Kenya Cluster Director, BRAC International Holdings B.V. At BRAC

Career with BRAC International

BRAC is an award-winning international non-governmental development organisation, with the vision of a world free from all forms of exploitation and discrimination, where everyone has the opportunity to realise their potential. BRAC is a leader in developing and implementing cost-effective, evidence-based programmes to assist poor and disadvantaged communities in low-income countries, including in conflict-prone and post-disaster settings. It is an organisation of and for the people of the Global South, pioneering new development and social enterprise approaches to equip communities to achieve prosperity. As well as being the world’s biggest NGO by number of staff and people directly reached, BRAC has regularly been ranked the number one NGO in the world by the Geneva-based NGO Advisor, an independent organisation committed to highlighting innovation, impact and governance in the non-profit sector. BRAC retained the top spot in 2020 among the top 500 NGOs for the fifth consecutive year.

BRAC was founded in Bangladesh in 1972 by Sir Fazle Hasan Abed. It started its first programme outside of Bangladesh in Afghanistan in 2002, and has since reached millions of people in 11 countries in Asia and Africa. BRAC has a holistic approach to development that uses a wide array of programmes and social enterprises, including in microfinance, education, health, agriculture, gender and human rights. BRAC believes that every person has inherent potential, and when an enabling environment is created and that potential is unleashed, even the poorest can become agents of positive change in their own lives, for their families and their communities.

BRAC International Microfinance is seeking applications from competent, dynamic and self-motivated individuals to fill the following position:

Cluster Director, BRAC International Holdings B.V.

About BRAC International Holdings B.V. (BIHBV)

BRAC International Holdings B.V. (BIHBV) is a socially responsible for-profit organization, engaging people in sustainable economic and income-generating activities. The core focus of BIHBV is to provide microfinance services outside Bangladesh to people living in poverty. The BRAC International Microfinance (BI MF) mission is to provide a range of financial services responsibly to people at the bottom of the pyramid. BI MF particularly focuses on women living in poverty in rural and hard to reach areas to create self-employment opportunities, build financial resilience, and harness women’s entrepreneurial spirit by empowering them economically.

About the Opportunity

The Cluster Director will provide strategic guidance to the CEOs of the West and Central Africa cluster of subsidiary microfinance companies of BIHBV, to support the growth and implementation of microfinance in these countries (currently Sierra Leone, Liberia and Rwanda). S/he will support CEOs in planning, coordinating, guiding and provide the necessary technical support to the CEOs to achieve the company specific goals in line with BIHBV’s Growth for Impact Strategy. The Strategy aims to grow net clients by one million, expand into up to five new countries, and implement initiatives across six strategic priority areas including impact measurement, innovative product development and digital transformation, over the next five years.

The key responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:

· Provide guidance and leadership to the West and Central African cluster of the BRAC International Microfinance portfolio in line with the mission and vision of BRAC.

· Support the CEOs to set objectives with achievable action plans to make the Microfinance company a sustainable and efficient operation in line with the Growth for Impact Strategy and each entity’s five-year business plan.

· Support the CEOs in matters related to governance for each of the subsidiary companies.

· Support the Director, Operations BIHBV in the expansion activities and strategic transformations in West and Central Africa. From new country scoping to company set-up.

· Establish an effective and competent participatory management style as well as support CEOs to promote equal opportunity of employment with a strong focus on gender issues and women in leadership.

· Contribute to and support the CEOs in the development of successors through training, mentoring and exposure visits, and work closely with HR to identify training/development requirements.

Safeguarding responsibilities:

· Establish a safeguarding culture across all level of the entity by implementing the safeguarding policy. Act as a key source of support, guidance and expertise on safeguarding for establishing a safe working environment

· Ensure all team members are appropriately trained, supported and have access to resources regarding issues that are identified and actioned in accordance with the safeguarding policy and procedures.

· Follow the safeguarding reporting procedure in case any reportable incident takes place, and encouraging others to do the same.

Skills and Competencies Requirements:

· Values and Vision – commitment to the vision, mission, and values of BRAC

· Extensive and proven track record in managing a financial institution/s

· Experience in financial planning, management, and analysis of financial institutions

· Highly motivated with a strong interest in impact driven microfinance

· Experienced in working with diverse groups of people and respectful towards cultural diversity

· Excellent analytical, communication and interpersonal skills, and experience in people management

· Able to work in a challenging environment with poor infrastructure and human capacities and difficult security conditions

· Able to build effective relationships and working collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders to meet shared objectives

Experience Requirements: At least 15 years’ experience in a technical or management position including financial institutions

Employment type: Contractual

Salary: Negotiable

Job Location: This role will be in Nairobi or one of the BIHBV operating countries in Africa with extensive international travelling.

BRAC is committed to safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share the same commitment. We believe every stakeholder and every member of the communities we work with has the right to be protected from all forms of harm, abuse, neglect, harassment, and exploitation – regardless of age, race, religion, and gender, status as an individual with a disability or ethnic origin. Therefore, our recruitment process includes extensive reference and background checks, self-disclosure of prior issues regarding sexual or other misconduct and criminal records and our values are the part of our Performance Management System.

BRAC is an equal opportunities employer