Position: SME DIRECTOR
Reporting Line: AKAM General Manager
Job Description:
The SME Director will:
a) Lead the thinking on improving business enabling environments for small and medium enterprises (SME) in the countries in which AKAM operates;
b) Help AKAM entities to establish profitable banking operations to provide a range of high quality banking and other financial services to SMEs operating in underserved areas among poor populations;
c) Develop partnerships with others financial intermediaries (banks and non-banks) to strengthen financial infrastructures for SMEs, to develop training for SMEs, and to share knowledge on best practices for banking for SMEs;
d) Advise AKAM entities on SME lending methodologies, risk management, policies and procedures and on capacity building for SMEs.
e) Advise AKAM entities on SME market analysis and segmentation, SME financial products, SME credit risk evaluation processes, and on loan collections and recovery procedures.
f) Supervise the implementation of the SME business strategy and provide technical input on how to develop suitable SME financial products; and
g) Ensure a consistent and professional approach in the delivery of financial services to SMEs across all AKAM field entities.
Responsibilities:
The SME Director will work under the supervision and guidance of the AKAM General Manager and will be responsible for:
• Thinking through and creating the AKAM strategy for developing, implementing and monitoring financing operations for SMEs in all AKAM entities;
• Identifying potential collaborating partners for research on successful financing of SMEs and developing a leading knowledge database on SME financing solutions and best practice risk management strategies for successful operations financing SMEs.
• Designing, implementing, monitoring, managing SME operations in all AKAM entities;
• Collaborating closely with other AKDN institutions to ensure complementarities and synergies in the development of successful SMEs in order to achieve overall strong developmental results and impact;
• Acquiring knowledge through research, analysis of performance data, participation in think tanks and workshops and through keeping updated on the published literature on financing and developing SMEs lending;
• Formulating proposals for mobilizing funding from various donors, foundations and partner banks, for implementing training programs/seminars/events/initiatives targeting development and financing of SMEs;
• Identifying existing financial products, designing new financial products and introducing new financial products to increase access to financing for SMEs and to meet their needs;
• Monitoring, supervising and reporting on ongoing SME operations; measuring and analysing results, outcomes and impacts of the SME operations in all AKAM entities;
• Working on any other tasks assigned by the AKAM General Manager.
Knowledge, experience and personal competencies
• Master s degree in Business Administration, Finance or Economics;
• Fifteen or more years professional experience, including at least ten years in banking, preferably in retail banking and/or banking for SMEs;
• Good knowledge of bank credit risk management policies, procedures and best practices in lending to SMEs;
• Strategic thinker with proven ability to manage people, processes and projects to achieve developmental objectives in line with operational guidelines;
• Experience in researching new approaches and developments in the SME sector and ability to convene workshops/retreats for researchers and practicing bankers to brainstorm on new solutions for accelerating development of innovative solutions;
• Independent, pro-active and able to work well under pressure & within teams;
• Able to create and manage effective relationships with senior government and private sector representatives and clients;
• Excellent communications skills, both verbal and writing;
• Ability to execute across a broad array of stakeholders;
• Fluent English and French; knowledge of Arabic, Russian is a plus;
• Excellent computer skills (Word, Excel, PowerPoint);
• Experience and a keen interest in development finance and in working in a international environment is highly desirable;
• Ability to communicate ideas clearly and confidently, articulate issues and recommend solutions;
• Willingness to travel extensively.
