Program Officer (Financial Services for the Poor)

Job Description

Group and Position Summary
The foundation’s Global Growth and Opportunity division (GGO) works to catalyze sustainable transformative change in the face of inequities and market failures, to realize the potential of untapped markets, and to see the economic and social benefits of including everyone. We focus on the areas of Agricultural Development; Financial Services for the Poor; Water, Sanitation and Hygiene; and Gender Equality. We seek solutions that are sustainable, transformative, and inclusive with an eye toward applying technology innovations as well as data evidence to drive change in the world’s developing countries.

The Financial Services for the Poor (FSP) team is focused on helping people in the world’s poorest regions improve their lives and build sustainable futures by connecting them with digitally based financial tools and services. In just the past seven years, 700 million people worldwide have gained access to bank and mobile-money accounts. This revolution in financial inclusion has the potential to offer a pathway out of poverty for millions of people, and to spur broad economic growth. Digital technology and changes in national policy are clearing away obstacles that once kept these services out of reach for many, but many more tough challenges remain.

This Program Officer (PO) role is based in Seattle, and will be responsible for FSP’s work in Indonesia. The PO will sit within FSP’s Country PO team, which develops and maintains FSP’s strategies in seven selected countries of focus.

Position Responsibilities
The Indonesia PO will develop and manage the country action plan focused on Indonesia and a portfolio of investments to support the plan. The Indonesia PO will be deeply involved in the country’s governmental, financial regulation, banking and financial technology networks where they will work to drive a consistent, evidence-based strategy across the various grant-making areas that will deliver digital financial services to the poor. The PO must be able to recognize the interrelationships between policies and regulations; financial infrastructures; and public- and private-sector institutions in order to identify key strategies that will motivate distinct classes of financial service providers to better serve low-income clients.

Areas of deep involvement will be:

• Develop and manage a cohesive portfolio of grants and investments that will foster the growth of digital financial services uptake and usage among the poor in Indonesia.
• Extensive government interaction, particularly with senior officials responsible for regulating Indonesia’s banking and telecommunications sectors, for the purpose of provision of digital financial services to the poor.
• Support for, and interaction with, the community of fintech companies and private sector service providers who will ultimately deliver financial services to low-income Indonesians.
• Monitor and share key learnings from the work done in Indonesia to facilitate work in other countries, especially countries that are a focus for the foundation.

Additional Key Responsibilities include:

• Provide concise and insightful written analyses and recommendations for making investments including drafting grant proposals and progress reports for review by foundation leadership.
• Facilitate connections between technical knowledge experts and country stakeholders working in financial inclusion.
• Consult regularly with grantees and partners to maximize impact of projects and ensure sharing of lessons learned. This will include: field visits, hands-on oversight, operational guidance, and convening and facilitating interactions among key stakeholders.

Education and Experience

MBA or Master’s Degree in relevant subject matter. Ten years of prior work experience in some combination of the following:

• Governments, central banks, or public policy organizations in Indonesia or SE Asia
• Financial inclusion donor or similar grant-making organization
• Development organization with a focus on usage of technology to address specific needs of very low income and vulnerable people
• Technology company with a focus on large-scale enterprise platforms
• Financial services – with a focus on provision of products to mass-market consumers or low-income audiences
• Startup ventures in the digital products and services market, including firms that provide venture capital and advisory services

Preferred Knowledge and Skills
We are looking for people who enjoy solving complex problems using a hypothesis and data-driven approach and have experience delivering innovative solutions in complex environments. The qualified candidate should have the following:

• Knowledge of the public policy sphere in Indonesia or broader Southeast Asia region
• Demonstrated strategic skills and capacity to conceptualize, structure and supervise projects/programs
• Excellent written and oral communication skills to convey complex concepts in a concise manner. Bahasa Indonesia fluency desirable.
• Experience with leading and working with a range of clients, colleagues, consultants and other partners with broad exposure to senior policy makers & regulators
• Thoughtful and culturally sensitive personality
• Solid negotiating skills
• Knowledge of mobile money and digital financial services platforms and technologies
• Proven ability to build personal and institutional relationships and networks
• Effective leadership skills with a demonstrated ability to inspire others
• Innovative and open-minded approach to all aspects of work. Ability to question and challenge colleagues, including managers, in a constructive manner
• Ability to travel internationally up to 40% of time as needs dictate

As part of our standard hiring process for new employees, employment with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will be contingent upon successful completion of a background check.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is dedicated to the belief that all lives have equal value. We’re committed to creating a workplace where employees thrive both personally and professionally. We also believe our employees should reflect the rich diversity of the global populations we aim to serve—in race, gender, age, cultures and beliefs—and we support this diversity through all of our employment practices.

All applicants and employees who are drawn to serve the mission of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will enjoy equality of opportunity and fair treatment without regard to:

* Race

* Color

* Age

* Religion

* Pregnancy

* Sex

* Sexual Orientation

* Disability

* Gender Identity

* Gender Expression

* National Origin

* Genetic Information

* Veteran Status

* Marital Status

* Prior Protected Activity

Note: Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.