Operation Director
Purpose of the position:
Responsible for developing
and executing the VFK’s business strategy to acquire, manage and grow the
business through the retail branch network within acceptable risk parameters.
Job Summary
Planning
- In
coordination with the CEO and CFO, prepares Annual Business Plan by
determining the key business, social, growth and staffing objectives,
efficiency and productivity standards/targets and ensures operating costs
are in line with acceptable budget ratios.
- Agrees
with Branch Managers/Office Managers on their specific operating targets
and objectives (individual branch / office plans) for all products and
services.
- Prepares
work targets/schedules/budgets and assigns duties to operations personnel
to ensure efficient and effective operations department.
- Reviews
and approves Annual Work Plans of all branch offices (overall and by
Client Service Officer).
- Reviews,
consolidates, prepares and recommends to CEO the Annual Work Plan of the
Operations Department
Monitoring of Operations Performance
- Closely
monitors implementation of the approved Business Plan ensuring all
departments and branch offices are achieving set goals and targets.
- Evaluates
operational performance of branch offices and implements strategic
interventions to help low-performing branch offices.
- Sets
targets for field visits, verification visits, and meetings with branch
office personnel and clients.
- Evaluates
operations departments’ performance, identifies problems or issues and
recommends corrective measures when necessary.
- Assists
CFO in controlling supply of money on hand to meet branches’ daily
requirements for savings and lending transactions, and to ensure
compliance with regulatory requirements
Risk Management and Control
- Oversees
the implementation of the internal control systems, ensuring the smooth
running of the business and safeguarding the institution’s assets;
Follows-up with the relevant manager(s) to ensure any actions related to
audit findings are implements by branches and/or departments
- Shares
information and communicates openly with senior managers; facilitates good
flow of information flow between departments and around the branch network
- Ensures
compliance with all existing MFI and VFI policies; with local regulations;
and with all VFI/Lender covenants.
- Ensures
that policies and procedures are applied consistently and uniformly across
all branches
- Plans
and ensures the implementation of an adequate and timely reporting system
with focus on each branch’s asset quality, liquidity, capital adequacy,
and provisioning
- Consults
with the IT department on any issues related to monitoring or reporting,
and ensures IT resolves issues as soon as possible
- Takes
an active leadership role with branches that are underperforming or are
not compliant with any policy or regulation, etc., ensuring that
appropriate measures are taken to bring the branch’s performance or
compliance back to required standards
- Actively
works with the risk manager and all departments to identify and measure
all risks, and actively develops mitigation strategies
- Supervises
creation and implementation of plans and methods to create awareness of
all products and services offered by the MFI (e.g. newsletter, radio
advertising, posters, school competitions, press releases, etc.).
- Regularly
conducts customer satisfaction surveys to determine areas for improvement
in products and services.
- Recommends
corrective actions and develops plans for CEO and Board approval
- Provides
regular updates for the MFI website (where relevant) and as needed by VFI
or WV
- Assists
with drafting answers to public queries needed by the CEO or the Board.
- Interacts
with World Vision, with the local community, business organizations, and
industry networks to promote goodwill and generate new business
(integration opportunities).
- Where
the MFI has a Marketing resource, works directly with Marketing to develop
and deliver promotional activities, gather information about competitors,
etc.
Public Relation
- Keeps
track of international developments related to microfinance and informs
CEO and Board of potential opportunities for MFI.
- Develops
good relationships with clients, local business owners, community leaders,
and civic organizations to promote goodwill and generate new business
- Safeguards
the institution’s reputation by ensuring strict compliance to existing
regulations (liaising with the institution’s legal counsel).
- Institutes
regular communications with branch staff partners and clients to prevent
and/or immediately resolve problems
Social Performance and
Integration
- Ensure
that the MFI reaches its target clients (poor, women with dependent
children, ADP areas), making necessary adjustments to do so (changes in
geographical location, introduction of new products, linkages with WV
Savings Groups, etc.) while balancing the need for institutional
sustainability
- Ensure
that the products provided and the delivery methods meet the needs of the
target client
- Ensure
that clients and their children are protected and treated with respect in
the provision of financial services through implementation of the client
protection policies. This includes not over-indebting clients, appropriate
debt collection practices, and active mechanisms for client complaint
- Actively
promote and ensure child well-being through gathering and reporting child
well-being data, accurate children impacted figures and integration with
WV and ADPs.
