Purpose of the role: The primary purpose of the Hardship Officer is to manage and respond to vulnerable customers who may be experiencing financial hardship. Key Responsibilities: The ability to assess a customer situation by using the Hardship Statement of Financial Position form. Reviewing the customer’s financial situation as well as the contract conduct and being able to decide on best solution. Effective us of probing questions to gain a thorough understanding of the customer’s situation. Using sophisticated communication skills to interrogate customers in a humane manner to elicit information from customers who may be in distress. Ensure trust through empathic and respectful language. Deal with complex customer cases and resolve their situation through the use of innovative and lateral thinking. Remain in contact with the customer and follow up on their application or any other information needed. Understand and adhere to the debt collections guidelines as well as the National Credit Code section 72 for hardship. Knowledge, Qualifications, Experience, Skills 2 years in financial hardship or Credit Analyst position, ideally with exposure to working in a Responsible Lending environment. Strong and empathetic customer-focused approach to handling issues, with a passion for providing the best solution to the customer. Sound understanding of the National Credit Code section 72 for hardship. Well-developed negotiation and problem-solving skills with the ability to recommend process improvements and innovative solutions. Strong organisation and exceptional interpersonal
