Microfinance Operations Officer (Access to Finance)- Hanoi,

Job #:	120038
Title:	Microfinance Operations Officer (Access to Finance)
Job Stream:	Technical Assistance & Advisory Services
Location:	Hanoi, Vietnam
Closing Date:	04/11/2012
Background / General description:
The Organization: The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector investment arm of the World Bank Group, pursues its mission of reducing poverty and improving people’s lives by promoting private sector development through investment and advisory services. IFC Advisory Services is structured into four business lines – Access to Finance, Investment Climate, Sustainable Business Advisory and Public-Private Partnerships. Of these, IFC’s Access to Finance (A2F) business line aims to increase the numbers of individuals/firms with access to basic financial services, to increase the diversity of financial services available to poor households, and to lower the costs of essential services. The Program: IFC’s Access to Finance Program in Vietnam includes projects in SME banking, Microfinance (MF), Agrifinance, Sustainable Energy Finance, Trade Finance, Insurance and Financial Infrastructures (credit reporting, collateral registries and capital markets). Specifically in Microfinance, IFC intends to support the development of Vietnam nascent commercial microfinance sector and increase access to microfinance services to Vietnam urban and rural poor by creating an enabling environment and building the capacity of the sector so that it can create and manage sustainable private sector institutions that serve a large number of low-income households. IFC is currently recruiting a highly motivated Operations Officer focused on microfinance to be based in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.
Duties and Accountabilities:
Scope of Work The Operations Officer (“OO”), working closely with and under the supervision of the A2F Vietnam Program Manager, will be primarily responsible for the implementation of A2F MF projects in Vietnam. S/he must be an experienced professional whose knowledge and skills enable him/her to undertake project design, project implementation, and knowledge management initiatives with limited direct supervision. The OO is expected to lead the existing and potential MF technical assistance projects in IFC’s portfolio, including developing excellent client relations, designing and implementing projects for meaningful development impact, and ensuring IFC procedures are respected. In addition, the OO is expected to contribute to the development of the Program, by actively identifying new opportunities for IFC, providing input to IFC’s strategy for the Vietnam Microfinance Sector and building relationships with industry stakeholders. Specific duties and accountabilities • Lead the MF project development by addressing all key aspects (scope of work, terms, deliverables, etc..), monitor results, and benchmark against best practice, and sufficient stakeholder consultation and review. • Prepare project workplans, budgets and project operational documents, consistent with overall IFC objectives, plans and budgets. Ensure that the project(s) are compliant with IFC’s overall financial market strategy and IFC procedures. • Prepare terms-of-reference and help identify, select and schedule consultant assignments, guide consultants in the effective delivery of their services, including monitoring their work to ensure that agreed deliverables are met and that they are captured in appropriate reports. • . Analyze developmental impact of the project(s). Document the progress of projects, resolve issues and initiate improvements for projects when needed. • Pro-actively and effectively develop and nurture working relationship with government partners and private sector partners including, but not limited to banks and MFIs. • Communicate the progress of the project(s) and overall program to IFC and related partners, and proactively engage with IFC communications to ensure external and internal communications issues are well addressed. • Liaise and work closely with the IFC investment in joint appraisal teams working on existing or new advisory and investment projects. • Identify key lessons learnt to be shared with the wider IFC Access to Finance team, and develop IFC SmartLessons and other internal knowledge management documents in Microfinance. • Contribute to raising external funding and donors relations. • Contribute to A2F strategy for Vietnam to maximize IFC’s financial and social returns in both investment and advisory services. • Travel as necessary to support project design and development, and implementation.
Selection Criteria:
• Master’s degree in Finance / Economics / Business Administration/Law or equivalent degree from a recognized institution • At least 5 years of relevant working experience in financial sector, preferably with hands on experience in Microfinance. • Proven experience in managing a project, preferably donor-funded, including project design, implementation and completion. • Ability to work independently, multi-task, deal with conflicting priorities and deliver high quality work on schedule • Excellent analytical skills, including ability to evaluate projects and business operations on technical, commercial, managerial, and financial grounds • Proven Relationship Management experience: ability to establish strong credibility among senior clients including government and private sector clients. • Strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to build cooperative networks. • Ability to communicate ideas clearly and confidently, articulate issues and recommend practical solutions. • Strong oral and written English skills, including ability to write and edit project/program documents • Ability and willingness to travel in Vietnam IFC offers a challenging and rewarding work environment, attractive compensation and excellent career opportunities. All applications will be treated in strict confidence. Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
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