Manager Innovation

Position Summary

Manager innovation would be part of Innovation & Incubation group within Digital Financial Services (DFS) team in Karandaaz. The Innovation & Incubation group interfaces with external stakeholders and partners to build a relationship for successful design, development, and deployment of innovative digital financial services projects serving excluded populations. In doing so, Manager Innovation will be responsible for end to end grant management for multiple projects and partners. End to end grant management includes creating concept papers & grant narratives for the project, securing internal approvals including presentations to management, DFS advisory committee and /or Board, designing grant agreement with milestones, manage technical assistance procurement where required, coordinate project deployment, coordinate with point of contact in the partner to facilitate timely delivery, report progress and coordinate with Knowledge Management (KM) and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) units for respective impact and learning outputs and coordinate with DFS Program office for project updates.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Design, develop and implement financial inclusion focused projects under innovation program;
• Identify opportunities for transformation, experimentation & innovation in close partnership with industry aligned with DFS strategy;
• Responsible for end to end grant management for projects assigned from concept creation to implementing and successful closing out the project;
• Work with partners to oversee the incubation of promising ideas taking them from concept, through testing, to commercialization.
• Assist the Innovation lead in working with digital financial service providers & stakeholders across the industry to identify strategic opportunities and develop innovative initiatives aligned with the DFS programme’s core objectives
• Support digital financial service providers to develop commercially viable business models for digital financial services that will create a positive social impact
• Assist in building providers’ capacity to promote the sustainable development of the industry with a focus on commercially viable and scalable digital financial services that have the potential to reach underserved & excluded populations
• Assist in identifying and supporting digital financial innovations that augment the delivery of health, agriculture, and sanitation services to low income households
• Effective project management and timely collaboration between vendors and various internal stakeholders
• Any other task as assigned by the line manager

Candidate Profile

• Bachelors / Master’s degree in business administration, economics or related discipline from a reputable international or Pakistani Institution.
• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in leading project teams and cross functional working with a range of clients, consultants, and partners with a broad exposure to private and public stakeholders.
• Deep understanding of the digital financial services industry (mobile money, branchless banking, payment services etc).
• Past experience in the design and successful execution of innovative digital/digitization projects. Experience relevant to digital financial services sector would be an added advantage

Behavioral & Technical Skills

• Passionate and self-driven with the ability to work independently both internally and externally
• Ability to create and manage relationships at senior level in banks, govt.  and regulatory bodies
• Ability to manage delivery through partners and consultants. Extremely good at execution and follow up.
• Team player with strong interpersonal skills and ability to influence & trigger action in support terms
• Creative and solution oriented.
• Excellent spoken and written English. Adept in creating project documentation, concept & grant papers and presentations
• Strong ability to analyze and synthesize data/information and present it using appropriate frameworks.
• Experience with digital services (preferably digital financial services) and prior experience of developing projects with a range of industry stakeholders
• Experience and familiarity with Karandaaz’s DFS Theory of Change and National Financial Inclusion Strategy NFIS in promoting financial inclusion will be an added advantage.

For Applications:

Please send your Resume to careers@karandaaz.com.pk clearly mentioning the position title in the subject. Deadline for applications is June 17th, 2018.

Note: Karandaaz is an equal opportunity employer. Women and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply.