Online Microfinance: Francophone Country Liaison

Zidisha Microfinance launched in 2009 as the world's first true person-to-person microlending platform, based on direct communication and transactions between lenders worldwide and borrowers in developing countries. We have an opening for a highly personable, French-speaking Francophone Country Liaison intern to use his/her talents and skills to support and develop our community of borrowers in Senegal and/or other West African countries.

This is a part-time or full-time "virtual volunteering" position that may be undertaken from any location in the world. Candidates are expected to dedicate a minimum of 10 hours per week to the position, on a flexible schedule which includes consistent availability of at least one hour per day on weekdays to review new loan applications and respond to francophone client emails.

Successful candidates will have a strong previous track record of paid or unpaid work for mission-driven organizations, a passion for advancing opportunities for entrepreneurs in the world's most marginalized communities, proficiency in written and spoken French, a high degree of responsibility and organization, and ability to independently manage ongoing daily communications responsibilities without an in-person supervisor.

Zidisha is a small and innovative start-up nonprofit organization. As such, the incumbent will have a good deal of freedom to propose and execute their own ideas and initiatives. Successful performance will have a major impact on the volume of loans financed and the quality of our francophone clients' experience with Zidisha, and interns will be directly involved in facilitating life-changing microcredit opportunities for some of the world's most disadvantaged entrepreneurs.

Job Description

The Francophone Country Liaison Intern is entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring that Zidisha's borrowers in francophone West Africa are always provided with timely, friendly and professional customer service.

As first line of contact with our clients, Country Liaison Interns, more than anyone else, determine the quality of our clients' borrowing experience and the resulting quality of their relationship with Zidisha.

Responsibilities

1. Ensure that Zidisha's francophone applicants and clients have access to quick, pleasant and professional assistance and support at any time.

• Respond to email customer service inquiries from francophone West African clients within one business day of receipt.
• Use our organization Skype account to assist francophone clients via SMS messaging as necessary.

2. Ensure that new applicants' profiles are reviewed thoroughly and timely.

• Work with Applicant Volunteer Team to review all incoming francophone borrower applications within one business day of receipt.
• Assist francophone borrower applicants to complete any missing information in their applications.
• Liaise with Zidisha's local organization verification partners in each francophone country to facilitate quick background checks of new applicants.
  

3. Ensure that Zidisha website is kept current with accurate loan disbursement and repayment information.

• Monitor online banking statement for your assigned country, and post all disbursement and repayment transactions to the Zidisha website within one business day of receipt.

4. Ensure that clients in your country have their funded loans disbursed promptly.

• Send disbursement forms for authorization and payment within one business day of loan funding.
• Coordinate with clients regarding next steps for receiving their loan disbursement payments.

5. Provide understanding, effective support to any members who experience difficulties in making on-time loan repayments.

• Contact members who miss scheduled loan repayment installments, and gain an understanding of the reason the payment was missed.
• If needed, assist the member to propose a new repayment schedule through their member account in the Zidisha website.
• If needed, enlist the assistance of local community members via telephone calls (from our organization's Skype account) to reestablish contact with any members we are unable to reach directly.
  

6. Develop familiarity and a friendly, professional rapport with the clients in your assigned country or countries.

• Follow the news and conduct basic background reading as needed to gain a familiarity with political, economic and cultural conditions in your assigned country or countries.
• As time permits, send personalized welcome messages to new clients in your country.
• Monitor comments and business updates posted by clients in your country. As time permits, send personalized responses to the clients who post comments.

7. Innovate!

• Propose creative ways to make the experience of Zidisha's francophone members even better.
• As applicable, execute your proposals to leave a lasting impact on our organization.

Qualifications

• Passion for our mission of advancing economic opportunities for marginalized communities.
• Proficiency in spoken and written French.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented.
• A high degree of dependability and strong time management skills.
• A warm, outgoing and helpful personality.
• Empathy, discretion and mature judgment.
• Skill in working with teams and in maintaining good communication at multiple levels.