Senior Microfinance Banking Specialist (Lebanon or Jordan)

Location:Lebanon

Organization: Global Communities

Job Level: Senior-level

Description

Global Communities’ mission is to be a catalyst for long-lasting positive change in low- and moderate-income communities around the world, helping them improve their social, economic and environmental conditions. Our reputation is built on the strong relationships we have with the communities we serve—engaging and involving them throughout the development process to keep control and ownership in their hands.

Global Communities is seeking a Senior Microfinance Banking Specialist to join its Development Finance technical team that oversees a world-wide MSME portfolio.

The position will be at Headquarters or field-based (Amman or Beirut, preferably). If HQ-based in Silver Spring, Maryland or other country based, significant travel will be required to subsidiaries located predominantly in the Middle East.   

The Senior Microfinance Banking Specialist will lead strategy on market research and product development, delivery channels, Greenfield development, and the overall expansion of services through the Vitas Group, a Global Communities majority-owned commercial microfinance holding company.  S/he will have prior experience in a senior-level management role in a commercial microfinance bank – preferably a deposit taking institution or retail banking operation in emerging economies.  

Primary Responsibilities

Provide technical and managerial leadership:

• Ensure implementation of global and local subsidiary strategic and business plans and assist with transformation. Monitor operations throughout the year, ensure adherence to established policies and controls are in place.
• Manage, guide, and advise staff.  Establish work plans and annual performance goals for each team member, ensuring timely and quality execution of deliverables.
• Make recommendations concerning employment, performance, and other personnel actions.
• Ensure adherence to Standards of Conduct, the Employee Handbook, and other corporate and applicable policies, procedures, and schedules as well as investor and donor regulations.
• Participate on local internal audit committees and provide capacity building support to local boards.

Lead strategy in products and delivery channels to broaden and deepen outreach to low-income clientele:

• Work with local management teams in all subsidiaries to improve R&D capability, establish greater standardization across the Vitas Group.
• Identify potential new partnerships with technology firms and other local actors that can extend service delivery to new clients in both urban and rural areas.
• Establish a group-wide strategy and implementation plan for new delivery channels including mobile, POS, and branchless banking opportunities in existing countries.
• Liaise with international and local policy makers and regulators in support of a more favorable regulatory environment for financial inclusion.
• Advise Global Communities’ livelihoods and economic growth team, work with other departments to define strategy and create synergies among programs with regards to financial inclusion.

Work with other senior technical team members on new business development, particularly Greenfield development:

• Identify new opportunities and work with local teams to conduct research (qualitative and quantitative methods) in preparation for business plan/proposal development.
• Conduct training and technical assistance during start-up / launch of new initiatives.
• Provide management oversight in core banking areas to mentor and build up capacity of professional staff in-country and in cross-country teams.

Required Skills

• Proven track record in a senior management role in microfinance, retail banking or small/medium business lending in emerging economies.
• Proven willingness to make timely and sound decisions based on accurate judgment. Ability to communicate, negotiate, advise, persuade, or resolve issues that are complex and sensitive in nature.
• Good business sense, strategic thinker, wide degree of creativity.
• Seasoned people manager, proven ability to successfully manage a team, including training and development of local staff.
• Proven ability to learn quickly, apply knowledge, manage deadlines, work independently with minimal supervision, submit high-quality work plans, prioritize workload, and multi-task in fast-paced environment.
• Excellent oral communication skills including the ability to conduct meetings, write reports, and speak in a public forum.
• Good interpersonal skills with ability to build relationships with staff, donor partners, and government leaders at all levels in a culturally sensitive manner. Proven flexibility and adaptability. Willingness to work with diverse cultures and social economic contexts under challenging conditions.
• Strong written communication skills, including demonstrated ability to write required documents in a clear, concise, well-organized manner.
• Fluency in English, written and oral, required. Second language strongly preferred.
• Proficient in the use of Microsoft Suite. Comfortable working with large amounts of data and Excel spreadsheets.
• Ability to travel approximately 30% annually.  

Required Experience

• Master’s degree in Economics, Business Administration, Marketing or related field.
• Minimum ten years of progressively more responsible experience in microfinance, SME, or retail banking in the developing world, preferably in more than one country; including five years of senior management experience in retail banking and/or microfinance lending with a large institution (over 50,000 clients) preferred.
• Prior experience working in a microfinance deposit-taking institution preferred.
• Prior experience with branchless banking / technology solutions for extending outreach to the poor preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education and experience.

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