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Customer Representative-West Africa

JOB SUMMARY

Company Ghana HR Solu...
Industry Not-for-profi...
Category Customer Serv...
Location Accra
Job Status Full-time
Salary Not Specify
Education Bachelor̵...
Experience 5 years
Job Expires Mar 23, 2019
Contact Narki
 

Job Description

Our client, a trade financial co-operative company is currently looking to recruit an efficient and proactive Customer Representative to support their operations in Ghana.

ROLE PROFILE

The successful candidate will support the Regional Development Executive, West Africa (RDE WA) in delivering new business by developing and building contacts in region and helping to draft proposals for lending.

He/She will develop relationships with existing customers through regular contact and visits as required. He/She will act as main point of contact when RDE WA is absent from the office.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Core Tasks

  • Assist the RDE WA to maximise lending income, in line with corporate objectives, business plan, lending targets and lending limits.
  • Assist the RDE WA to deliver new lending proposals for the region, collating key data, inputting and analysing financials and preparing written proposals ensuring they are in line with credit policy.
  • Conduct the annual review of customer facilities ensuring that all required information is submitted. Requests facility increases as required.
  • Follow up any customers not fully utilising their facilities or where further investigation is required (e.g. bad debts).
  • Handle customer transactions and requests on daily basis.
  • Develop and maintains excellent relationships with both new and existing customers through effective communication (telephone, Skype, email, letter, etc.).
  • Manage a portfolio of existing customers, carrying out agreed visit plans and providing detailed visit reports.
  • Attend trade fairs, partner forums and other ad hoc activities involving customers & potential customers as required by the RDE WA.
  • Assist the RDE to organise a yearly producer meeting.
  • Develop relationships with networks and partners within the region.
  • Assist the RDE WA to keep up-to-date with competitors’ activities in the region.
  • Act as main point of contact when the RDE WA is overseas or absent from the office.
  • Willingness and ability to travel widely (occasionally alone) within the region and overseas.
  • Manage administrative tasks for the regional office, to include maintaining the files and databases, office supplies/paperwork, organising travel arrangements, assisting with expense reports.
  • Manage the external service providers such as office tenancy, security, cleaning, internet and other utilities.

People

  • Communicate regularly with the RDE WA to ensure good information and workflow and no duplication.
  • Work closely with East Africa and UK colleagues as required.
  • Build and maintains relationships with both new and existing customers.
  • Maintain relationships with other social lenders.
  • Maintain relationships with key networks (regional initiatives of WFTO and other regional FT & certifying bodies).

Key Business reporting and administration

  • Keep RDE WA abreast of the status of proposals in the pipeline, of travel plans and budgets (travel & operational budgets).
  • Provide regular updates to the RDE WA during and on return from travelling.
  • Provide regular updates to the Lending Team regarding reviews and customers in arrears.
  • Update the various business trackers and records on regular basis.
  • Prepare and submits income and arrears reports on monthly basis.
  • Maintain accurate records using the agreed systems and ensures all local customer files are well organised with all documentation in English as well as the local language.
  • Contribute to the overall Lending Team documentation, making recommendations for improvement as and when required (e.g. proposals, customer relationship database, reporting etc.)
  • Provide all relevant input (e.g. pipeline business, barriers/issues to achieving objectives and deadlines) to allow quarterly results assessments by the RDE WA.
  • Assist in the business planning process supporting the RDE WA.
  • Provide case studies, articles and other reporting/internal communication as required in a format suitable for publication in customers’ and members’ newsletters and Shared Interest Social Accounts.
  • Maintain accurate records using the agreed systems and ensures all local customer files are well organised with all documentation in English as well as the local language.
  • Contribute to the overall Lending Team documentation, making recommendations for improvement as and when required (e.g. proposals, customer relationship database, reporting etc.)
  • Provide all relevant input (e.g. pipeline business, barriers/issues to achieving objectives and deadlines) to allow quarterly results assessments by the RDE WA.
  • Assist in the business planning process supporting the RDE WA.
  • Provide case studies, articles and other reporting/internal communication as required in a format suitable for publication in customers’ and members’ newsletters and Shared Interest Social Accounts.

 Miscellaneous

  • Carrie out any other work necessary to maintain excellent customer service, and any other duties commensurate with this post, or as reasonably requested by senior management.

Required Skills or Experience

  • Degree level or equivalent (ideally in business, sales, finance or marketing or equivalent training in business or sales management)
  • 5-10 years’ experience of working in a customer-facing role

REQUIREMENTS

  • Excellent customer relationship management skills
  • Aptitude in credit appraisal and able to understand and interpret financial reports and information
  • Sound business analysis skills
  • Experience of working in and being sensitive to different cultures
  • Detail-conscious and accurate
  • Excellent report writing
  • Experience of working and building relationships, with others who are based remotely and good at building and managing relationships by phone
  • Excellent communication, influencing and listening skills, including presentation skills and verbal and written communications with a wide range of people from different backgrounds
  • Results-focused, evidence of achievement of meeting and exceeding sales targets
  • Excellent team-working and team-building skills
  • Excellent networking skills
  • Experience of working internationally
  • Ability to deliver to tight deadlines – a completer/finisher
  • Extensive local, regional knowledge
  • IT literate – MS Office and the internet
  • Self-motivated proactive, Organised and able to use initiative, work remotely and to priorities in a multi-task environment

Desirable

  • Experience of working with SMEs/co-operatives
  • Experience in a lending environment
  • Experience of developing and maximizing partnerships with other organizations e.g. NGOs, banks etc.
  • International Development background (Fair Trade an advantage)
  • An understanding of the agriculture sector

Essential

  • Strong social motivation: commitment to, and empathy with, the aims and objectives of the Society and Foundation
  • Flexibility: In general, Shared Interest is a small organisation, you may well be asked to cover for other members of staff during sickness, annual leave etc. As our clients work across different time zones, you will also need to be flexible regarding your hours of work
  • Team working: as Shared Interest is a small organisation, getting along with your colleagues is essential. As part of your personal development programme, you will be asked to be a member of various cross-departmental project teams in order to meet specific objectives
  • Fair trade and overseas development: it is essential for our employees to have an understanding of the main issues
  • Ability to work with less supervision

How To Apply

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