SME Financial Advisor Intern

Role purpose This role is about building a trusted advisory practice from the ground up. You will help structure financing conversations, prepare clear business assessments and support deals that let local businesses expand, while learning from senior advisors and project teams. Your Growth & Impact - Position yourself as a client-facing advisor by shadowing senior consultants and handling initial SME outreach and intake. - Accelerate your technical skills through on-the-job training in credit assessment, basic financial modelling and loan packaging. - Build a professional network by meeting business owners, lenders and internal stakeholders on advisory projects. - Expand your career options within advisory, lending support or commercial banking by gaining practical deal experience. Responsibilities Client Advisory - Conduct initial meetings with SME owners to understand their business model, cash flow and funding needs. - Prepare concise client profiles and presentation packs that highlight funding uses and repayment plans. - Support relationship management by following up with clients and coordinating next steps with lenders or partners. - Maintain clear, professional communication to keep clients informed at every stage. Deal Preparation & Analysis - Assist in preparing basic financial analysis and simple forecasting to show viability and repayment capacity. - Collect and verify required documents, such as bank statements, invoices and business licenses, for loan applications. - Help build loan proposals and term sheets for review by senior advisors and lending partners. - Use Excel to organise data and create readable summaries for decision making. Operations & Compliance - Coordinate internal workflows so deals move smoothly from intake to submission to disbursement. - Keep client records accurate and up to date in our CRM system and shared drives. - Ensure basic compliance checks are completed and escalate any concerns to senior staff. - Participate in team meetings and learning sessions to improve processes and client outcomes. Requirements Qualifications & Experience - Diploma or bachelor degree in Finance, Accounting, Business or related field, or equivalent practical experience. - 0 years of formal work experience is acceptable; internships or project work with SMEs or finance are a plus. - Comfortable working in a small advisory team and willing to learn from senior advisors and lenders. Hard Skills & Knowledge - Basic financial analysis skills, including reading cash flow statements and profit and loss summaries. - Proficient with Microsoft Excel and comfortable compiling data into simple models and tables. - Familiarity with CRM tools and document management, or willingness to quickly learn common systems. - Understanding of SME financing fundamentals and common lending requirements is preferred. Soft Skills & Qualities - Clear communicator who can explain financial points in plain language to business owners. - Organised and detail oriented, able to manage multiple client files and deadlines. - Curious and coachable, with a positive attitude toward feedback and continuous learning. - Professional mindset, reliable timekeeping and respect for client confidentiality.