Micro-Finance Assistant at Islamic Relief

Islamic Relief Kenya in its pursuit to support and strengthen its operations, seeks to employ motivated, hardworking, and pro-active individuals to fill in the following position.

Reporting To:                             Programme Manager

Base Location:                                          70% Kajiado and 30% Nairobi

Responsible for:                       

Overall Purpose

The Microfinance Assistant main role involves planning and managing the micro credit and other Micro Finance activities at field levels in accordance with policies and procedures established by the Islamic Relief management. The post holder is also expected to assist in product development and promotion, provide capacity building and technical assistance to, stakeholders and the beneficiaries in micro enterprise on various identified thematic topics.  The Micro-finance assistant will monitors the project progress and provide feedback of ongoing activities to the Programme Manager, proposing adjustments in annual implementation plans according to emerging community needs and priorities. Also, She/He is expected to ensure proper reporting and monitoring.

Key Responsibilities

• Responsible for the overall field coordination, management & implementation of the micro-finance intervention
• Ensure micro-finance programme activities are implemented according to the annual work plan while maintaining the flexibility to shift priorities according to the changing context.
• Monitor in regular basis recovery status micro loans from their groups.
• Support the area-based development and usage of microfinance services in the pilot areas identified by the project.
• Maintain and develop effective and insightful monitoring procedures and build the capacity of the local authorities in micro-finance.
• Identify the groups and clients, their capacity building and training needs, particularly as they relate to micro-finance.
• Provide regular narrative reports to the programme Manager with major achievements, challenges, and recommendations.
• Ensure key lessons and best practices from the project are documented and shared with all key stakeholders.
• Support the development of local level micro-finance plans and strengthening of community groups in planning, implementation and awareness raising, integrating traditional knowledge and a focus on savings.
• Provide technical support to groups for their sustainability by developing linkages and network, by providing training on group management and financial management.
• Formulate plans to provide trainings needed at various levels and different phases of the project and support to conduct training.
• Supervise and monitor groups & microfinance training on regular basis to ensure that activities are conducted as planned.
• Monitor the market opportunities of the groups and provide technical support for types of loan and saving product, repayment rate and other members.
• Monitor the efficiency of group executive committee, and sub-committee members and provide technical support.
• Prepare a monthly progress report detailing the activities performed during the month, highlighting achievements, and making recommendations for future activities
• Fulfil any additional assignment as deem necessary by the organization and/or as assigned by Line manager

Qualifications/Experience/Skills

• Bachelor’s in business management (finance option) or related field
•  Required experience in credit Micro Finance, Economics, Agribusiness with at least 3 years of humanitarian work.
• Ability to work on your own initiative as well as a part of a team.
• Proven analytical skills and ability to think strategically.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbally and in writing (both in English and Kiswahili, local language will be an added advantage)
• Excellent understanding of Sharia Compliant Micro finance programmes.
• Good operational and working knowledge of Micro credit.
• Effective IT Skills (Microsoft Office).
• Planning, narrative, and financial reporting skills.
• Communication, tact, and negotiation skills.
• Conceptual understanding of participatory approach and sustainable development
• Problem solving.
• Flexible and patientProgrammes.

Desirable

• Knowledge of local language
• Willing to travel to the remote areas
• Sympathetic with aims, values & objectives of Islamic Relief.
• Knowledge of computer package, such as excel, word, PPT etc.