About BPN

BPN (Business Professionals Network) is a Swiss non-profit organization that strives to support the development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), in order to create jobs and fight poverty.

BPN provides coaching, capacity building as well as networking opportunities to SMEs so they can grow their businesses sustainably.

Job Overview

The Access to Finance Officer is responsible for assessing and evaluating financing applications from qualified entrepreneurs, facilitating access to appropriate financing opportunities, and managing disbursements and repayments in alignment with BPN’s financial support framework.

The role includes assessing financial capacity and creditworthiness, approving or recommending credit within delegated authority levels, evaluating risk exposure, and ensuring compliance with internal policies and applicable regulations.

The position contributes to building a sustainable, high-performing portfolio while supporting the growth of SMEs in Rwanda.

The role also supports financing mechanisms within BPN programs, including facilities such as the Catalytic Fund under the Grow 2 Scale (G2S) program, through sound credit assessment, monitoring, and portfolio management.

Reporting & Structure

Reporting Line: Head of Finance and Operations

Replaced by (his/her deputy): Designated team member within Finance & Operations

Supervising: N/A

Replaces (deputy to): N/A

Department: Finance & Operations

Division: Corporate Services

Key Responsibilities

1. Credit Evaluation and Analysis (30%)

• Assess and analyze credit applications submitted by entrepreneurs to determine their creditworthiness
• Review financial statements, business plans, and other relevant documentation to evaluate risks and make informed decisions
• Recommend appropriate credit limits and terms based on findings, ensuring alignment with organization’s policies
• Perform due diligence to verify the accuracy of the entrepreneur's financial situation and background

2. Credit Administration (30%)

• Ensure all necessary documentation is completed, reviewed, and filed in accordance with organizational procedures and credit policies
• Verify the accuracy of credit applications, ensuring they align with the established criteria for qualification
• Maintain up-to-date credit files and manage all associated administrative tasks

3. Risk Management, Monitoring and Recovery (25%)

• Monitor the performance of credit issued to entrepreneurs, identify potential risks, and implement mitigation strategies
• Follow up on payments in a timely manner and proactively engage with entrepreneurs to develop and implement loan recovery plans
• Assist in loan restructuring where appropriate and recommend escalation measures for non-performing loans in line with internal policies
• Ensure compliance with internal credit risk guidelines and regularly review any exceptions or deviations

4. Customer Relationship Management (15%)

• Build and maintain positive relationships with entrepreneurs to support their success and ensure they understand repayment expectations
• Address inquiries related to credit terms, payments, and restructuring of credit facilities
• Guide entrepreneurs through the credit process, from application to repayment and recovery, fostering a responsible credit culture

5. Reporting and Compliance (5%)

• Prepare and submit timely reports detailing credit performance, risk levels, outstanding debt, and recovery efforts for management review
• Ensure adherence to internal policies, Rwandan financial sector regulations (including those governing microcredit or business development services), and relevant international best practices
• Stay informed on industry trends and adjust internal practices as necessary to maintain a responsible credit and recovery system

6. Team Collaboration (5%)

• Work closely with other departments to ensure credit and recovery processes align with organizational goals
• Collaborate with other team members and support knowledge sharing to improve overall team performance
• Assist in mentoring or training junior staff to build capacity within the team

Key Performance Expectations

The Credit / Access to Finance Officer will be evaluated not only on the quality and timeliness of credit assessments and credit performance, but also on their contribution to entrepreneur business growth and sustainability.

Key performance indicators include:

• Credit processing turnaround time
• Percentage of performing vs. non-performing credit cases
• Entrepreneur satisfaction and feedback
• Contribution to refining access-to-finance processes and risk frameworks
• Internal audit and compliance review results

Skills, Qualifications and Experience

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance or any other related field

Experience

At least 3–5 years of experience in finance, credit, accounting or related field

Attitude & Values

At BPN, every employee is expected to:

• Have a learning attitude and drive their own development
• Be creative in finding solutions
• Be an active listener
• Be entrepreneur-centric
• Strive to perform beyond strict job content with high ownership

Key Competencies

• Sound understanding of financial sector regulations in Rwanda, particularly regarding credit practices
• Excellent communication skills, particularly in building and maintaining customer relationships
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and time management skills
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and prioritize effectively
• Proven experience in credit analysis or risk management, preferably in a non-financial institution or business development context
• Strong understanding of credit evaluation processes and entrepreneur risk assessment
• Creative thinking and strategic mindset
• Strong data-driven decision-making skills
• High ethical conduct

• Assess and analyze credit applications submitted by entrepreneurs to determine their creditworthiness
• Review financial statements, business plans, and other relevant documentation to evaluate risks and make informed decisions
• Recommend appropriate credit limits and terms based on findings, ensuring alignment with organization’s policies
• Perform due diligence to verify the accuracy of the entrepreneur's financial situation and background
• Ensure all necessary documentation is completed, reviewed, and filed in accordance with organizational procedures and credit policies
• Verify the accuracy of credit applications, ensuring they align with the established criteria for qualification
• Maintain up-to-date credit files and manage all associated administrative tasks
• Monitor the performance of credit issued to entrepreneurs, identify potential risks, and implement mitigation strategies
• Follow up on payments in a timely manner and proactively engage with entrepreneurs to develop and implement loan recovery plans
• Assist in loan restructuring where appropriate and recommend escalation measures for non-performing loans in line with internal policies
• Ensure compliance with internal credit risk guidelines and regularly review any exceptions or deviations
• Build and maintain positive relationships with entrepreneurs to support their success and ensure they understand repayment expectations
• Address inquiries related to credit terms, payments, and restructuring of credit facilities
• Guide entrepreneurs through the credit process, from application to repayment and recovery, fostering a responsible credit culture
• Prepare and submit timely reports detailing credit performance, risk levels, outstanding debt, and recovery efforts for management review
• Ensure adherence to internal policies, Rwandan financial sector regulations (including those governing microcredit or business development services), and relevant international best practices
• Stay informed on industry trends and adjust internal practices as necessary to maintain a responsible credit and recovery system
• Work closely with other departments to ensure credit and recovery processes align with organizational goals
• Collaborate with other team members and support knowledge sharing to improve overall team performance
• Assist in mentoring or training junior staff to build capacity within the team

• Sound understanding of financial sector regulations in Rwanda, particularly regarding credit practices
• Excellent communication skills, particularly in building and maintaining customer relationships
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and time management skills
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously and prioritize effectively
• Proven experience in credit analysis or risk management, preferably in a non-financial institution or business development context
• Strong understanding of credit evaluation processes and entrepreneur risk assessment
• Creative thinking and strategic mindset
• Strong data-driven decision-making skills
• High ethical conduct

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance or any other related field
• At least 3–5 years of experience in finance, credit, accounting or related field