Business Development Associate at Hempawa Consult

Position Overview

We are seeking four proactive, commercially minded and results-driven individuals to join a leading financial services organisation as Business Development Associates.

The successful candidates will be responsible for identifying and developing business opportunities, acquiring and managing customer relationships, and driving the uptake of the organisation\'s financial products and services, particularly SME loans.

The role combines business development, customer acquisition, loan origination and basic credit assessment. Candidates must be able to identify potential borrowers, verify customer information, assess business operations and determine whether prospective customers meet the organisation\'s loan eligibility requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify, map and develop business opportunities within assigned locations.
• Source and engage prospective customers, business owners, entrepreneurs and other eligible clients.
• Promote the organisation\'s financial products and services, particularly SME loan facilities.
• Generate qualified leads and convert prospects into active customers.
• Identify potential borrowers and support the loan origination process.
• Conduct field visits to verify customers\' identities, business locations, business activities and other relevant information.
• Assess prospective borrowers\' businesses, cash flows, repayment capacity and general creditworthiness.
• Gather and review relevant customer documentation to determine eligibility for loan facilities.
• Evaluate customer information against established credit requirements and recommend eligible applicants for further processing.
• Support customer onboarding, loan documentation and disbursement processes.
• Monitor existing loan customers and maintain regular engagement to track business activities and repayment performance.
• Follow up on outstanding repayments and promptly escalate potential repayment challenges or credit risks.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers, business owners and relevant stakeholders.
• Maintain accurate records of customer engagements, loan applications, field activities and business development efforts.
• Prepare and submit regular reports on leads generated, loan applications, customer verification, onboarding and business performance.
• Work towards assigned customer acquisition, loan origination and business development targets.

Candidate Profile and Qualifications

The ideal candidates should possess:

• A Bachelor\'s degree or HND in Business Administration, Marketing, Banking and Finance, Economics, Accounting or any relevant discipline.
• Relevant experience in business development, sales, SME lending, loan origination, microfinance, credit operations or financial services.
• Practical experience in sourcing loan customers, conducting customer verification and assessing loan eligibility will be a strong advantage.
• Understanding of basic credit assessment principles, including cash flow evaluation, repayment capacity and credit risk identification.
• Ability to assess business operations and identify viable customers for SME loan facilities.
• Strong communication, negotiation, analytical and interpersonal skills.
• Good customer relationship management, organisational and reporting skills.
• Ability to work independently, meet targets and deliver measurable results.
• Willingness to travel within assigned locations and conduct regular field visits.
• Candidates must reside in Kuje or its surrounding communities.

Why This Role Stands Out

• Opportunity to build a career in financial services, SME lending and business development.
• Practical exposure to loan originati
• Opportunity for professional growth and development.
• Competitive remuneration and performance-based incentives.