Latest Jobs at FSD Africa

About the role

This Senior Capital Markets Specialist role will lead the area of Climate Finance interventions in the various SSA markets. The position will lead in the identification of SSA market priorities, appreciation of market needs and requirements, and determination of opportunities for Capital Markets to contribute to transformational change and improvement.

The job holder will be accountable for the development and implementation of projects working directly with implementing partners and consultants in the delivery of the projects and ensuring the successful management of FSD Africa Capital Markets’ strategic and operational interventions.

In addition, the role will provide thought leadership in the space, providing strategic and tactical advice to partners and external stakeholders and driving the transformation of capital markets through effective influencing, advocacy and communication. He or she will be responsible for managing complex projects with a team of specialists and consultants, and will be a credible coach for the external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities:

Thought leadership & strategy development

• Participate in the development of strategy and programmes for the Capital Markets pillar
• Ensure regular engagement with other experts & decision makers in SSA countries to understand the strategic priorities for the development of capital markets
• Lead FSDA’s research into Climate Finance, developing a deep and comprehensive understanding of the financial systems in SSA and how to leverage beneficial change
• Pay attention to personal professional development and learning in order to remain an expert in the fields of Capital Markets Development and Financial Inclusion
• Contribute towards the development of strategy for the Capital Markets pillar; ensuring that insights in Climate Finance are incorporated into the design and development of relevant theories of change
• Identify a portfolio of projects in the Climate Finance space that will enable them to have a transformative impact on the market; aligned to DFID strategy and FSDA development goals
• Develop tools, methodologies and approaches (IP) which will guide the team and stakeholders in implementing best practice in Capital Markets Development

Project design & Implementation

• Ensure the effective implementation of Capital Markets projects; ensuring that the results anticipated in the MRM framework are achieved
• Conceptualise, design, and write investment proposals, including results measurement and risk management framework
• Following approval, develop detailed implementation plans; including budgets and procurement of consultants / implementing partners as required
• Ensure the effective implementation of projects so that milestones of the project plan are achieved on time and to standard
• Lead monitoring, results management, and learning for all projects being implemented; ensuring objective analysis of results and appropriate corrective actions as required to optimise FSDA’s beneficial impact
• Provide high quality technical advice and support to Implementing Partners, Consultants and other project stakeholders in Capital Finance
• Ensure comprehensive and timely communication with all project stakeholders

Financial management & fundraising

• Contribute to the management of the finances associated with the Capital Markets Pillar aiming to optimise the impact that is achieved with resources and ensuring compliance with FSD Africa and Donor policies
• Identify opportunities for fundraising and co-funding for the work of FSDA & support with proposal development as requested
• Conceptualise how funds and other limited resources may be best allocated to achieve optimum impact; including supervising the work of consultants to optimise value for money
• Track and monitor budget spend and associated activities, ensuring cost-effective utilisation of resources and timely achievement of financial targets
• Ensure that the accountability requirements of donors are met and that good relationships with funders are maintained at all times

Influencing & Communicating for Impact

• Drive the transformation of capital markets through effective influencing, advocacy and communication strategies
• Contribute towards stakeholder mapping for the pillar; identifying key decision makers/ power brokers and develop innovative ideas for influencing them and/or transforming their mindsets
• Publish industry thought-leadership materials, particularly in the area of Climate Finance
• Contribute to the development and implementation of FSDA’s Communications Plan; building FSD Africa’s web presence, supporting thought leadership activities (publications, briefing notes, case studies, conference presentations), coordinating events, seminars etc.; establish us as a leading voice in Climate Finance thinking and knowledge
• Participate in networking events and/or convene stakeholders in order to build awareness and influence the thinking around capital market

Implementing partner engagement & capacity building

• Support the Director of Capital Markets in identifying, engaging, and empowering key implementing partners, so that they are equipped to operate effectively and contribute to the development of their respective Capital Markets
• Ensure appropriate selection of partners; ensuring optimal combinations of partners to bring out their synergies for the programmes e.g. political economics, due diligence, influence, etc.
• Build and maintain relationships with senior leaders in chosen implementing partners, leveraging new opportunities that may arise and dealing promptly with relationship difficulties
• Engage partners in joint strategizing and the development of projects that will leverage change and have a positive impact on capital markets development

Does this sound like you?

