Sr. Specialist – Housing Finance Systems At Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity International’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter is seeking an innovative, energetic, and multifaceted Sr. Specialist to support the organizations strategic goals for housing finance systems. The Sr. Specialist – Housing Finance Systems position will support the development of financial solutions design including ideation, prototyping and user testing, including back-end support to various program teams not limited to MEAL, resource mobilization, communications, and program delivery. The individual will play a key role in building an effective portfolio and working on projects across the globe.
The Sr. Specialist will be responsible for supporting partner engagements, project execution, and providing advisory services to enable partners to effectively reach and serve low-income households with relevant financial services and products. You will work both as part of teams and individually, playing an active role in all aspects of financial inclusion strategy for housing, with a focus on designing effective and commercially viable solutions, and developing and communicating recommendations for rollout to scale the impact of the solutions. You will work on multiple engagements concurrently and with colleagues across various functions within the organization.

This position will be based at our Washington, DC headquarters, and will require 40% travel.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead and contribute to design development processes from customer behavioral lens – from customer research to ideation, solutions development, prototyping, workshop for partners, user testing and pilot.
• Utilizes best practices in behavioral and inclusive design.
• Analyze and interpret the research findings/information from different research methodologies, qualitative and quantitative data analysis and statistics and use it for solutions development.
• Engage in strategic and creative problem solving.
• Think strategically and use a spectrum of design methodologies to develop highly effective design solutions to drive impact and scale.
• Play an active role in technical work (in project management-based activities) to execute project activities, which include supporting customer research, gathering and analyzing client-partner background information, gathering market intelligence on current market trends, and project implementation monitoring.
• Develop project deliverables, project monitoring, and presentations.
• Develop a strong understanding of the context of financial inclusion through the lens of gender, climate, technology and a resilience while combining your own experience and perspectives to provide support in developing solutions that can increase women’s financial inclusion.
• Lead the team’s Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning (MEAL) agenda by designing standards and processes.
• Support with various resource mobilization and thought leadership activities.
• Other related duties as assigned by supervisor.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s Degree, preferably with Master’s Degree in Design, Business Management, Behavioral Science, Psychology, Finance, Economics, Development Studies or related field.
• 3-5 years work experience in Fintech/digital financial services/e-commerce, financial inclusion, banking or financial services, consulting (for financial services), preferably in product/strategy/user experience/business design and development for financial services.
• Demonstrated skills in human-centered design and/or behavioral design, as well as facilitating design ideation, prototyping and user testing sessions.
• Demonstrated strong project management skills.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to quickly identify behavioral change levers and have an empathy-first mindset in his/her design approach.
• Excellent writing and presentation skills, with prior experience of working on donor proposals and concept notes.
• Ability to balance the needs of and interests of various stakeholders, internal and external, while determining priorities and allocating time and resources effectively.
• Demonstrated strong project management skills.
• Able to manage responsibility with integrity and tact.
• Demonstrates ability to work independently, takes initiative, and can work with remote teams.
• Willingness to learn and show adaptability, as well as reliability.
• Active support of HFHI Values:
  • Humility – We are part of something bigger than ourselves
  • Courage – We do what’s right, even when it is difficult or unpopular
  • Accountability – We take personal responsibility for Habitat’s mission
• Safeguarding: HFHI requires that all employees take seriously their ethical responsibilities to safeguarding our intended beneficiaries, their communities, and all those with whom we work. Managers at all levels have responsibilities to support and develop systems that create and maintain an environment that prevents harassment, sexual exploitation and abuse, safeguards the rights of beneficiaries and community members (especially children), and promotes the implementation of Habitat for Humanity’s code of conduct.

PREFERRED:

• Experience working with low-income populations in emerging markets and/or experience in housing, gender, climate, technology or resilience.
• Experience in savings, credit, insurance, and digital financial services will be valued.
• Track record of superior creativity and problem-solving abilities.
• Demonstrates ability to execute and successfully achieve objectives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with aggressive timelines.
• International work experience, particularly emerging markets.