Relationship Management

• Build strong relationships with SME clients to encourage repeat borrowing and long-term partnerships.
• Provide guidance to borrowers on suitable credit solutions aligned with their business needs.

Portfolio Monitoring & Repayment

• Monitor borrower repayment behavior and ensure timely loan servicing.
• Track delinquency trends and escalate potential repayment risks early.
• Support collections and recovery processes where required.

Market & Business Development

• Identify high-potential SME clusters, trade groups, and business networks for loan acquisition.
• Stay informed on SME financing trends, market demand, and competitor lending products.

Data & Reporting

• Maintain accurate records of loan pipelines, disbursement performance, and borrower activity.
• Provide regular reports on loan performance, borrower acquisition, and repayment metrics.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with credit risk, operations, and collections teams to ensure smooth loan processing and portfolio performance.

KPIs / Success Metrics

• Monthly Business Credit Disbursement Volume
• Number of Active Disbursed Business Accounts
• Daily / Weekly Disbursement per Channel
• Conversion Rate (Onboarding ? Disbursed)
• Portfolio at Risk (PAR) below benchmark
• Credit Repayment Collection Rate
• Pipeline Velocity & Conversion
• Repeat Borrowing Rate
• Average Ticket Size Growth
• Sales Productivity

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, or a related field; an MBA or relevant professional certification is an advantage.
• Minimum 4+ years of experience in SME lending, secured loans, microfinance, or commercial banking, preferably within fintech or high-growth lending environments.
• Proven track record of originating and closing SME loan opportunities while consistently meeting or exceeding aggressive disbursement targets.
• Strong hands-on experience with working capital loans, merchant financing, invoice financing, credit lines, or other secured lending products.
• Solid understanding of credit risk assessment, collateral evaluation, loan documentation, and portfolio performance management.
• Demonstrated ability to build and leverage strong SME and merchant networks to generate consistent borrower pipelines.
• Experience managing loan performance, collections processes, and delinquency control within SME lending portfolios.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to use dashboards, KPIs, and financial data to track performance and guide decision-making.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and relationship management skills with business owners and internal stakeholders.
• Highly execution-driven with the ability to operate in a fast-paced, target-driven credit and sales environment.