Relationship Officer-Collections 

Description

Equity Bank is one of the region’s leading banks whose purpose is to transform the lives and livelihoods of the people of Africa socially and economically by availing them modern and inclusive financial services that maximize their opportunities. With a strong footprint in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, South Sudan and DRC Congo, Equity Bank is now home to over 12 million customers – the largest customer base in Africa. Currently the Bank is seeking additional talent to serve in the role outlined below:

Job Purpose:

This role is responsible for monitoring loan portfolio allocated to ensure its quality is in line with the Bank’s projections and that any variations are promptly addressed, planning and executing accurate collection of customer’s accounts in arrears including engaging customers to ensure minimal slippage of loans to the next classification.

Key Responsibilities:  

• Contact debtors by phone or through correspondence obtain payments, establish payment schedules and renegotiate payment schedules.
• Take actions to encourage timely debt payments to avoid aging of unpaid loans/accounts.
• Reconcile customer disputes pertaining to payment of outstanding loan balances that are due.
• Ensure defined department Collections goals are met.
• Provide customer service for the Credit collection services.
• Document all collections efforts of the accounts he/she had handled in the online credit collection system.
• Encourage the culture of saving by encouraging customers to make regular deposits for savings and not only making deposits to pay the loan.
• Business awareness -Be able to align collection to current business trends.
• Time Management -Ability to effectively manage one’s time to complete work according to established deadlines. The ability to prioritize tasks to make the best use of time

Qualifications & Experience:

• University degree in a business-related field or its equivalent.
• Minimum grade of C+ (plus) Mathematics, English/Kiswahili.
• Mean grade of C+ (plus) and above in KCSE exams.
• Computer Literacy
• Minimum years of experience 1 to 2 years in any early debt collections environment.  

Key Competencies and Skills 

• Patience and Listening skills -An active listener
• Resilient and persistent – Ability to withstand hostility from debtors
• Assertive and confident -Firm communication to debtors on expectations.
• Conflict resolution – Ability to handle disputes amicably and at times counselling debtors.
• Adaptability- Ability to adapt to approaches based on debtor’s situation.
• Self-control and emotion intelligence – Ability to manage emotions irrespective of how difficult an issue.
• Negotiation skill -Ability to find a middle ground or a win – win situation on the preferred ground.
• Good communicator – both orally and in writing during negotiations
• Creativity skills -Ability to give other options to close cases without hurting the customer.

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