Senior Associate at BFA (Bankable Frontier Associates)

Job description

BFA Practice Area: Policy & Ecosystem Development

Expertise: Data Science and Financial Sector Policy

Start Date: As soon as possible

Location: Boston, Nairobi, New York, or Washington, DC (must be eligible to work in Kenya or the United States without sponsorship)

About the Policy & Ecosystem Development practice: Policy & Ecosystem Development (PED) supports policymakers, regulators, and supervisors as they face an increasingly complex and data-rich market for financial services. We work with financial authorities to design, test, and implement sound policies that advance the provision of financial services to low-income, underserved, and unbanked customers. We assist our clients throughout the policy cycle – helping them in policy design and implementation, and conducting impact evaluations. To develop smarter, proportional, risk-based regulation, we work with our clients to develop technology-enabled solutions for the collection, analysis, and usage of data by financial authorities. We also work with clients in the private sector to assess regulatory environments for their business and to improve compliance and risk management.

Our aim is to foster innovation and create competitive markets while ensuring that consumers are treated fairly. Our portfolio includes clients like CGAP, Facebook, FSD Africa, GSMA, MasterCard Foundation, Omidyar Network, The Better Than Cash Alliance, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and the United States Agency for International Development, as well as developing country financial authorities.

Job description: We are looking for a Senior Associate with a strong understanding of data science and financial sector policies to make meaningful contributions to active and future projects with financial authorities, financial service providers, and other financial inclusion stakeholders. We are seeking someone with sufficient technical and regulatory understanding to be comfortable engaging both in the world of data science and Fintech and the world of financial inclusion policy and regulation.

As a Senior Associate, your primary role will be to:

• Engage with clients and stakeholders across our projects;
• Create new tools for (i) understanding the responsibilities and pain points of financial authorities and (ii) building an evidence base for strategic advice;
• Work with colleagues across the firm (in our Inclusive Fintech, Consumer Insights, Business Insights, and Finance for Life practices) to develop and deliver appropriate solutions for the changing needs of financial authorities (e.g., central banks and finance ministries), service providers (e.g., banks, mobile network operators, fintech firms, tech companies) and other stakeholders; and
• Manage projects on a day-to-day basis, including assigning tasks, tracking budgets, preparing contracts and other documents, and providing status reports to colleagues and clients.
• Additional tasks will depend upon project requirements determined by our client-driven work. The job will require travel and working with stakeholders around the world.

We’d like a colleague who:

• Enjoys asking hard questions and understanding complex systems;
• Is socially adept and able to work well in a variety of environments;
• Can speak the language of both technologists and policy makers;
• Believes in the value of nuanced and efficient regulation to shape markets and protect consumers;
• Is eager to learn from and collaborate with colleagues;
• Delivers in time and is detail-oriented; and
• Is both humble and curious about the impact that we can have.

What we offer:

• Competitive compensation;
• A chance to work on actual challenges in developing countries and have a real impact on improving the quality of services available to low-income households;
• Exposure to leading thinkers, researchers and solution creators in the financial and tech space; Significant professional growth potential and opportunity to frame evidence-based discussions in a niche industry; and
• Opportunities to develop and lead a growth area within the policy field.
• Significant professional growth potential.

Desired skills and experience:

The ideal candidate for the position should have the following qualifications, skills and experience:

• Passion for the work we are doing at BFA on developing inclusive and resilient financial sectors;
• A Master’s degree in public policy, international affairs, international business, or another relevant field (or equivalent professional experience);
• Strong ability to present and speak in public; Understanding of FinTech and the technologies used by financial service providers;
• At least seven years work experience in financial/tech/telco industries in Africa or other emerging markets;
• Ability to work in an unstructured environment and balance competing priorities;
• Excellent writing ability, particularly in adapting technical material for general audiences;
• English language proficiency (the company is global, and English is the standard language);
• Professional familiarity with different cultures and languages; and
• Willingness to travel up to 33% on average.
• Any of the following will be considered a plus:
• Experience in management consulting (or similar) related to the policy-making process or organizational change generally;
• Experience with monitoring and evaluation and/or cost-effectiveness studies;
• Experience developing qualitative research tools like questionnaires and focus group guides; and
• Proficiency in other languages.