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Field Support Specialist, Central America, Lima, Peru

Tracking Code 114-557 Job Description
Called the 'hottest non-profit on the planet' by FORTUNE magazine and a Top 50 Website by TIME, Kiva ( www.kiva.org) is the world's first personal micro-lending marketplace with a mission of alleviating global poverty by connecting people through micro-lending. In just 8 years, Kiva has raised over $480 million for more than 1,000,000 borrowers in 73 countries. Kiva combines the culture and approach of an internet start-up with an intense focus on serving the borrower-to-lender connection. Kiva is poised to take its initial success to a whole new level -- targeting $1 billion in loans by 2017 and expanding into new areas (e.g. student loans, water, mobile, etc.). Headquartered in San Francisco, Kiva's team has 100+ employees and over 500 volunteers worldwide.
Kiva is seeking an enthusiastic, flexible Field Support Specialist to manage the effective and efficient use of the website by microfinance partners while working with other team members to assist Kiva's work and expansion in Central America. You will bring your excitement for Kiva and its practical application in the field to the job, combined with a willingness to do whatever it takes to get the task at hand done.
Required Skills
Specific Responsibilities Include:
  • On-boarding new Kiva Field Partners through remote and on-site training, support in setting up Kiva processes, and review of initial loans posted to the site
  • Training Kiva's Field Partners in Central America on new features and support re-training where necessary
  • Consulting with partners to ensure successful, effective, and efficient use of the Kiva website
  • Monitoring repayment reporting, journaling and borrower profile posting levels and quality for Field Partners in your portfolio, identifying early problems, and working with partners to rectify deficiencies
  • Requesting volunteer Kiva Fellows as necessary to ensure that partners have the support they need. Assisting in training Kiva Fellows on deliverables related to Field Partners
  • Managing volunteer Kiva Fellows in the field, effectively leveraging their skills and enthusiasm to support Kiva's goals, while helping manage their presence at Kiva Field Partners in your portfolio
  • Conducting, directly or indirectly, borrower verification process for all partners in the region
  • Conducting, directly or indirectly, other initiatives that arise (e.g. Social Performance assessments)
  • Managing the Pilot to Active conversion process for new partners, providing the support to Field Partners in operationalizing the Kiva processes required to attain active partnership status
  • Improving the Kiva value proposition to microfinance partners by requesting and helping to define tools to make use of the Kiva website easier for partners
  • Testing new website features in the field
  • Working with Field Partners to resolve loans in the Kiva system that have been flagged for policy violations or inconsistency
  • Supporting Kiva's business development in the region by sourcing and evaluating potential Experimental field partners
Required Experience
  • Passionate about Kiva and its potential!
  • Ability to travel 30-60% time
  • Professional demeanor
  • Fluency in Spanish required; French or Portuguese a plus
  • Technical aptitude and ability to quickly learn a range of new systems and tools
  • Degree from a four-year university
  • Superior written and verbal communication skills including comfort presenting to peers and partner organizations
  • Strong knowledge of Excel
  • Experience with Kiva systems is a significant plus
  • Experience with volunteer management is desirable