Job
description
World Vision (WV) is
a Christian relief, development, and advocacy organization dedicated to working
with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. One
important component of World Visions work is microfinance, providing financial
services such as credit, savings and insurance to the poor, enabling them to
earn increased
income, build assets and provide for their families. Numerous
studies confirm the strong impact of microfinance on the well-being of
children. Studies also show, however, that the integration of microfinance with
other development activities can have an even greater impact when compared to
either microfinance alone or development activities alone. WVs microfinance
operations are managed through VisionFund International (VFI) and its 6,000
staff, a WV subsidiary. VFI manages a network of 36 microfinance institutions
(MFIs) globally and has outstanding loans of approximately $450 million to some
800,000 clients and annual network revenues of over $138 million.
VisionFund is
seeking a Regional Director (RD) to lead and manage the execution of
VisionFund’s strategy in the region. The CEOs of each MFI in the region will
report jointly to the RD and their local Boards. The RD is therefore
responsible for ensuring the delivery of financial and social performance in
the region. The role also involves managing the regional MFI technical staff
who support the RD in capacity building and oversight of the MFIs, ensuring
proper governance, controls, policies, procedures, and performance targets are
achieved. The position ensures that regional direction and country level
strategies and budgets are aligned to the global VFI strategy and tied into the
regional and country level WV strategies. Measures and targets will be
established and agreed for each MFI and quarterly reviews held to establish
progress and decide upon adjustments and redirection of resources, particularly
funding, in consultation with VFI regional finance director. All efforts will
be made to provide regional solutions to improve MFI services, impact more
children, maintain quality and sustainability.
KEY
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Supervise
jointly with the MFI board the MFI CEOs and manage performance
expectations in support to local MFI and global VFI priorities, ensuring
balanced achievement of MFI double bottom-lines of social and financial
performance. - Support
regional roll out of global centre initiatives including how central
services and regional banking software can be deployed to improve service
to the MFIs and their clients and to reduce costs and improve
sustainability. - Provide
timely, and responsive but prioritized consulting services for MFI issues
and concerns. - Ensure
competent and quality staff are hired in the key positions of CEO, CFO and
COO and support MFI management in other staff hirings as needed. - Work
with the CEO of each MFI to ensure controls and compliance culture are operating
well. - Sits on
and attends all MFI boards in their region where legally possible to
represent the interests of VFI. - Work
with Governance Director for ensuring all MFIs (WV/VFI) boards and are in
compliance with local laws, regulatory and lender/donor requirements and
WV/VFI policies, procedures and directives. - Provide
inputs and work with VF strategy director and the rest of VFI Senior
Executive Team on refinements to, or revision of VFI global strategy,
especially as it relates to priority MFIs. - Support
fund raising efforts for MFIs and coordinate with VFI director for
marketing and fundraising and director for global funding and corporate
finance Funding Manager.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS
& ABILITIES:
- The key
ability VisionFund is seeking is leadership. In addition to experience
with microfinance and banking operations (lending, deposit taking), the
successful candidate will have experience developing and nurturing a
talented team, and spotting improvement opportunities and making those
happen in a complex and dynamic environment. In addition, the following
specific knowledge, skills and abilities are required, and may have been
acquired through a combination of formal schooling, self-education, prior
experience or on-the-job training. - Given
the need to control financial risk within the MFIs, it is imperative that
this individual will have good financial analysis, risk management and
accounting skills. - Thorough
knowledge and extensive experience in governance and compliance,
microfinance and banking operations. 10 years of leadership experience
largely in banking or microfinance environment - Although
central treasury expertise will be provided by GC, this person will have
understanding of balance sheet risk management including interest rate
risk, liquidity risk and foreign exchange risk as well as bank funding
processes and contracting - Solid
understanding of financial reporting and performance measurements and
planning/forecasting - Able to
balance Christian values with sound commercial practices - MBA preferred
but will consider a Bachelor of Commerce - Good
project management and organizational skills - Highly
developed Consulting skills, with ability to analyze, recommend solutions,
mentor and direct people - Balanced
and respectful approach to groups differing responsibilities. Sensitive to
complexity of WV direction, MFI board independence and shareholder
requirements - Good
communication and influence skills in both oral and written forms - Strong
staff leader desirous of developing and encouraging staff - Effective
coach and able to train people in VisionFund policies and procedures - Must be
experienced in managing effective support of accounting and loan tracking
systems - Must be
able to simultaneously manage multiple priorities and projects - Must be
cross culturally sensitive as will work with associates from different
cultural contexts and time zones - Flexibility
on hours to contact people within wide time zone differences is required - Ability
and willingness to travel extensively and for long periods of time
How
to apply
Please submit your
application online: http://bit.ly/VisionFundI