• You have at least 10-15 years of experience in the areas of technical specialism, including at a senior level, in a financial markets environment
• You are able to manage project diversity and complexity, with a portfolio in GBP 1-5 million range
• You are able to manage significant complexity and conceptual sophistication
• You have a successful track record of delivering results in the area of technical specialism and the provision of technical assistance
• You have a track record of managing relationships and influencing key stakeholders at leadership or specialist level
• You have experience in conducting and analysing research

Nice to have

• You have an understanding of the developing world and strategic MRM (preferred)
• You have experience of working in a multicultural environment
• You have knowledge of donor policies and procedures
• You have previous experience of working in DFID-funded projects
• Languages: French, local African languages

Persons of all gender, race, sex, orientation, age, and identity are encouraged to apply.

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About the role: Targeted, tactical and influential advocacy is a key tool for FSD Africa. It helps to drive the impact of their programmes, enabling policy and practice changes that help to fundamentally change the shape of Africa’s financial markets for the benefit of all. It also positions FSD Africa as a trusted counterpart, giving them the license to operate in the spaces where change happens, as a thought-leader but also a world-class delivery partner.

The new Assistant Director will upgrade FSD Africa’s existing communications platform to reflect this ambition. He or she will have the mandate to not only hire new staff into a team structure that he or she decides, but also upgrade key infrastructures, processes and strategies that underpin and measure success. The Assistant Director will manage a suitable budget to enable success.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategy & Programming

• Develop and implement creative, feasible and measurable strategies to influence decision-makers and support the efforts of FSD Africa’s programmes to drive systemic change
• Work closely with other departments to ensure the aims and work of the Advocacy and Communications team align well with FSD Africa’s main delivery teams
• Develop an understanding of the political & media environment surrounding FSD Africa and the FSD Network and commission research as required to gather relevant information on potential audiences and opportunities
• Support the Director of Strategy & Advocacy in clarifying the influencing agenda; liaising with the executive team and other key stakeholders (e.g. DFID) to understand the mindset changes and other influencing challenges that are required for FSD Africa’s success
• Evaluate the effectiveness of previous communication strategies (FSD Africa & FSD Network wide) in driving systemic change and action the recommendations
  Implementation
• Co-ordinate the roll-out of the strategy and continuously monitor its effectiveness and impact; analysing learning and making adjustments as required:
• Hire and coordinate the team of colleagues, staff and consultants to take responsibility for delivering various aspects of the communications plan; provide support and training as required
• Monitor implementation against the milestones of the communication plan and MRM framework performance indicators
• In balance with the previous goal, ensure responsiveness to changing environment / political landscape / emerging events – leading adjustment of the communication plan if required
• Support the development and implementation of significant campaigns to achieve organisational goals and impact
• Oversee the development and implementation of innovative strategies for the use of social media to maximise the brand recognition and reach of the organisation

Public Relations

• Lead FSD Africa’s PR function, including the press office and portfolio of events; personally represent FSD Africa and ensuring that their values, insights and positions are communicated
• Co-ordinate the conceptualisation and implementation of impactful events and conferences; ensuring that an MRM framework is in place to ensure value for money and impact
• Proactively develop a network of external relationships including with Development Partners and key national, regional and sector press
• Participate in high-level meetings on behalf of FSD Africa ensuring their values, insights and positions are reflected
• Manage and nurture relationships at all levels (especially with DFID and other Development Partners)
• Work with senior managers to identify potential reputational risks and proactively develop appropriate protocol/messages

Knowledge Management

• Work closely with the FSD Africa CEO; Director of Strategy and Advocacy; Head of Content, and Director of Results to ensure knowledge is managed and communicated effectively
• Carry out audience analysis to understand who will potentially benefit from the knowledge that is generated by FSD Africa and what requirements they might have in terms of content and presentation
• Work with the Executive team (especially the Director of Results) to understand how knowledge is currently managed and communicated both internally and externally
• Oversee the development of a knowledge management system/platform that will effectively collect, curate and disseminate to the identified audiences
• Liaise with the Director of Results to appropriately allocate responsibilities between the two departments and ensure that sufficient resources (people, systems, infrastructure) are in place for quality delivery

Departmental Leadership

• Provide leadership to the department; ensuring that resources are managed effectively, and that staff and consultants are well motivated
• Develop and manage the budget for Communications activities; ensuring that departmental finances are managed in line with FSD Africa’s policies and that good value for money is achieved
• Ensure that the pillar is resourced with the expertise necessary to deliver on strategy & project implementation; through a combination of recruitment and management of staff and procurement of consultants
• Ensure that each pillar team member is provided with clarity concerning goals and expectations of their personal role in achieving results, standards and behaviour
• Plan and organise the work of the pillar team to accomplish project strategic & project goals and targets in the most cost-effective and impactful manner possible
• Ensure the delivery of an engaging leadership style that motivates team members and results in high performance

Does this sound like you?

