In accordance with Article 10 and Article 11, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph 1.13. of Law no. 05/L-057 on the Establishment of the Kosovo Credit Guarantee Fund, amended and supplemented with Law No.08/L-138, the Kosovo Credit Guarantee Fund publishes this:

Announcement

for

two (2) Risk Specialists (RS)

10/12/2024

Reference number: 06/2024

General information

The Kosovo Credit Guarantee Fund (hereinafter referred to as “KCGF”) is an independent legal entity established by relevant law to facilitate access to finance for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Kosovo to create places of work, the increase of local production and of those services which create added value, the improvement of the trade balance and the increase of opportunities for the financing of MSMEs.

Description of work responsibilities

The Risk Specialist will be positioned in the Risk Management Unit at the Kosovo Credit Guarantee Fund and will be responsible for supporting the institution in the process of identifying, assessing, monitoring, and mitigating credit risks, and other institutional risks.

The Risk Specialist will work closely with the Senior Risk Manager to develop and implement risk management strategies, frameworks, and policies, ensuring effective risk management and compliance with industry best practices. This role includes responsibility for establishing and monitoring key risk indicators in the credit guarantee portfolio.

The responsibilities of the Risk Specialist will include the following areas:

• Assess, manage, and mitigate risks associated with the credit guarantee portfolio and investment portfolio (market risk, liquidity risk, counterparty risk).
• Assess, manage, and mitigate risks arising from internal process failures, inadequate control, human errors, or external events that could lead to financial losses or harm the institutional performance.
• Evaluate the financial health of counterparties – Registered Financial Institutions (RFIs). This involves analyzing financial statements, capitalization, liquidity, quality of the assets, management and corporate governance, and other relevant data of the RFIs.
• Perform comprehensive due diligence during the process of registration of Financial Institution with KCGF.
• Engage directly in the admission process for new credit guarantees submitted from RFI’s according to risk management policy, procedure, and guarantee agreements with RFI.
• Recommend updates to the credit risk policies and procedures based on observed risk trends, market conditions, or regulatory changes when applied.
• Continuously monitor the credit guarantee portfolio to identify emerging risks or changes in portfolio behavior.
• Work closely with team members from the product development unit to develop new credit guarantee windows, assess associated risks, and recommend appropriate risk mitigation strategies as needed.
• Propose credit guarantee limits for RFIs based on their risk profiles, financial standing, and overall exposure to ensure a balanced risk level.
• Use quantitative risk models to evaluate and forecast expected credit losses (ECL) under multiple economic scenarios and allocate appropriate loan loss reserves in alignment with risk assessment outcomes.
• Conduct stress testing on the credit portfolio to understand how adverse economic conditions could impact the institution’s overall risk exposure.
• Stay updated on industry trends, economic developments, and regulatory updates that could impact credit risk.
• Participate in training programs, workshops, or certifications to continually improve credit and operational risk management skills and stay current with best practices.

Reporting

The Risk Specialist will report directly to the Senior Risk Manager (SRM) of KCGF.

Qualifications

The Risk Specialist will need to meet the following requirements:

• Relevant university degree;
• At least five years’ experience in a bank/or MFI in Kosovo, in the area of credit or/and operational risk management.
• Experienced and outstanding knowledge in banking, including and understanding of SME lending and credit;
• Good knowledge of excel and/or other analytical tools.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English and Albanian;
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements and industry best practices.

Term and duration

The Risk Specialist will be stationed in the KCGF premises in Prishtina.

The Risk Specialist will be offered a one (1) year contract. The RS will be a full-time employee of KCGF. The contract will be continued based on satisfactory performance evaluation results.

Application

Necessary documents for application:

• Application from the website https://fondikgk.org/mundesi-punesimi/;
• CV;
• Diplomas, Certifications, and relevant training;
• Proof of work experience
• Reference contacts from former employers;

All applications will be accepted only through the email [email protected], and the subject of the email should be written: “Application form: Name and Surname_ Position”

The competition is open until 24.12.2024 at 16.30.

Note

• Only applications with completed documents will be considered.
• Candidates who are not selected in the first phase have the right to appeal within 7 working days from the date of notification of the respective selection phase results.