Programme Manager at Enhancing Financial Innovation & Access (EFInA)

Enhancing Financial Innovation & Access (EFInA) is a leading financial sector development organisation working to promote financial inclusion in Nigeria. Established in late 2007, EFInA’s vision is to be the leader in facilitating an all-inclusive and growth-promoting financial system. EFInA is funded by the UK Government’s Department for International Development (DFID) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

EFInA is seeking to appoint dynamic, strategic, and committed individuals to newly defined roles to build on its current achievements and accelerate the impact of financial inclusion in Nigeria. EFInA is a rapidly growing organisation with considerable influence in the financial sector. Employment with EFInA offers an exceptional and challenging opportunity for the right candidate to fill the vacant position of:

Job Title: Programme Manager

Location: Nigeria

The Role

• The Programme Manager will design, develop and execute EFInA's strategy to establish and deepen access to financial services in Nigeria.
• The Programme Manager will use the breadth of EFInA's pillars, which are research, advocacy, capacity building and funding, to drive large scale formal inclusion and ensure that customers have easy access to convenient and trustworthy financial products/services.
• He/she will convene and work with financial institutions, regulators, relevant stakeholders and development partners to ensure a balanced approach to building trusted, robust and pervasive financial services.
• Through these activities, the Programme Manager will support EFInA's executive team in creating and implementing the services and structures required to achieve EFInA's strategic objectives over the next three to five years.
• The role demands a highly numerate individual who has the capability to work effectively and thrive in a complex and fast-paced organisation.
• The right candidate will be able to evaluate and synthesise large amounts of information.
• He/she must be a strategic thinker who is able to execute EFInA’s strategy.
• The Programme Manager must possess deep technical knowledge of financial inclusion in Nigeria (including consumer behavior, product development, and value chains); the ability to apply global best practices to develop and deepen financial inclusion in Nigeria; and a proven track record of identifying, implementing and driving innovation, with minimal supervision.
• He/she will identify additional research required to inform key stakeholders and for successfully delivering EFInA’s strategy.
• The Programme Manager should have strong organisational and project management skills to proactively identify, develop, budget, monitor and drive EFInA’s strategy. In addition, he/she should have excellent interpersonal and influencing skills, and possess the gravitas, credibility and track record for building and maintaining relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders.
• By identifying and forging strategic alliances, he/she will promote and secure commitment to developing effective financial inclusion programmes in Nigeria and further EFInA’s financial inclusion agenda.
• He/she will also support EFInA’s research, advocacy, capacity building and funding objectives by providing pertinent information, convening meetings, presenting at conferences, and interacting with key stakeholders.
• The successful applicant will have eight or more years of experience in development or the financial sector, with a minimum of three years in inclusive finance, and other areas relevant to EFInA’s strategic focus such as agent banking, electronic payments (including mobile money), non-interest finance, micropensions and, microinsurance.
• He/she will have a strong strategic focus, be results driven, and be committed to high standards of performance.
• The candidate must be comfortable with negotiating change, taking responsibility and making complex strategic and operational decisions.
• Highly adaptable, creative, and accustomed to delivering results in a dynamic and challenging working environment, the Programme Manager will be expected to make decisive and tangible contributions to EFInA as soon as he/she joins the organisation.

Primary Relationships

• Reports to: Chief Operating Officer, with a dotted line to the Chief Executive Officer
• Department: Programmes
• Supports the CEO to build and manage external relationships with private sector actors including financial services providers, agent aggregators, payment services providers, technology providers, industry associations; as well as public sector actors including regulators, policy makers and Federal & State Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs).

Principal Responsibilities and Accountabilities
The role will include, but not be limited to, the following responsibilities and accountabilities:

Document and Deepen Knowledge of Financial Inclusionin Nigeria:

• Keep abreast of, document, and share information on the current global and local landscape of financial inclusion and the various channels for its effective delivery in Nigeria
• Monitor, review and evaluate current policies and regulations in Nigeria that support and promote financial inclusion
• Identify gaps and key opportunities in the financial sector that will drive EFInA’s strategic objectives and deepen financial inclusion in Nigeria
• Provide analysis of the main developments in financial inclusion in other relevant jurisdictions (particularly countries with similar profiles to Nigeria)
• Identify key areas in which additional research or information is required and commission the required research in conjunction with the Research and Communication Manager
• Disseminate research findings to key external stakeholders and ensure that they are used to inform policy reforms, encourage the development of convenient, innovative and effective financial products/services, in line with EFInA’s strategic objectives
• Contribute to the strengthening of EFInA’s position as a thought leader by writing and publishing papers on key developments in financial inclusion in Nigeria, with a focus on EFInA’s strategic areas.

