With over 70 years of experience, our focus is on helping the most vulnerable children overcome poverty and experience fullness of life. We help children of all backgrounds, even in the most dangerous places, inspired by our Christian faith.

Come join our 33,000+ staff working in nearly 100 countries and share the joy of transforming vulnerable children’s life stories!

Key Responsibilities:

VisionFund is World Vision’s microfinance provider serving vulnerable clients through loans, savings, and insurance. We enable families to grow their livelihoods in hard to reach, rural locations in 28 countries so that caregivers can create secure futures for their children.

We believe in brighter futures for children; empowering families to create incomes and jobs; unlocking economic potential for communities to thrive.

Join VisionFund as we seek to end intergenerational poverty through microfinance.

Job Summary

The FAST (finance accelerating savings for transformation) Business Development Manager be part of part of the FAST team and will employ VisionFund International (VFI) collective experience in supporting savings groups with THRIVE- tested interventions to expand these models and lessons to the broader financial sector.

VFI as part of its 2030 strategy seeks to impact an additional 9 million children by enabling 3 million clients to have access to financial services outside of its present network of MFIs. This work is positioned within the World Vision Inclusive Finance Group as part of its partnership strategy.  This new position is being created to grow access to formal financial services for savings groups (VSLAs/ S4T) globally as a result of the learnings coming out from THRIVE 2.0.
Through the available learnings from THRIVE 2.0, including from DreamSave data-sharing and THRIVE MandE systems,this position will seek to expand FAST-type lending into other countries where VFI does not have an MFI affiliate.  The position will work directly with interested World Vision field offices and other NGOs to explore what needs exist among savings groups to access additional financial services through the formal financial sector, and then to work with financial institutions to develop and deliver appropriate products and services.

Key Responsibilities

THRIVE 2.0 knowledge management (10%)

• Responsible for THRIVE indicator tracking
• Responsible for collecting and sharing lessons learned amongst relevant stakeholders
• Build THRIVE learnings into new partnership models for new countries

Market assessment (15%)

• Support on the ground: market analysis (mapping) of existing groups
• Support in research and analysis of survey data to understand needs of savings groups for financial services
• Analyze context including financial sustainability calculations to evaluate feasibility to start FAST in new locations.
• Map out initial potential financial institutions including interest, existing products and geographical spread
• Document outcomes and recommendations

Negotiating, adapt products and start partnerships (25%)

• Identify the zone of possible agreement where both groups, the NGO and the financial institution can see common ground or value for each.
• Working with WV field offices and other NGOs to confirm interest to explore financial solutions identified in the market assessment.
• Working with identified MFIs and Banks to build understanding and buy in to serve underserved markets through a group-based FAST product.
• Adapt the product to fit different client groups (e.g migrants, refugees, those impacted by disasters)
• Support in designing and implementing pilot testing

Operations support in product testing and roll out/scaling of FAST lending (20%)

• Capacity building of implementing staff covering FAST product, processes, digitization, monitoring, compliance etc.
• Support hiring and training of new field officers
• Work with DreamSave and other digital applications
• Adjustments to loan policies, procedures, and internal systems

Funding and reporting (10%)

• Support funding proposals from WV field offices, support offices or VFI grants team as a technical expert
• Support in preparing regular THRIVE 2.0 and other grant-related reports
• Wherever possible generate revenue opportunities for VFI

Monitoring and partnership relational management (10%)

• Continuous follow up on quality implementation including refreshers for all relevant staff
• Continuous monitoring via powerbi & other tools
• Provide monthly progress and compliance update
• Responsible for developing impact reporting including survey from partner entities
• Capture relevant lessons and practices to build internal capacity and knowledge in savings group lending.

Other work (10%)

• Support FAST team members on other country tasks if necessary as part of Thrive 2.0
• The position as part of the WV Inclusive Finance Group is expected to support and engage other team members to build effective partnerships

Required Professional Experience ​

• University degree
• A minimum of 7 years’ work experience in the microfinance/ retail banking sector; and a minimum of 3 years supporting savings groups/VSLAs.
• Hands-on knowledge of how savings groups are formed, operate and grow is essential. Experience working with NGOs
• Research, writing and knowledge management skills
  Experience leading projects that engage with partner organizations
• Worked in multiple countries, whether full-time or consulting
• Remote project management and support

 Preferred Knowledge/qualifications for the role:

• Work with financial services linkages to savings groups is a preferred skill set
• Has worked as a consultant
• Experience in PowerBI, ArcGi and other data-based tools
• Experience of working with WV is preferred
• Proven ability to document clearly findings and communicate them in English
• Proven ability to present in meetings & on zoom
• 40% of Travel for work requirement
• Locations: Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Kenya, Zambia to name a few where WVI is registered

Travel and/or Work Environment

• The position requires ability and willingness to travel internationally, potentially 30% of the time.
• Able to work from home if required

Applicant Types Accepted:

Local Applicants Only