- Ensure
that branch managers and credit staff are trained in and apply strong
social performance practices (per points above).
- Include
social goals and indicators into business planning, receive regular
reporting to track progress and make operational decisions (new products,
delivery methods) to reach those goals
- Take
necessary actions to avoid social performance risks (mission drift, harm
to clients, client turnover, etc).
Staffing, Performance
Management and Capacity Building
- Participates
in the interview, selection and hiring of new employees.
- Recommends
promotion, suspension, dismissal, and/or transfer of staff
- Ensures
the annual appraisal Cycle (agreeing annual and learning and development
objectives, mid-term reviews and end of year reviews ) is implemented and
evaluates job performance of operations department managers and branch
managers
- Recommends
salary and/or merit increases; recommends the granting of other incentives
- Regularly
conducts a skills analysis for Operations Managers and Branch Managers,
analyzing gaps and developing plans for capacity building
Guides the development of
succession plans for new employees.
- Recommends
promotion, suspension, dismissal, and/or transfer of staff within
Operations
- Ensures
the annual appraisal Cycle (agreeing annual and learning and development
objectives, mid-term reviews and end of year reviews ) is implemented and
evaluates job performance of operations department managers and branch
managers
- Recommends
salary and/or merit increases; recommends the granting of other incentives
- Regularly
conducts a skills analysis for Operations Managers and Branch Managers,
analyzing gaps and developing plans for capacity building
- Guides
the development of succession plans for department managers and branch
management
- Implements
the Management and Staff Capacity Building Plans to ensure productivity,
effectiveness and compliance in order to reach standards and targets
- Monitors
and evaluates the progress of capacity building and revises plans as
necessary.
- Ensures
all high-performing staff have a development plan in place.
- Ensures
all under-performing staff are closely managed so that performance
improves or separation is managed according to local regulations (as
guided by MFI P&C or HR Director/Manager).
Product and Service
Development
- Continually
gathers information and analyzes the strategic position of the MFI
compared to the industry.
- Conducts/directs
market research activities and analysis to determine new products and
service areas that may be explored
- Reviews
internal and external studies on new methodologies/approaches to improve
field operations and social performance for review by CEO/BOD
- Once
approved, pilot tests new product/methodologies, monitors and evaluates
results and proposes actions to be taken to introduce into MFI (if
warranted).
- Plans
implementation of new products/services and details positive results /
risks for presentation and approval by the Board; and coordinates with
project management team on implementation and monitoring of plans.
- Any
other duties that may be assigned by the CEO from time to time.
Required qualifications
and experience
- Master
Degree in Economics, Finance, Accounting or Business Administration or any
other related field.
- Proven
track record of motivating and developing capable management teams
- Capability
and willingness to take responsibility and highly developed sense of
integrity
- Ready
to comply and live up to and in accordance with the Institution’s Ideals
and Core Values
- Demonstrable
knowledge in economic and financial topics
- A
strong analytical and quantitative mindset
- Excellent
decision-making skills
- Strong
verbal as well as non-verbal communication skills
- Exceptional
team management and organizational skills
- Resilient,
self-driven and goal-oriented professional with a strong people management
orientation
- Demonstrates
digital dexterity and breadth of technical skills
- Demonstrable
financial, analytical, organizational and problem-solving skills
- People
oriented and results focused
- Extensive
experience in microfinance/retail banking
- Proven
work experience as Operation Director or a similar role for at least 5
years’.
Other
Competencies/Attributes:
- Must
be a committed Christian, able to stand above denominational diversities.
- Customer
Service, commercial and product development functions of a financial
institution at managerial level.
- Demonstrated
consistent high performance in the last 3 years’ in a similar role.
- Excellent
interpersonal, and negotiation skills with the ability to network,
generate new business and develop strong business relations.
- Strong
leadership skills with demonstrated competences in championing high
performance management.
- A
good understanding of risk, credit policies and procedures.
- A
change agent able to drive growth while motivating staff.