Loan Manager
Level of education (at least 12 to 14 years) is less important than proven experience in managing and motivating people. Expertise in microfinance is not necessary however, the individual should have excellent knowledge of the target population. The Manager reports to the Project Director and:

• designs and implements field activities
• hires, supervises and trains Field Agents
• holds regular meetings with Field Agents to review field activity
• visits groups to certify them
• manages loan disbursement with the Bookkeeper
• manages collections with the Field Agents

Bookkeeper
First, retain a very experienced accountant as a consultant to help set up bookkeeping systems and to supervise the first few monthly financial statements. A good consultant can help you hire the right Bookkeeper to maintain records.

As Bookkeeper, hire someone with 10 to 12 years of education with experience in accounting. He or she should be able to keep good records and post a monthly trial bal- ance. The Bookkeeper reports to the Project Director and:

• manages loan portfolio activity
• supervises general bookkeeping and financial management
• tracks loan disbursement, repayments and interest
• communicates with funding sources regarding loan capital
• works with the Project Director to create regular financial reports

Office Assistant
Hire someone with at least eight to ten years of educa- tion who is fluent in the native languages. The Office Assistant reports to the Project Director and:

• maintains communication between office and field
• supervises the office and general administrative activities.

Field Agents
Field Agents are the driving force of the project. They promote your services, form groups and manage clients. Field Agents should possess at least eight years of education and fluency in the languages of target communities.

Experience from around the world has shown that Field Agents can come from many diverse backgrounds, from teachers to social workers. The most important skill, however, is their knowledge of the local community.

Field Agents must be highly motivated individuals preferring field work to office work. They must be good at understanding and interacting with people. They should come from the kinds of communities you intend to serve. However, they should never be involved in processing loans in their home communities. Each Field Agent reports to the Loan Manager and:

• promotes the project in the selected communities
• develops and trains groups
• assists groups in the loan application process
• responds immediately to late loan payments
• collects loan payments (depending on arrangements with local banks)
• is responsible for the health of his/her loan portfolio.

Field Agents comprise the heart of the project. All revenue relates directly to the effectiveness of Field Agents. An ineffective Field Agent will linger behind a desk and bring your lending activities to a sluggish halt. An effective Field Agent will create vital, healthy and growing field activities. A qualified Field Agent capable of high performance is one who:

• has a professional manner
• demonstrates a personal commitment and strong connection to clients
• is a team player and helps establish a good rapport among staff
• is able to listen to clients and respect them
• is able to maintain objectivity in dealing with clients
• understands entrepreneurial vision
• is self-confident and able to inspire confidence
• is able to keep repayments on track.