Description

Organization Description

Hmong American Partnership (HAP) is a social service and community development organization whose mission is to empower the community to embrace the strengths of our cultures while achieving our potential. HAP accomplishes its mission by:

• Improving the lives of individuals and families in our diverse communities by providing culturally sensitive social services.
• Strengthening neighborhoods by providing housing, community, and economic development opportunities.
• Promoting the rich heritage of our ethnic communities.

HAP’s vision is to reach out to the world with profound social, economic, and educational transformation.

Primary Function of the Position

Under the direction of the Director of Economic Prosperity, the Business Development & Lending Associate will be responsible for HAP’s lending and business operations by providing personalized support through the client lending process, replying to internal and external inquiries related to the current status of customers accounts, processing account information, maintaining account records and payment schedules, communicating regularly with clients regarding education opportunities, events, and products. The position will be working with other Economic Prosperity team members to provide a cohesive, culturally mindful approach to small business lending and the economic development of under-resourced communities. The Business Development & Lending Associate will be responsible for underwriting business credit exposures for existing and prospective customers to assess credit quality and minimize risk and potential loss. This position’s work capacity includes resolving outstanding balances on customer accounts while maintaining good customer relations. This position will provide outreach initiatives and the implementation of meetings and workshops.

The candidate must demonstrate a strong work ethic, as well as integrity, accountability, and high performance in previous work experience. The best candidate for this position is someone who can align themselves with our outcomes-driven culture and understands the unique challenges of an immigrant and refugee population. We are looking for a high performer/achiever, someone who is innovative and has a pulse on the trends of lending and financial services, specifically as it relates to Hmong, Southeast Asians, and immigrant and refugee populations. 

The candidate must have experience in customer service and administrative office settings providing financial and lending services, specifically working with hard-to-serve, under-resourced populations, e.g., immigrants and refugees, English Language Learners, and/or English as a Second Language. This position works closely with HAP staff and external partners to strengthen our clients’ abilities to create, expand, and launch new businesses and enterprises. 

Position Responsibilities

Loan Administration and Account Management

• Client consultation to discuss their financial needs.
• Compile loan applications and present credit memos to Loan Review Committee.
• Ensure that all appropriate account documentation is obtained and maintained.
• Provide assistance and ongoing communication to each loan client through the application to approval process.
• Review and analyze credit reports, income documents, and other relevant information.
• Assess risk associated with applicants and their request.
• Prepare and review loan closing documents.
• Notifies Accounting of delinquent accounts per policy and coordinates efforts across teams to collect on past due balances.
• Inform clients about missing paperwork and payment due dates in accordance with Lending Policy and HAP compliance policies.
• Ensure all past-due accounts receive communications in accordance with the current collections policy.
• Records information about the financial status of the client/borrower and the status of collection efforts.
• Closely monitors collection of accounts and follow up as necessary with the client/borrower or internal partners.

Community Outreach and Business Development

• Mitigate risk of business closure, bankruptcy, or loan default by providing ongoing weekly to monthly resources and support to loan clients.
• Coordinate client/borrower engagement activities, e.g., responding to inquiries and requests on accounts, requesting more information from clients, etc.
• Build and maintain a professional rapport with clients pertaining to their account balance information or other account related information.
• Proactively manage client expectations through ongoing communication and regular updates.
• Provide regular business development assistance to loan clients seeking lending products.
• Coordinate with the ECP team to ensure clients experience wraparound support and unified communication regarding their questions and issues.
• Communicates with customers to resolve client discrepancies and short payments.
• Distribute and provide outreach services and materials to promote HAP’s lending services and products.
• Promptly return calls from clients, borrowers, and partners.
• Interacts with internal and external customers with diplomacy and professionalism during customer contact to achieve high customer satisfaction while handling a high volume of contacts.

Loan Servicing

• Enter complete and accurate data into Downhome Loan and other software systems to document client communication, such as case notes on all interactions, meetings, payments, and activity related to the lender-client relationship.
• Provide accurate and timely record keeping, data entry, and reporting.
• Assist in the collection of all necessary reporting data to provide accurate, timely, and quality-focused outcomes reporting for stakeholder (client, funder, Board of Directors, business) reports and presentations
• Other duties as needed to accomplish program goals and outcomes and to meet the strategic objectives of HAP Economic and Community Development initiatives.
• Adhere to all compliance policies and procedures while maintaining a high level of confidentiality in accordance with HAP’s Privacy Policy.

Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities

• Desire to support clients and community members to start, own, or expand their businesses.
• Strong computer skills and experience in Office 365 and Microsoft Office, e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Sharepoint, and Teams.
• High level of attention to detail and quality of work.
• Excellent skills in written and verbal communication when working with clients and community members.
• Outstanding ability to work with ambiguity and uncertainty in a fast-paced work environment.
• Excellent customer service and conflict resolution skills.
• Effective organizational and project management skills.
• Demonstrated experiences in outreach activities, e.g., distributing flyers, proactively connecting with partners or organizations, setting up and staffing resource tables/events, etc.
• Knowledge of community resources to support clients/borrowers.
• Excellent ability to prioritize urgent and immediate tasks appropriately.
• Demonstrated ability to work and communicate effectively with people of diverse ethnic, economic, and cultural backgrounds.
• Team player and adaptable as needed for agency needs.
• Position requires flexible scheduling, including occasional weekends, late evening events, and travel within the 7-County Metropolitan areas surrounding Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
• Must have a reliable car, a valid driver’s license, automobile insurance, and the willingness to use a personal vehicle for work-related travel.

Essential Functions

The following position requirements are representative of those that will be encountered while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to, stand, sit; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer, phone, and keyboard .
• Must be able to remain in a stationary position for sustained periods of time in an indoor setting.
• Ability to tolerate moderate noise levels (i.e., shared open office space with computers, phones, printers, and light traffic).
• Must have the ability to move about the office to access files and office equipment.
• Must have access to reliable transportation for occasional travel for meetings at other HAP office locations, events, and offsite meetings. 
• Occasional moving or lifting of boxes or files up to 20 pounds.
• Able to focus on data, analyze the information and draw conclusions.
• Frequent interactions with coworkers and participants requiring the ability to communicate effectively.
• Frequent communication via email requiring the ability to fluently read and write in English.
• Frequent preparation and analysis of figures.

HAP is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Our organization will not discriminate against or harass any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, familial status, membership or activity in a local human rights commission, or status with regard to public assistance.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Management, or similar field or a minimum of 3 years working in financial, banking, or lending services is required.
• Experience in entrepreneurship is desired.
• High School Diploma required.
• Knowledge of the Hmong, Southeast Asian, and other immigrant and refugee cultures, languages, and traditions preferred.