• You have at least 10 years of experience, some in Senior leadership within like-minded international organisations
• You have evidence of policy/behaviour change as a direct impact of advocacy campaigns managed by the candidate
• You demonstrate a network of external relationships including key national, regional and sector press; be willing to deal with external requests out of hours
• You are excellent at public speaking and thought leadership abilities
• You have evidence of having delivered key campaign objectives to time and budget; including reporting on key performance indicators
• You’re able to develop and/or edit content; ensuring that written, visual or audio content is developed to high-quality standards
• You’re able to use social media strategically; come up with ideas for expanding the organisation’s reach and impact
• You demonstrate the ability to coordinate the work of colleagues across the organisation and manage external suppliers and providers
• You have experience in formulating, developing and implementing new strategies with a 3-10 year scope
• You have experience of developing communication strategies; including brand enhancement at a regional level
• You have experience with managing and reporting on complex donor-funded projects, managing risk and ensuring value for money; ability to manage project portfolio in the GBP 500,000-1mil per year range.

Nice to have:

• You have experience of working in a multicultural environment
• You have previous experience of working in DFID-funded projects
• Languages: French, local African languages

Persons of all gender, race, sex, orientation, age, and identity are encouraged to apply.

go to method of application »

About the Role

The Credit Markets pillar addresses the profound problems that result in credit market dysfunction in Africa which constrains business investment (and therefore job creation) and contributes to over-indebtedness at individual and household levels.

Reporting to the Director, Credit Markets, the Assistant Director Policy, Regulation & Infrastructure focuses on improving the enabling environment for credit. This involves leading research, analysis and thinking around ecosystem development, e.g. in housing finance where we intend to continue a long-standing partnership with the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance, based in Johannesburg.

The Assistant Director will assume responsibility for an existing portfolio of impactful intervention projects.

These include: working with central banks on credit market data gathering and analysis; conceptualising and implementing evidence-based advocacy campaigns that highlight the importance of credit; supporting the emergence of sandboxes or other RegTech approaches; conducting research into the big issues affecting credit markets in Africa e.g. cost of credit & interest rate regulation).

There will be ample scope for the successful candidate to bring her/his own ideas into play to initiate new interventions and partnerships (e.g. around responsible credit).

There will be very significant opportunities for the successful candidate to leverage and develop her/his African and international networks – with central bankers and policy makers, research agencies and think tanks, private sector service providers, development organisations and civil society.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND REQUIREMENTS

1. Thought Leadership

Act as a thought leader, aiming to support Regulators, Policy Makers and Service Providers to effectively regulate credit market innovations and enable the development of more responsive credit markets:

• Stay abreast of local and regional regulatory and other market developments in Credit Markets in SSA
• Ensure regular engagement with experts and policy makers in SSA countries to understand strategic priorities for the development of effective credit markets and their regulation
• Scope out existing research and commission additional research, as required to develop and test Theories of Change
• Develop and communicate a deep and comprehensive understanding of the Credit Market ecosystem and how to leverage beneficial change

2. Strategy & Program Development

Lead the development of FSD Africa’s new approach to Credit Policy, Regulation and Infrastructure; ensuring that the programme results in meaningful poverty-reducing outcomes:

• In collaboration with the Results pillar, review lessons learned from previous, relevant, projects (FSD Africa & Network); use the results to inform the development of strategies, instruments and approaches
• Participate in strategy and workplan development for the Credit Markets Pillar, ensuring that learning from Credit Policy, Regulation and Infrastructure interventions is incorporated
• Lead the development of strategy and plans for Credit Policy, Regulation and Infrastructure programming
• Ensure the inclusion of FSD Africa’s cross-cutting themes: jobs & employment, basic services and climate/sustainability
• Work collaboratively with the Results Pillar to devise and manage results measurement and learning frameworks that will yield important insights into the development of effective long-term interventions

3. Project Planning

Conceptualise and develop a portfolio of Implementing Partners and Projects which will collectively be effective in driving impact & systemic change:

