ROLE DESCRIPTION
Application deadline: April 10, 2022
The Senior Strategy Specialist is to provide strategic advice and technical assistance to the CEO of Urwego Bank, to serve as a member of the Urwego Executive Team, and to lead special projects and strategic initiatives at the request of the CEO.
The Senior Strategy Specialist will lead, direct and coordinate special projects and initiatives under the guidance of Urwego’s and HOPE leadership, all done in support of Urwego’s Christ-centered microenterprise development in Rwanda.
- Location: Kigali, Rwanda or Lancaster, PA preferred; other remote United States considered, RwandaUnited States
- Level: Senior Professional
- Type: Full-time
- Department: Operations
- Reports to: CEO, Urwego Bank
RESPONSIBILITIES
Promote and fulfill the mission and vision of HOPE International
Spiritual Integration and Christian Witness
- Ensure a personal, healthy spiritual balance within family, work, and church life through the adoption of biblical personal and spiritual disciplines
- Conduct daily work, make decisions, and help Urwego make decisions in a way that witnesses to the presence, power, and love of Jesus and the reality of his Kingdom on earth
- Provide support towards the fulfillment of Urwego’s Spiritual Integration (SI) objectives
Relationship Building and Management
- Intentionally invest in building strong, God-honoring relationships with the Urwego leadership and staff
- Facilitate meaningful connections between Urwego and HOPE staff to strengthen the institutional relationship and to facilitate lateral learning
- In all the above, ensure that relationships are marked by HOPE’s Christ-centered values
Strategy
- Assist the CEO with developing, communicating, executing, and sustaining corporate strategic initiatives
- Contribute to work of re-envisioning a more transformational, productive, and profitable Urwego and creating and executing a plan to realize that the shared vision
- Gain commitment to clear strategic plans across all business units and functions, ensuring that all employees understand the details of the strategic plan and how their work connects to organizational goals
- Attend board meetings as an executive team member and contribute towards the Board’s development and articulation of strategies that lead to Urwego’s financial sustainability as well as staff and client life transformation (the eradication of poverty in all its forms)
- Gather, investigate, research, analyze, prepare reports and facilitate discussions on information pertaining to the Bank’s operations and reputation
Capacity Building
- Coach, equip and train branch and departmental leadership on how to formulate an effective strategy, how to present the strategy to the senior executive team, and how to execute the strategy successfully
- Build technical and analytical skills across the organization, with an emphasis on Excel and using data to inform (and reflect upon) actions, prioritization, decision-making, management, strategy, and the accomplishment of Urwego’s mission
Operations and Reporting
- Facilitate technical assistance to Urwego by utilizing or facilitating connections with appropriate resources within HOPE
- Assist branch and departmental teams in the completion of existing and new reporting, analysis, and other associated tools
- Based on ongoing assessment of current product(s) and market innovations, provide recommendations to the Urwego senior management on improvements to current products and services as well as new market entry and new product development
- Support the Urwego Operations team to further develop and regularly update policies, procedures and checklists across the organization
- Coordinate and facilitate preparation of regular reporting as requested by HOPE
HOPE International Network Representative
- Attend HOPE’s Annual Leadership Summit in order to facilitate lateral learning and relationship-building among the programs within HOPE’s network
- Show hospitality to visitors from HOPE International or related parties who wish to visit Urwego and witness its operations
QUALIFICATIONS
- Personal confession of faith in Jesus Christ and commitment to the mission and vision of HOPE International
- Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, economics, or related field; Master’s preferred
- 10 or more years of professional experience in micro-enterprise development, banking, or financial services sector
- Ability to build strong relationships and work effectively cross-culturally
- Strong organizational skills and ability to self-manage, including effective time management and prioritization of competing demands/multiple deadlines
- Ability to conduct business analysis and prepare recommendations for presentation to senior leadership and Board
- Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills
- Ability and inclination to equip others to succeed at their roles and develop as both professionals and persons vs. independent accomplishment of goals
- Full professional proficiency in spoken/written English, working proficiency of French or Kinyarwanda is advantageous (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I… )
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, and experience with other Microsoft Office Suite products
- Experience successfully living and working cross-culturally
- Willingness to travel, up to a maximum of 75 nights per year
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
