Enterprise Finance & Credit Manager, Damascus, Syria

Near East Foundation

Position Title: Enterprise Finance & Credit Manager

Location: Damascus, Syria Reports To: Country Director Type: Full-time.

About Near East Foundation

Since 1915, Near East Foundation (NEF) has worked across the Middle East, Africa, and the Caucasus to expand economic opportunity, strengthen resilience, and support recovery in underserved and crisis-affected markets. Working through local teams, country offices, and partners, NEF combines deep field presence with a practical, broad network of long-term partners and scalable approaches that support enterprise growth, livelihoods, and locally led development.

For candidates coming from enterprise finance or investment backgrounds, NEF offers the opportunity to apply structuring, partnership, and financing skills in markets where well-designed capital can have outsized impact and where innovative models can influence how enterprise finance works in some of the world's most challenging and dynamic environments.

Position Description: The Credit Manager is responsible for leading credit operations and portfolio management across the organization's enterprise financing programs in Syria. The role combines strategic and operational oversight of credit risk, fund liquidity, product performance, donor compliance, and cross-departmental coordination. The Credit Manager ensures the sustainability and impact of credit operations in line with organizational goals.

Key Responsibilities and Duties: -Fund & Portfolio Management

Financial Oversight & Risk Management

• Track and analyze key portfolio performance indicators: repayment rates, portfolio at risk (PAR), default/write-off rates, client retention, and yield.
• Ensure appropriate provisioning for loan losses and advise on risk diversification to mitigate over-concentration.

Fund Liquidity & Revolving Fund Health

• Oversee cash flow modeling to ensure balanced disbursements and collections.
• Maintain adequate liquidity buffers to support timely disbursements and financial obligations.

Portfolio Strategy & Optimization

• Advise on portfolio composition, including sectoral and geographical diversification, and risk mitigation mechanisms.
• Monitor trends and detect early warning signs (e.g., spikes in delinquency) to recommend responsive actions.

Portfolio Reporting

• Develop and deliver periodic performance dashboards and analysis for internal leadership and external stakeholders.

-Credit Operations & Loan Management

• Oversee end-to-end credit operations across Syria, including loan origination, disbursement, repayment monitoring, restructuring, and compliance.
• Review and approve loan applications in accordance with organizational policy and regulatory standards.
• Identify gaps and enhance operational procedures to improve efficiency and reduce risk.
• Coordinate with Finance for cash flow planning and financial reporting alignment.
• Design and implement tailored loan envelopes aligned with program needs and donor expectations.

Product Oversight

• Lead product design and periodic review to ensure relevance, impact, and risk alignment.
• Work closely with program and finance teams to align loan products with programmatic goals and funding requirements.

-Stakeholder Engagement & Strategic Partnerships

• Strategic Partnerships & External Engagement
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with relevant governmental financial institutions, regulatory authorities, microfinance institutions (MFIs), banks, financial service providers, business support organizations, local implementing partners, and other key actors within Syria's financial ecosystem.
• Represent NEF in technical coordination forums and financial sector working groups, identify partnership opportunities, facilitate referrals and co-financing arrangements where appropriate, and strengthen collaboration to expand access to sustainable enterprise finance.

-Lending Management System (LMS) Oversight

• Monitor and troubleshoot system issues, ensuring resolution in collaboration with technical teams.
• Test and implement new system features to enhance credit workflow efficiency.
• Manage user access, roles, and permissions to safeguard data integrity.

• Provide ongoing training to credit teams on policy compliance, risk mitigation, and system use.
• Develop manuals and training materials to support operational consistency.
• Collaborate with MEAL, Program, and Finance teams to ensure alignment in planning, monitoring, and delivery.
• Use MEAL insights to inform credit strategies and improve client outcomes.
• Lead the capacity strengthening of local financial partners and implementing organizations through structured mentoring, coaching, and Training of Trainers approaches.
• Develop practical guidance, standard operating procedures, and technical learning plans to enhance institutional capacity in credit management, risk assessment, portfolio management, and enterprise finance, ensuring long-term sustainability and localization of financial services.

-Donor Reporting & Policy Compliance

• Prepare and contribute to credit-related sections in donor reports and funding proposals.
• Ensure credit activities meet donor guidelines and reporting standards.
• Maintain strong relationships with donors and respond to compliance-related inquiries.

-Qualifications & Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in finance, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field (Master's preferred).
• At least 7 years of progressive experience in credit management, loan operations, or financial services.
• Proven leadership in managing credit teams and operations in complex settings.
• Proficiency in financial analysis and Loan Management Systems.
• Strong analytical, decision-making, and communication skills.
• Experience in donor-funded programs and familiarity with Middle East contexts (especially Syria and Jordan) is an asset.

Review of applications will begin immediately. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

To apply: Please apply by submitting the following documents:

• Cover letter outlining relevant experience and skills based on the requirements outlined above
• Curriculum Vitae
• List of three references (including one from current, or most recent, employer)

NEF welcomes and encourages applications from all genders, backgrounds, religions, cultures, nationalities and abilities.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Near East Foundation by visiting the NEF website at www.neareast.org.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Pre-employment Checks

Any Employment with the Near East Foundation will be subject to the following checks before start date:

• A satisfactory Restricted Party Screening.
• Receipt of satisfactory references.
• Workplace Verification Check.

NEF's strength is its people. Our team is our fuel to achieving the innovation, quality programming, community focus, mutual trust, sustainability, and learning needed to realize our mission. To help our team thrive, we support a working structure that prioritizes flexibility, personal commitments, and staff well-being while promoting a work culture of teamwork, collaboration, respect, integrity, and excellence.

As an international organization, we value a truly diverse workforce and prioritize a culture of inclusivity and belonging. We strive to create a high-achieving work environment informed by different cultures, perspectives, and experiences. With a commitment to diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion in all we do, our aim is to ensure that people feel heard, protected, and empowered to contribute to NEF's mission from day one.

Commitment to Safeguarding

As a global organization serving some of the world's most vulnerable communities, the Near East Foundation takes the safeguarding of its program participants, staff, volunteers, and partners seriously. To that end, the Near East Foundation is a member of the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, and will systematically check with previous employers about any sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment issues relating to potential new hires. We may also employ other robust pre-hire screens, including in-depth reference checks, criminal background checks, and sanctions screens. procedures. The Near East Foundation expects all program participants, staff, volunteers, and partners to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of these recruitment.