Operation Director at World Vision Kenya

Purpose of the position:

Responsible for developing and executing the VFK’s business strategy to acquire, manage and grow the business through the retail branch network within acceptable risk parameters.

Job Summary

 Planning

• In coordination with the CEO and CFO, prepares Annual Business Plan by determining the key business, social, growth and staffing objectives, efficiency and productivity standards/targets and ensures operating costs are in line with acceptable budget ratios.
• Agrees with Branch Managers/Office Managers on their specific operating targets and objectives (individual branch / office plans) for all products and services.
• Prepares work targets/schedules/budgets and assigns duties to operations personnel to ensure efficient and effective operations department.
• Reviews and approves Annual Work Plans of all branch offices (overall and by Client Service Officer).
• Reviews, consolidates, prepares and recommends to CEO the Annual Work Plan of the Operations Department

Monitoring of Operations Performance

• Closely monitors implementation of the approved Business Plan ensuring all departments and branch offices are achieving set goals and targets.
• Evaluates operational performance of branch offices and implements strategic interventions to help low-performing branch offices.
• Sets targets for field visits, verification visits, and meetings with branch office personnel and clients.
• Evaluates operations departments’ performance, identifies problems or issues and recommends corrective measures when necessary.
• Assists CFO in controlling supply of money on hand to meet branches’ daily requirements for savings and lending transactions, and to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements

Risk Management and Control

• Oversees the implementation of the internal control systems, ensuring the smooth running of the business and safeguarding the institution’s assets; Follows-up with the relevant manager(s) to ensure any actions related to audit findings are implements by branches and/or departments
• Shares information and communicates openly with senior managers; facilitates good flow of information flow between departments and around the branch network
• Ensures compliance with all existing MFI and VFI policies; with local regulations; and with all VFI/Lender covenants.
• Ensures that policies and procedures are applied consistently and uniformly across all branches
• Plans and ensures the implementation of an adequate and timely reporting system with focus on each branch’s asset quality, liquidity, capital adequacy, and provisioning
• Consults with the IT department on any issues related to monitoring or reporting, and ensures IT resolves issues as soon as possible
• Takes an active leadership role with branches that are underperforming or are not compliant with any policy or regulation, etc., ensuring that appropriate measures are taken to bring the branch’s performance or compliance back to required standards
• Actively works with the risk manager and all departments to identify and measure all risks, and actively develops mitigation strategies
• Supervises creation and implementation of plans and methods to create awareness of all products and services offered by the MFI (e.g. newsletter, radio advertising, posters, school competitions, press releases, etc.).
• Regularly conducts customer satisfaction surveys to determine areas for improvement in products and services.
• Recommends corrective actions and develops plans for CEO and Board approval
• Provides regular updates for the MFI website (where relevant) and as needed by VFI or WV
• Assists with drafting answers to public queries needed by the CEO or the Board.
• Interacts with World Vision, with the local community, business organizations, and industry networks to promote goodwill and generate new business (integration opportunities).
• Where the MFI has a Marketing resource, works directly with Marketing to develop and deliver promotional activities, gather information about competitors, etc.

Public Relation

• Keeps track of international developments related to microfinance and informs CEO and Board of potential opportunities for MFI.
• Develops good relationships with clients, local business owners, community leaders, and civic organizations to promote goodwill and generate new business
• Safeguards the institution’s reputation by ensuring strict compliance to existing regulations (liaising with the institution’s legal counsel).
• Institutes regular communications with branch staff partners and clients to prevent and/or immediately resolve problems

Social Performance and Integration

• Ensure that the MFI reaches its target clients (poor, women with dependent children, ADP areas), making necessary adjustments to do so (changes in geographical location, introduction of new products, linkages with WV Savings Groups, etc.) while balancing the need for institutional sustainability
• Ensure that the products provided and the delivery methods meet the needs of the target client
• Ensure that clients and their children are protected and treated with respect in the provision of financial services through implementation of the client protection policies. This includes not over-indebting clients, appropriate debt collection practices, and active mechanisms for client complaint
• Actively promote and ensure child well-being through gathering and reporting child well-being data, accurate children impacted figures and integration with WV and ADPs.
• Ensure that branch managers and credit staff are trained in and apply strong social performance practices (per points above).
• Include social goals and indicators into business planning, receive regular reporting to track progress and make operational decisions (new products, delivery methods) to reach those goals
• Take necessary actions to avoid social performance risks (mission drift, harm to clients, client turnover, etc).

