Gulf African Bank, a leading fully Shari’ah-compliant financial institution in Kenya, continues to uphold its mission of providing innovative financial solutions that uphold the highest ethical and professional standards. As part of our commitment to excellence and continued growth, we are seeking to hire a dynamic and experienced professional for the position of Credit Analyst, SME, based in Nairobi.
This is an outstanding opportunity for an individual passionate about Islamic banking and SME credit management to contribute to the strategic objectives of a growing bank while advancing their career in a reputable financial institution. The position is permanent and offers the successful candidate the opportunity to work closely with the Senior Manager, Credit, in supporting the bank’s SME portfolio growth, ensuring prudent credit risk management and regulatory compliance.
Position: Credit Analyst, SME
Advert Number: 4783/2025
Location: Nairobi
Department: Credit Risk
Reports to: Senior Manager, Credit
Employment Type: Permanent
Number of Positions: 1
Application Deadline: 11 July 2025
Job Overview
The Credit Analyst, SME will play a critical role in managing and evaluating SME credit applications and monitoring the overall health of the bank’s SME portfolio. This involves conducting thorough and independent analyses of credit reviews, identifying risk exposures, ensuring adherence to compliance requirements, and making recommendations for improvement. The successful candidate will contribute directly to the growth of the SME asset book, while maintaining asset quality within acceptable parameters.
Key Responsibilities
1. Credit Risk Analysis and Portfolio Monitoring
- Conduct detailed, independent credit analyses of SME loan applications, providing clear summaries and recommendations for review and decision-making.
- Assess creditworthiness by evaluating financial statements, business plans, sectoral risks, and historical payment trends.
- Monitor and analyze the performance of the SME portfolio by product and sector to assess the risk profile and assign appropriate risk grades based on the bank’s credit policy manual.
- Support asset book growth by ensuring new SME business is of good quality and within acceptable risk levels.
2. Operational Credit Support
- Review SME credit applications submitted by Branch and Relationship Managers to ensure completeness of documentation.
- Liaise with the originating units to address any deficiencies in submitted documents as per the credit checklist.
- Track daily inward cheque reports and excesses, verifying proper authorization and flagging any anomalies to safeguard the bank from unauthorized exposure.
- Prepare a variety of internal reports and performance dashboards for management review and decision-making.
- Update and refine the credit policy in line with changing financing conditions and regulatory frameworks.
3. Policy Development and Compliance
- Ensure full compliance with both internal and external regulatory requirements governing credit and financing operations.
- Enforce adherence to the approved conditions for credit facilities.
- Monitor compliance with the bank’s credit policies and procedures, ensuring consistent application across the institution.
- Uphold Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to support internal efficiency and quality service delivery to clients.
4. Strategic Credit Advisory
- Review new SME financing products and enhancements to existing ones, ensuring alignment with regulatory frameworks and bank risk appetite.
- Provide informed input during product development cycles to ensure proper risk mitigation is built into offerings targeted at SME customers.
- Act as an advisor on credit risk matters within the SME segment, providing data-driven insights for decision-making.
5. Public Relations and Corporate Image
- Represent the bank’s values in all engagements with clients and the public.
- Maintain high ethical standards and professionalism that reflect positively on the bank’s reputation in the market.
- Promote Islamic banking principles through accurate and reliable advisory services.
Required Experience
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in banking, specifically within a lending function, and at least 3 years in a credit analysis role.
- Strong exposure to credit risk management, financial statement evaluation, and SME sector analysis.
Professional Skills and Expertise
- Bachelor’s degree in Commerce (Accounting Option) or any other analytical/business-related field.
- Professional qualifications such as CPA or equivalent are required.
- Strong understanding of credit risk concepts, financial analysis techniques, and risk grading methodologies.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
- Familiarity with relevant lending products and credit assessment tools.
- Understanding of the legal and regulatory environment governing credit facilities in Kenya.
Key Competencies and Personal Attributes
- Excellent analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex financial data.
- Strong numerical and business plan analysis abilities.
- Effective decision-making skills to balance risk and opportunity.
- Solid problem-solving capabilities in evaluating credit scenarios and proposing solutions.
- Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written, for reporting and stakeholder engagement.
- Good organizational and time management skills, able to prioritize tasks and manage workloads under tight deadlines.
- Meticulous attention to detail and ability to spot inconsistencies or irregularities in financial data.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion.
Why Join Gulf African Bank?
Gulf African Bank is not just a financial institution — it is a platform for excellence, innovation, and purpose-driven growth. As Kenya’s premier Islamic bank, we pride ourselves on promoting ethical banking and inclusive financial access to individuals and enterprises that contribute meaningfully to the economy. Our supportive environment encourages professional development and fosters a culture of accountability and meritocracy.
In this role, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to influence credit policy, participate in shaping SME lending strategy, and grow their career in a progressive and principled institution. If you are passionate about contributing to a high-impact segment of the economy and meet the qualifications and expectations outlined, we encourage you to submit your application.
To apply for the position of Credit Analyst, SME, please send your application by email to the address provided in the job listing. Ensure your application includes a detailed CV, copies of academic and professional certificates, and a cover letter clearly highlighting your suitability for the role.
Application Deadline: 11 July 2025
Kindly note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. Gulf African Bank is an equal opportunity employer and encourages candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply.
