Financial Inclusion & Credit Partnerships Manager

Position Summary

Lead the design and deployment of agricultural credit products tailored for smallholder farmers/ Pastoralists/farmer Households and agri-MSMEs, while forging and managing partnerships with financial institutions (MFIs, (Ru) SACCOs, Banks). Ensure effective digitization of workflows, strong distribution networks, and sustained rollout support.

Key Responsibilities

1. Credit Product Design & Development (Core Focus)

• Lead end-to-end design of seasonal credit products (input, mechanization, post-harvest) leveraging market research and farmer insights
• Build and refine repayment models calibrated to agro-seasonal cash flow cycles.
• Define product strategies: pricing, terms, risk appetite, and customer experience milestones.

2. Market Research & Product Strategy

• Conduct farmer and partner interviews, market scanning, and competitor analysis to align product offerings with demand .
• Develop value propositions and go-to-market plans in collaboration with sales, marketing, and FI partners

3. FI Partnership Management & Digitization

• Cultivate strong relationships with MFIs, SACCOs, and banks—aligning on product, process, pricing, and risk frameworks.
• Support end-to-end digital workflow setup—from loan origination through disbursement and repayment tracking.

4. Distribution & Agent Network Enablement

• Recruit, train, and activate agent and cooperative networks to support last-mile loan servicing, applicant verification, and collections.
• Equip the field network with tools, SOPs, and performance KPIs for delivery and monitoring.

5. Risk Oversight & Capacity Building

• Monitor loan performance, credit indicators, and portfolio health; suggest mitigation measures like collateral, insurance, or segmentation.
• Lead training sessions for partner loan officers and field agents—covering product features, risk protocols, credit scoring, and compliance.

• Bachelor’s in Finance, Economics, Business, or related (Master’s preferred).
• 5+ years in microfinance, agri-lending, or rural credit — including at least 2 years in product design or management.
• Proven experience with MFIs, SACCOs, or cooperatives in product rollout and digital transformation.

Skills

• Deep understanding of rural/agricultural credit dynamics and farmer behavior.
• Expertise in digital financial services product design, credit risk, and financial modelling.
• Analytical, data-driven, with comfort using dashboards and KPIs.
• Excellent stakeholder management—capable of influencing internal teams and external partners.
• Strong communication and training skills; ability to transfer knowledge to diverse audiences.