Job Description
About the organization:
Accion International (“Accion”), together with its co-investors Triodos and FMO, is currently launching a microfinance institution (“MFI”) in the Republic of Myanmar (“Myanmar”). As a regulated institution, incorporated as a limited liability company, the new MFI seeks to address the vast, untapped demand for formal financial services in a country where an estimated 80-90% of the population of more than 50 million inhabitants lack access to such services. By early 2015, the company expects to have 30,000 active clients and a growing and high quality loan portfolio, offering group loans to women in peri-urban and rural areas in the southern part of the country. Over the coming five years, with support from Accion as operating partner, the institution aims to expand its outreach to 150,000 clients with a range of products, including a wider array of loan products, savings and various nonfinancial products, expanding its reach throughout Myanmar.
About the job:
Based in Yangon, the incumbent will serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the MFI, reporting to its Board as well as to Accion’s Project Manager on a project basis. He/she will be in charge of the overall management of the institution, including providing clear leadership and direction to the institution, ensuring solid operating and financial performance, recruiting and developing the talent needed to accomplish high performance standards and overseeing new operational systems and procedures. He/she will have primary responsibility for achieving the ambitious growth strategy developed by the stakeholders, and for positioning the MFI as a leading provider of high quality financial services to the poor. This will include assuming leadership in four key areas:
- Overall management and governance
- Strategic planning and business development
- Human resource and talent development
- Communications and external stakeholder relations
Responsibilities:
Overall Management and Governance
- Serve as ex officio non-voting member of Board of Directors
- Execute the policy decisions of the Board
- Manage the day-to-day operations of the institution by providing clear leadership and guidance to all functions of the institution, including Finance, Operations, Administration, Special Projects, HR, IT.
- Cultivate culture of cooperation and high performance
- Drive organizational performance, both quantitative and qualitative; achieve business plan targets
- Ensure effective collaboration with Accion team under the Management and Technical Assistance Services Agreement
- Uphold standards of risk management at all levels and ensure effective supervisory control and management review
- Sustain the institution’s social mission and its dedication to financial inclusion
Strategic Planning and Business Development
- Develop annual and longer term plans and budgets, incorporating input from the different departments for approval by the Board
- Oversee the implementation of budgets and strategic plans, including oversight of fundraising
- Set financial and operational performance targets for all key operating units
- Set employee performance standards required to achieve short and long term objectives and goals
- Lead the MFI’s expansion into new geographic areas of Myanmar
Human Resource and Talent Development
- Build a strong and effective senior management team
- Establish an effective and competent participatory management style
- Implement performance management system for senior management team
- Oversee and support the development and implementation of effective HR policies and procedures for recruitment, training and talent development
- Motivate all staff and ensure that staff is dedicated to the mission of the MFI
- Mentor and coach senior management
Communications and External Stakeholder Relations
- Build the MFI’s reputation as a company committed to excellent client services, both internally and externally
- Maintain solid relations with shareholders and external parties, including the MMSE, the Government of Myanmar, investors, and other business partners
- Ensure quality information flow to investors, regulators and other stakeholders as relevant
Qualifications:
- A bachelor degree; Master’s degree or greater in business or finance is desirable
- At least fifteen years of direct experience in financial services, at least 10 of which should have been in senior management positions in a retail bank or similar financial services company
- General knowledge of a wide range of micro banking products, including loans and savings
- Advanced knowledge of retail banking operations, products and services as well as knowledge of standard baking compliance regulations, banking law, business law, employment and labor law, internal operational policies and procedures
- Demonstrated experience leading and building cohesive, high performing teams
- At least five years of professional experience in developing/emerging economies, preferably in South East Asia
- Strong analytical, interpersonal, communication and influencing skills
- Ability to delegate effectively amongst teams and show commitment to the long-term development of the management team through coaching and mentoring
- Comfortable in a fluid environment, self-directed, flexible and creative
- Commitment to the institution’s social mission and corporate values
- Fluency in English is required
- Willingness to be based in Yangon, with frequent travel throughout Myanmar
About the Organization
Accion is a global nonprofit dedicated to building a financially inclusive world with access to economic opportunity for all, by giving people the financial tools they need to improve their lives. A world pioneer in microfinance, over the last 50 years we have helped build 63 microfinance institutions in 32 countries on four continents. Those institutions are currently reaching millions of clients. The Accion U.S. Network is the largest microfinance network in the United States and, since inception, has served hundreds of thousands of clients with loans and support. For further information, visit www.accion.org.