Develop and Implement EFInA’s Strategy:

• Develop a strategy for leading the implementation of innovative financial products/services, especially for the low income population in Nigeria, to be approved by the CEO
• Manage external consultants and technical partners, as directed by the CEO and COO
• Understand, identify, explore and advocate for policy reforms, innovative approaches and agent business models that accelerate the growth and development of financial inclusion in Nigeria
• Produce succinct focus/strategy notes based on research findings and interaction with stakeholders, which clearly identify opportunities for growing and advancing EFInA’s financial inclusion agenda
• Identify and develop a pipeline of projects for the Innovation Fund; evaluate relevant grant applications; and make recommendations to the Head of Innovation Funding
• In conjunction with the Grants Manager, prepare grant agreements for grants awarded
• Ensure all grants are appropriately monitored in line with the grant agreements and provide input to the project monitoring reports in a timely manner
• Work with the CEO to effectively implement EFInA’s activities as stated in the Annual Business Plan
• Identify areas for capacity building for key stakeholders in both the private and public sectors to deepen their knowledge in financial inclusion.

Stakeholder Management:

• Identify, maintain and deepen partnerships with key stakeholders that have a role in driving and deepening financial inclusion in Nigeria
• In conjunction with the CEO, develop and execute an effective marketing strategy for key stakeholders that increases awareness of the issues limiting the growth of financial inclusion and proposes recommendations for addressing these issues
• Organise stakeholder events to discuss and debate pertinent issues that will support and drive the deployment of large scale formal financial inclusion initiatives in Nigeria
• If necessary, design and constitute a working group or similar body, including regulators and operators, in order to promote the development and implementation of innovative, relevant, affordable and reliable financial products/services for the low income population in Nigeria
• Develop and effectively manage projects to ensure timely completion of programme deliverables

Additional Responsibilities:

• Take responsibility for own continuous professional development by proactively identifying andparticipating in formal/informal learning opportunities
• Develop a learning culture by sharing best practices and successes from projects worked on with different parts of the organisation
• Lead, coach, and mentor any staff directly reporting to this position
• Ensure that any output from the Programmes team meets EFInA’s high standards of delivery
• Perform any other duties as required by the COO or the CEO

Job Competencies and Capabilities
Qualifications & Experience

Essential:

• Master's degree in Economics, International Development, Finance, Business Administration or other related discipline
• At least eight years’ experience in development or financial services (preferably in Nigeria), with either a minimum of three years in inclusive finance, agent banking, electronic payments (including mobile money), women-focused initiatives, or the capability to quickly understand these models
• Strong relationship management experience with the ability to engage with a diverse range of stakeholders
• Experience working in a complex or pioneering environment and managing or facilitating change
• Project management experience with relevant certification
• Supervision and leadership experience
• Experience in evaluating proposals

Desirable:

• Experience in/or exposure to policy development
• Financial modelling experience

Skills:

• Strategic thinker who keeps abreast of international trends in the financial sector
• Works independently and as part of a team
• Highly numerate, with strong analytical and problem solving skills
• Proven ability to produce concise, well-structured and very high quality reports and presentations
• Ability to synthesise and interpret large amounts of information and data
• Very high level of attention to detail and accuracy
• Very strong verbal and written communication skills
• Very strong presentation skills
• Strong public speaking skills
• Effective influencing and relationship building skills, including at senior levels
• Strong advocacy skills
• Advanced level competency in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Fluency in other languages desirable

Personal Qualities:

• Commitment to the financial inclusion agenda
• Gravitas, credibility and ability to initiate and develop strategic partnerships and alliances
• Highly organised and efficient; able to multi-task effectively and prioritise work based on minimal direction and multiple competing priorities
• Works well under pressure and able to meet deadlines
• Can-do approach
• Committed to delivering high quality results, with cost-effective use of resources
• Driven and a self-starter
• Innovative
• Proactive with high levels of initiative
• Resourceful with an enterprising attitude that is quick to search out alternative solutions to needs or problems
• Positive, flexible, supportive attitude to work
• Exhibits a helpful behaviour beyond strict job requirements
• Discreet and respects confidentiality
• Integrity and high personal ethical standards
• Confident
• Resilient

Remuneration
Competitive

Application Closing Date
Not Specified

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CV's and cover letter to: [email protected]

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