Staffing, Performance Management and Capacity Building

• Participates in the interview, selection and hiring of new employees.
• Recommends promotion, suspension, dismissal, and/or transfer of staff
• Ensures the annual appraisal Cycle (agreeing annual and learning and development objectives, mid-term reviews and end of year reviews ) is implemented and evaluates job performance of operations department managers and branch managers
• Recommends salary and/or merit increases; recommends the granting of other incentives
• Regularly conducts a skills analysis for Operations Managers and Branch Managers, analyzing gaps and developing plans for capacity building

Guides the development of succession plans for new employees.

• Recommends promotion, suspension, dismissal, and/or transfer of staff within Operations
• Ensures the annual appraisal Cycle (agreeing annual and learning and development objectives, mid-term reviews and end of year reviews ) is implemented and evaluates job performance of operations department managers and branch managers
• Recommends salary and/or merit increases; recommends the granting of other incentives
• Regularly conducts a skills analysis for Operations Managers and Branch Managers, analyzing gaps and developing plans for capacity building
• Guides the development of succession plans for department managers and branch management
• Implements the Management and Staff Capacity Building Plans to ensure productivity, effectiveness and compliance in order to reach standards and targets
• Monitors and evaluates the progress of capacity building and revises plans as necessary.
• Ensures all high-performing staff have a development plan in place.
• Ensures all under-performing staff are closely managed so that performance improves or separation is managed according to local regulations (as guided by MFI P&C or HR Director/Manager).

Product and Service Development

• Continually gathers information and analyzes the strategic position of the MFI compared to the industry.
• Conducts/directs market research activities and analysis to determine new products and service areas that may be explored
• Reviews internal and external studies on new methodologies/approaches to improve field operations and social performance for review by CEO/BOD
• Once approved, pilot tests new product/methodologies, monitors and evaluates results and proposes actions to be taken to introduce into MFI (if warranted).
• Plans implementation of new products/services and details positive results / risks for presentation and approval by the Board; and coordinates with project management team on implementation and monitoring of plans.
• Any other duties that may be assigned by the CEO from time to time.

Required qualifications and experience

• Master Degree in Economics, Finance, Accounting or Business Administration or any other related field.
• Proven track record of motivating and developing capable management teams
• Capability and willingness to take responsibility and highly developed sense of integrity
• Ready to comply and live up to and in accordance with the Institution’s Ideals and Core Values
• Demonstrable knowledge in economic and financial topics
• A strong analytical and quantitative mindset
• Excellent decision-making skills
• Strong verbal as well as non-verbal communication skills
• Exceptional team management and organizational skills
• Resilient, self-driven and goal-oriented professional with a strong people management orientation
• Demonstrates digital dexterity and breadth of technical skills
• Demonstrable financial, analytical, organizational and problem-solving skills
• People oriented and results focused
• Extensive experience in microfinance/retail banking
• Proven work experience as Operation Director or a similar role for at least 5 years’.

Other Competencies/Attributes:

• Must be a committed Christian, able to stand above denominational diversities.
• Customer Service, commercial and product development functions of a financial institution at managerial level.
• Demonstrated consistent high performance in the last 3 years’ in a similar role.
• Excellent interpersonal, and negotiation skills with the ability to network, generate new business and develop strong business relations.
• Strong leadership skills with demonstrated competences in championing high performance management.
• A good understanding of risk, credit policies and procedures.
• A change agent able to drive growth while motivating staff.