The Near East Foundation (NEF) is seeking candidates for a Credit Officer position to be based in Damascus, Syria. NEF is a non-profit international development organization that has supported livelihoods recovery and community-based economic development in the Middle East, Africa, and Caucasus since 1915. NEF draws on local teams, experience, and partnerships in these regions to create community-led solutions to improve livelihoods and local governance among conflict and crisis-affected groups, while maintaining neutrality and ensuring inclusiveness in our approach. Working through a network of country offices and local partners, NEF has operations in ten countries: Armenia, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Mali, Morocco, Palestine, Sudan, South Sudan, and Syria. Our programs are organized around three pillars: Inclusive Economic Development, Climate-resilient Development, and Stabilization and Peacebuilding.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

NEF has launched a revolving credit fund to empower local entrepreneurs in north Syria by facilitating MSMEs & agricultural businesses' access to finance. The Credit Officer will work under the supervision of the Credit Manager to evaluate applicants’ creditworthiness, provide credit recommendations, and provide needed operational support.

Main duties include:

Conduct credit assessment to evaluate applicants’ creditworthiness based on financial, operational, and market indicators, as well as any additional criteria specific to each project.
Maintain accurate and complete documentation of credit reports, loan applications, and other relevant information and supporting documents.
Coordinate and follow up with the day-to-day lending operations.
Support the continuous development of the loan processing mechanism.
Provide the needed support in other aspects of the project implementation as needed.
Operate in compliance with laws and regulations and adhere to lending compliance guidelines and donors’ requirements.
Support portfolio quality management by implementing effective collection strategies, minimizing delinquency, and promoting sustainable repayment practices.
Collaborate closely with field teams to ensure accurate borrower verification, business assessments, and post-disbursement follow-up on loan utilization and business performance.
Support the rescheduling and restructuring of loans as needed to sustain portfolio health and borrowers viability.
Ensure full compliance with NEF’s internal controls, ethical standards, and all applicable financial regulations governing microfinance and lending activities.
Perform any other tasks as requested.
Qualifications:

BS degree in accounting or a related field.
1-3 years of relevant experience in the MFI or banking sector.
Excellent understanding of MSMEs' loan products and credit analysis.
Experience in agri. Lending is highly preferable.
Excellent Microsoft Office skills.
Excellent numerical skills.
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills in English and Arabic.
Position Criteria

Builds and maintains effective relationships with colleagues and external partners, in both in-person and remote contexts.
Flexible, solution-oriented, and committed to programmatic excellence.
Experience working in fragile and conflict-affected contexts is preferred.
Stay abreast of new types of business loans and latest lending practices, as well as the digitization of financial services.

Please send your resume/CV