Mercy
Corps is looking for committed and dynamic individual to take up the following
position.
Financial
Services Manager -
Wajir, Kenya
Mercy
Corps is a leading global relief and development agency saving and improving
lives in the world’s toughest places. In more than 40 countries, we partner
with local people to put bold ideas into action, help them overcome adversity
and build stronger communities.
Working
with communities, we leverage local logic to help people transform their lives
to grow more food, earn higher incomes and ultimately advocate for their needs.
We see
global challenges as an invitation to pioneer innovative, sustainable
solutions.
Program
/ Department Summary: Formal
financial inclusion as well as accessibility to viable capital is imperative
for economic growth and wellbeing for citizens of Wajir.
However,
appropriate or Sharia-compliant financial services that serve pastoralists and
agro-pastoralists in Wajir are non-existent.
Further,
capital constraints are important underlying challenges for most of Mercy Corps
programming in Wajir. It is for this reason that Mercy Corps is partnering with
a Sharia-compliant SACCO to buy down their risk and help them enter the Wajir
market.
In addition
to helping to provide appropriate financing in Wajir, we are also working to
strengthen savings groups and eventually link them to formal financial
services.
Mercy
Corps’ work emphasizes crowding in and expanding businesses that provide
important and beneficial products and services to communities and households
over the long-term.
As our
market facilitation approach expands partnerships with private sector actors,
it is increasingly important to deepen our financial services work similarly.
General
Position Summary: The
Financial Services Manager will be responsible for improving access to
financial services for producers, agribusinesses, livestock owners and traders,
and small business owners in Wajir county with particular attention to Mercy Corps’
programming areas.
S/he
will be responsible for helping to support, market and roll out the products of
Sharia-compliant SACCO, support their operations and identify areas and propose
actions to build their management and technical capacities.
Under
the guidance of the Programs Manager/ Head of Office, the Specialist will
conduct assessments and research regarding service delivery, product
appropriateness, extension needs, institutional arrangements, markets for
financial services, accessibility of services and new opportunities and models,
and come up with a plan to help roll out and market the SACCO’s products.
Essential Job Functions:
1.
Work closely with the Markets team members and broader program
team in planning and implementation of financial access components of the
projects according to the approved work plan and budgets, project document and
implementation strategies.
2.
Provide direct and ongoing field supervision over the economic
development and market specialists to provide quality advise and technical
review in areas related to markets and economic development;
3.
Identify value-addition opportunities that strengthen economic
opportunities, especially for rural women and urban poor, in the livestock and
agriculture sectors as identified by local and national government as well as
independent market studies and needs assessments; these will focus on urbanized
areas such as Wajir, selected sub counties and districts that are heavily
engaged in livestock production, horticulture and value chain development
4.
Support the startup and roll out of the Sharia-compliant SACCO
in Wajir; help market their products and services and help promote
understanding and community acceptance of their vision and products.
5.
Undertake financial inclusion or financial product research and
assessments as needed and with partners
6.
Identify the capacity gaps of financial services actors, design
and implement most feasible capacity building activities based on identified
gaps.
7.
Conduct due-diligence on potential partners and support the
negotiation process, as requested, in finalizing teaming and partnership
agreements.
8.
Provide continuous support and oversee activities of the local
financial institutions identified for capacity building support.
9.
Work closely with all program team members to identify clients
for financial services and to support service extension and financial inclusion
as well as development of suitable products and services
10. Ensure
an integrated approach to program implementation in order to maximize resource
utilization and synergy between the staff and different MC programs where
relevant and feasible.
11. Actively
participate in the periodic program planning, review and reflection meetings
and sessions.
12. Prepare
periodic work plans and progress reports. 13. Prepare accurate and timely
reports and other project documentation and communication that contribute to a
learning organization;
13. Coordinate
with other Mercy Corps programs and local government bodies to ensure coherent
program implementation and to capitalize on business opportunities in Mercy
Corps’ target communities.
14. Conduct
himself/herself both professionally and personally in such a manner as to bring
credit to Mercy Corps and to not jeopardize its humanitarian mission.
15. Other
duties as assigned.
Organizational Learning: As
part of our commitment to organizational learning and in support of our
understanding that learning organizations are more effective, efficient and
relevant to the communities they serve, we expect all team members to commit 5%
of their time to learning activities that benefit Mercy Corps as well as
themselves.
Accountability
to Beneficiaries: Mercy
Corps team members are expected to support all efforts towards accountability,
specifically to our beneficiaries and to international standards guiding
international relief and development work, while actively engaging beneficiary
communities as equal partners in the design, monitoring and evaluation of our
field projects.
Supervisory
Responsibility: Economic
Development Specialist and Markets Systems Team Leader
Accountability
Reports
Directly To: Programs
Manager and Head of Office
Works
Directly With: Wajir-based
program team, operations and finance team in Wajir and equivalent departments
in Nairobi.
Knowledge
and Experience:
- A
degree in Business Administration, Economics or Finance is required. a
graduate degree (MA/S) will be an added advantage
- Minimum
of five to seven years working for a financial institution with
orientation to mass markets or within the private sector is required;
- Interest
and ability to work closely and through private sector partners
- Must
be familiar with the local Wajir context and fluency in the Somali
language will be an added advantage
- Familiarity
with M&E, information, communications and knowledge sharing technologies
and use of innovative approaches on digital financial services
- Excellent
written and verbal communication skills;
- Excellent
computer skills, specifically in MS Word, Excel and PowerPoint;
- Excellent
attention to detail and ability to complete tasks in a timely manner;
- Excellent
teamwork abilities and interpersonal skills;
- Excellent
networking and negotiation skills required;
- Strong
analytical and quantitative skills
- Demonstrated
flexibility, creativity and enthusiasm as well as a willingness to learn
and to be continually adaptive within a dynamic and often self-directed
working environment mandatory;
- Ability
to focus on day-to-day tasks at hand while also working towards
longer-term objectives with an understanding that these will change
continuously
- Willingness
to spend much time in the field and work closely with program target
groups.
Success Factors:
- Innovative,
decisive and inclusive leadership approach.
- Creative
and insightful in development programming including the relationships
between economic empowerment, peace-building and reconciliation.
- Cultural
knowledge, sensitivity and respect.
- Ability
to engage with strategic institutional partners
Interested candidates who meet the above required qualifications
and experience should submit a cover letter, detailed Curriculum Vitae (CV)
listing three professional references (including a recent supervisor) to
hrkenya@ke.mercycorps.org on or before Monday 18th April, 2016 by 4.00pm.
The
email subject line must clearly show the job title and location they are
applying for.
Applications
without the right subject heading will be automatically disqualified.
Please
do not attach any certificates.
(Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
We
will only get in touch with shortlisted candidates.)
NB: Mercy Corps does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process.