Job Description

Senior Manager, Business Development & Partnership Department

About the Organization:

VisionFund Micro Finance Institution (S.C) is an Institution established according to proclamation No. 40/96 to provide financial services to the productive poor in the rural and urban areas of Ethiopia. VisionFund is currently operating in four of the Regional States of the country through 84 branches. VF MFI now seeks to fill the following positions.

About the Job:

VisionFund MFI is currently looking for candidates for the position of Business Development & Partneship Department Manager. The successful candidates will have skills and experience that meet the following requirements:

Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation

§ Plans, organizes, directs, coordinates and monitors the activities and services of the Department;

§ Formulates policies, guidelines, strategies, methodologies and action plans related to, marketing activities;

§ Plans and performs fundraising/income generating mechanisms such as generating sound project and/ or business ideas; prepares proposals and plans, submits to donors and funding agencies and exerts maximum efforts until acceptance of the proposed projects/business plans are obtained;

§ Checks, amends, and consolidates plans of each work unit in line with the overall objectives VF MFI intends to attain;

§ Establishes standards and yardsticks and project monitoring tools for measurements and evaluation of actual operations;

§ Coordinates and develops different projects and programs that are internally and externally financed and follows-up their implementation;

§ Performs the monitoring and evaluation of the execution of the overall plan and reports discrepancies to the DCEO;

§ Periodically, assesses and brings to the Management’s attention the impact of the credit and saving services on the life of the rural and urban poor.

Business Development and Marketing

§ Supports initiation of new business ideas, preparation of proposals and plans for donors and funding agencies and plays an active role in the implementation;

§ Studies and identities new areas and target groups requiring the services of VF MFI:

§ Studies the possibility of facilitating specialized financial services to different social classes;

§ Ensures that customer service quality standards are established and monitors implementation of same;

§ Ensures customer satisfaction surveys are conducted;

§ Follows up the development of customer relationships strategies to attract and retain customers;

§ Ensures that appropriate training packages are designed for the clients of the Company in order to enhance their basic skills;

§ Coordinates marketing research to improve the products of the Company;

§ Coordinates designing of new products or modifying existing products in collaboration with operations departments for the purpose of satisfying the needs of clients;

§ Carries out an independent investigation where higher rates of defaults and dropouts are and as a result of causes other than natural adversity are reported and comes up with proposals for corrective actions;

§ Determines/ monitors the impact of the marketing efforts by relating them to changes in operational indicators;

§ Regularly monitors the marketing strategies and tools that competitors use, and assess effectiveness;

§ Evaluates and recommends action on prevailing interest rates at least before every fiscal period begins;

§ Evaluates performances of each branch as a separate cost centre and recommends actions to the management.

Livelihood and Partnership

§ Develops strategies, plans and annual budget for livelihood and integration functions and also reviews the budget quarterly;

§ Ensures the maintenance of close network with WVE and ADPs;

§ Ensure timely delivery of reports to the Primary Partners and Partners;

§ Keeps liaison and networking with collaborators and stakeholders to promote the Company’s business.

Staff management

§ Manages and supervises, leads, guides and supports the staff of the Department;

§ Ensures the development of key leadership, management, and technical skills of direct reports to increase their capacity to develop and undertake major initiatives and assume larger responsibilities to further expand operational impact and sustainability;

§ Completes annual performance appraisals for staff responsible to him/her.

Learning and Reporting

§ Keeps up to date with developments in the industry, including best practice examples in-country and internationally, and ensures ongoing personal development and learning;

§ Collects and document all relevant socio-economic data in relation with the activity of the Company;

§ Participates in the documentation and dissemination of lessons learned;

§ Ensures that reports are prepared and submitted to concerned on time and in a professional manner;

§ Prepares periodic progress reports of the Department and gives feed backs on the performances of Area and Branch Offices.

Job Requirements

§ University degree in marketing/Economics/Management/ or related fields

§ At least 10 years of related experience out of which 4 years in a middle level management position

§ Prior experience partnership and product development is preferred.

§ Determined personality with initiative, perseverance and the ability to motivate and manage a team

§ Capability and willingness to take responsibility and highly developed sense of rectitude

§ Ready to comply and live up to and in accordance with the organization Ideals and Core Values

§ Be proficient in Microsoft office applications

§ Good knowledge in economic topics

§ Very good communication and marketing skills

Terms of employment:  Permanent

Closing Date:  10 (ten) calendar days from the first date of announcement in the newspaper.

How to Apply

Candidates who fulfill the requirements can send their application, curriculum vitae, names and addresses of up to three references and non-returnable copies of credentials to: VFE_vacancy@wvi.org or VisionFund MFI s.c. P.O. BOX 31478, Addis Ababa

Women applicants are strongly encouraged to apply                  

Note: -  Only short listed candidates will be contacted for subsequent assessment