• Identify, engage and build relationships with key Implementing Partners (IPs) and other stakeholders who have the capacity to effectively contribute towards Credit Policy, Regulation and Infrastructure development
• Support the development of IP workplans; ensuring alignment between partners’ plans and FSD Africa’s Theory of Change and that the over-all portfolio of projects has the capacity to leverage systemic change
• Oversee the development of project proposals that comply with Investment Committee standard; including detailed implementation plan, budgets and cash-flow forecasts that will ensure project success and address capacity gaps of partners
• Ensure that all staff, consultants and implementing partners involved in a project are fully briefed concerning expectations; especially on project milestone targets, quality standards, data collection/reporting and compliance with risk management / accountability requirements
• Assume responsibility for existing programmes and workstreams, including the partnership with the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance, MOUs with a number of central banks

4. Project Implementation

Coordinate the roll-out of projects so that results are achieved, risks are managed and that quality projects are delivered; ensuring that learning from projects is fully utilised to maximise impact and innovation:

• For any projects personally supervised, work with implementing partners to assist them in implementing their projects according to the project plan:

1. 1. Organise a regular schedule of visits to the IP for both self and members of other pillars as appropriate (Finance, Results)
   2. Address delivery shortfalls with a coaching style in the first instance
   3. Negotiate assertively, with the administration of consequences, in case of persistent failure to deliver

• Develop tools and approaches which will guide the team, implementing partners and stakeholders in implementing best practice in credit market development; ensure that IPs are provided with any other necessary capacity-building support
• Review the Monthly and Quarterly M&E Report and take appropriate action on the basis of results and analysis:

1. 1. If desired results have been achieved, initiate strategies for widespread awareness-raising and ‘crowding in’
   2. If desired results have not been achieved, either manage performance of the implementation team or adjust the strategy/approach

• Identify and mitigate project risks in a timely manner (project delivery and partnership management)

5. Communicating for Impact

Drive the transformation of Credit Market Policy, Regulation and Infrastructure through effective influencing, advocacy and communication strategies:

• Lead stakeholder mapping for the Credit Policy, Regulation and Infrastructure Programme, identifying key decision makers / power brokers and developing innovative ideas for influencing them and/or transforming their mindsets
• Engage in advocacy for Credit Policy, Regulation and Infrastructure change, building stakeholder awareness, helping influence policy at the highest levels through dialogue, and arranging communication platforms, including facilitation of networking opportunities
• Work collaboratively with the Advocacy and Communications team to develop and implement work plans and budgets; ensuring that efforts are monitored and evaluated to ensure impact
• Contribute to the implementation of the Communication strategy (e.g. by developing content for written materials/website; participating in campaigns etc); participate in and contribute to the development of annual and quarterly reports
• Represent FSD Africa in public forums and networking opportunities and/or convene stakeholders in order build awareness and influence the thinking around Credit Policy, Regulation and Infrastructure development; at all times behaving in a manner consistent with FSD Africa’s brand and values

6. Team Leadership

Lead the Credit Policy, Regulation and Infrastructure team of staff and consultants in a manner that empowers them to add value to FSD Africa and deliver high standards of performance:

• Ensure that the pillar is resourced with the expertise necessary to deliver on strategy & project implementation; through a combination of recruitment and management of staff and procurement of consultants
• Ensure that each pillar team member is provided with clarity concerning goals and expectations of their personal role in achieving results, standards and behaviour
• Plan and organise the work of the pillar team to accomplish project strategic & project goals and targets in the most cost-effective and impactful manner possible
• Ensure delivery of an engaging leadership style that motivates team members and results in high performance

Carry out any other duties or special assignments as assigned by the Management.

PERSON SPECIFICATIONS

Qualifications and Education

• Good quality bachelor’s degree from a recognised university
• Relevant post graduate qualifications are an advantage
• Excellent skills in written and spoken English

Essential Experience, Knowledge and Skills

• Minimum 9 years’ experience, rising to a senior management level, working in the credit market (FSP, regulator or policy advocate)
• Strong understanding of credit market systems in sub-Saharan Africa
• Understanding of the development world & MRM
• Experience in change management at the institutional level & clear ability to influence thinking at a credit market ecosystem level
• Evidence of a significant network of influential contacts / leaders in credit markets in sub-Saharan Africa; evidence of ability to influence at the policy-maker level
• Profound insight into the FinTech landscape in sub-Saharan Africa and how it affects credit markets and regulatory innovation
• Demonstrated track record of rigorous project management skills and achievement of results
• Experience with managing and reporting on complex donor-funded projects, managing risk and ensuring value for money

Desirable

• Experience of working in a multi-cultural environment
• Previous experience of working in DFID-funded projects
• Languages: French, local African languages