Associate Director, Strategy, BIHBV

Career with BRAC International

BRAC International is a leading non-profit organisation with a mission to empower people and communities in situations of poverty, illiteracy, disease, and social injustice. Founded in 1972, by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed, BRAC is the largest non-governmental development organisation in the world, and is present in 15 countries across Asia and Africa today. BRAC designs proven, scalable solutions that equip people with the support and confidence they need to achieve their potential. BRAC’s institutional expertise in various programmes, including health, agriculture, microfinance, education, and youth empowerment.

BRAC International Holdings B.V. (BIHBV) was set up in 2010 as a private limited liability company under the laws of the Netherlands and is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Stichting BRAC International (SBI). BIHBV is a socially responsible for-profit organisation, engaging people in sustainable economic and income-generating activities. The core focus of BIHBV is to provide microfinance services to people, particularly women, living in poverty in rural and hard-to-reach areas to build their financial resilience and improve the quality of life for them and their families.

BRAC has been one of the pioneers of microfinance since it first started in 1974. BRAC first expanded its microfinance operations internationally in 2002 and now operates microfinance (MF) activities in 7/8 developing countries, over 800,000+ clients, 97% women, a loan portfolio of $160 mln+ and 6400+ staff, 87% women.

Associate Director, Strategy, BIHBV

We are seeking a dynamic senior strategic leader adept at navigating ambiguity to spearhead strategic initiatives in Social and Environmental Performance Management, Impact Management, Product Innovation, Digital Transformation, Knowledge Management, and Communications. This role is part of the BIHBV Senior Management Team at BRAC International Microfinance (BI MF). The ideal candidate will streamline strategy execution across these functions in 7 soon-to-be 8 subsidiaries in Africa and Asia. This role oversees a team of 13 employees directly and 30+ indirectly, requires 25% travel, and demands strong communication skills. This role is part of the BIHBV Senior Management Team at BRAC International Microfinance (BI MF) and will be based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Key Responsibilities:

Oversee Strategic Priority Areas:

1. Social and Environmental Performance: Implementation of social and environmental performance and client protection principles. Drive efforts to increase climate shock resiliency for vulnerable microfinance clients.
2. Impact Management: Bringing accountability to the social mission by managing and measuring client impact.
3. Product Innovation: Lead product innovation focusing on savings mobilization, female smallholder farmers, and youth to ensure BRAC’s microfinance offerings are inclusive, client-centric, and scalable.
4. Digital Transformation: Drive digitization of operations, and digital product/channel innovation for the achievement of the overall mission by bringing digital capacity (skills, system, culture) among both clients and staff. Drive system and culture change for data-driven decision-making.
5. Strategy Development: Develop and drive mission-critical strategies such as – impact framework, poverty outreach framework, agrifinance and youth-finance strategies, climate positioning, convergence and holistic development strategy, country expansion strategy, and data-driven decision-making guideline, etc. Foster BRAC’s DNA of frugal innovation, learning by doing, holistic development among others in strategy implementation.
6. Implementation and Monitoring: Support country teams to ensure annual strategic plans (ASP), targets, business plans, budgets and projections are geared toward the achievement of growth and impact goals. Work closely with technical, operations, support teams and country teams for timely implementation of strategies, quickly take action on challenges, and ensure regular reporting and sharing on progress to key stakeholders (country leadership, boards, etc.). Continuously learn for gradual improvement and increased effectiveness of processes.
7. Expansion and Transformation: Support the setup and growth of newly set up entities (Ghana and Kenya). Support and project manage existing countries with all business transformations (regulatory compliance, deposit taking, digital etc.)

Knowledge Management and Strategic Communications

1. Drive innovation and knowledge-sharing across the BIHBV portfolio and other BRAC programmes and support cross-learning and implementation of best practices. Build structure, capacities and practices in the countries to drive the learning-by-doing culture
2. Ensure BI MF’s external communication strategy is aligned with its overall mission and advocacy goals and build communications capacity and action plans within the BIHBV team and countries to position BRAC as the leader in impact and gender-focused Microfinance networks in the sector. Work with the investment relations team to improve BI MF’s brand image.
3. Utilize internal communications capacity and resources to support ownership and culture aligned with BRAC’s mission among all BI MF staff.
4. Attend different national/International events/workshops/ forums; government or non-government entities to represent and promote BRAC International as well as its programs.

Coordination between BI MF and global BRAC teams

1. Be the interface between BI MF and other BRAC International programmes, BRAC Global, affiliates, and BRAC Bangladesh programmes (particularly Microfinance) to ensure priorities and strategies are aligned in joint efforts and knowledge is shared across
2. Ensure smooth cooperation and coordination in implementing joint programmes for holistic impact, including BI’s largest programme – Accelerating Impact for Young Women in Africa (AIM) with Mastercard Foundation
3. Ensure BI MF strategies are implemented in line with BI strategy

Resource Mobilization and Partnerships

1. Ensure fundraising (mostly grants) to drive innovations in strategic priority areas
2. Be the gatekeeper of all donor proposals that includes MF components
3. Build, maintain and liaise with strategic partners to raise funds as well as network to grow new partnerships. Network, build and maintain relationships with donors, policymakers and global financial institutions to promote the program as well as create awareness.

Team Leadership

1. Responsible for building a high-performing, motivated team by capitalizing on each team member’s individual strengths, skill sets, experience and ambitions.
2. Ensure clear roles and responsibilities and fluid collaboration within and between departments and teams for timely and high-level output.
3. Provide individual mentorship to each team member to continuously develop leadership skills and ensure succession planning, with a focus on creating women leadership.

Safeguarding:

1. Ensure the safety of team members from any harm, abuse, neglect, harassment and exploitation to achieve the programme’s goals on safeguarding implementation. Act as a key source of support, guidance and expertise on safeguarding for establishing a safe working environment.
2. Practice, promote and endorse the issues of safeguarding policy among team members and ensure the implementation of safeguarding standards in every course of action.
3. Follow the safeguarding reporting procedure in case any reportable incident takes place and encourage others to do so.

Educational & Experience Requirements:

• Masters in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Development Studies or any relevant field.
• 10-15 years experience in a technical or management position including in financial institutions. Demonstrated success in microfinance sector specialization

Required Knowledge, Skills & Competencies:

• Understanding of international social, political and economic issues specific to African and South/East Asian countries.
• Ability to effectively prioritize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously. Strategy initiation, execution, and monitoring.
• Team development, coaching, and talent retention
• Financial planning, management, and analysis of financial institutions
• Good network with investor/donors relations and funding negotiations

Core Competencies:

• Collaborative and Cultivates Innovation
• Decisive and timely decision-making
• Ensures Accountability and Instils Trust who can plan & align the team as well.

Leadership Competencies:

• Develops Talent, Mission Focus, Drives Vision & Purpose and Action Orientated.
• Communicates Effectively and Sustainable Adaptability.
• Self-driven, flexible, resilient and able to work under pressure.