Financial Inclusion Manager (Middle East & North Africa)

Habitat for Humanity International is looking for “Financial Inclusion Manager” that would contribute to design and implement a MENA focused strategy to address systemic barriers linked to quality and access to financial services across the housing ecosystem.

Scope of work and deliverables:

Financial inclusion & finance systems:

1. Contribute to the development, and lead the execution of a MENA financial inclusion strategy, focused on low-income households, financial intermediaries, investors and regulators.

2. Responsible for lead identification, design, and implementation of Housing Finance partnerships and interventions across the MENA region.

3. Providing expert advice to financial institutions (Banks, Microfinance Banks/Institutions, FinTech and platform firms, Housing finance companies, central banks, regulatory bodies) on the following areas: (a) initiating a mortgage lending program, or in enhancing a program that is already underway, (b) developing and implementing innovative financial solutions (through financial intermediaries) aimed at low-income and middle-income households that help them develop or construct houses incrementally or buy affordable housing units (c) developing products and policies for microfinance housing loans (d) financial feasibilities of establishing and running sustainable housing finance companies.

4. Drafting of documentation such as terms of reference for consultants, strategy notes, market assessments, presentations on housing, concept notes for advisory projects, project approval documents, etc.

5. Working closely with Habitat for Humanity offices across the region, with an initial focus on Egypt.

6. Managing client expectations and ensuring their satisfaction while managing the day to day project activities

7. Ensuring the completion of projects within the allotted timeframe and budget.

8. Managing the work of outside consultants as per the agreed TORs and expected work quality to help implement the project.

9. Liaising with various functions within Habitat for Humanity International working to support the Housing ecosystem

10. Design and implement internal revenue strategy for long term sustainability, including donor identification, proposal development and pitching.

11. Relationship management with existing partners and other stakeholders within the investment, housing and financial inclusion community across the region.

12. Promote dialogue with government and micro finance regulatory bodies to develop enabling policies, and laws for housing micro finance.

Design and Operationalize Solutions:

1. Lead conceptualization and documentation of project proposals and ensuring thematic solutions such as housing finance solutions embedding gender lens, climate resilience and use of technology, are well-designed to meet donor / partner needs.

2. Support the designing of pitch materials for business development and thematic proposals

3. Gather information from clients and project teams to monitor implementation of thematic area recommendations

Create and Share Knowledge:

1. Gather information from external sources on best practices, evolving trends and challenges, and emerging players that can be used to create new knowledge products.

2. Conduct research and draft policy notes on state-of-the-art practices in financial inclusion and contextualise these to the MENA country programs.

3. Provide organizational and coordination support in convening knowledge sharing forums and conferences and contribute to the development of content materials.

Build Capacity:

1. Coordinate and support the delivery of training programs and workshops to raise awareness of thematic area, especially Housing Finance

Required Skills & Competencies:

1. Education: Master’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics or a related area.

2. Experience:

a. Minimum of 10 years of international experience in financial institutions or advisory services with at least 3 years of specific housing finance related experience across MENA, in at least one of the following areas (a) housing micro finance (b) mortgage finance for low cost housing (c) climate finance (d) digital / technology platforms (e) housing finance companies (f) Construction finance/ Developer finance project structuring and execution

b. Experience of working within the financial sector across, internationally and particularly across MENA, on multiple thematic areas, such as product development, project design, research and capacity building.

c. Demonstrated aptitude and ability to manage complex consulting projects effectively, including ability to implement projects on time and within budget.

d. Strong client focus, excellent business judgement and ability to produce consistently positive results.

e. Ability to ideate, conceptualize, package and present strategies and solutions for diverse range of stakeholders, with excellent writing skills.

f. Having an entrepreneurial mindset and solution driven attitude, with ability to build relationships and teamwork.

g. Fluency in English and Arabic