About the Role
The Lead of Client Impact & Product Innovation is responsible for providing overall leadership on the strategic area of Impact Measurement & Management (IMM), Product Innovation, and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting within the BI MF team and ensuring appropriate technical support required to all microfinance companies in these areas. The function ensures that BI MF is focused on the right outcomes and on the right clients. This role ensures BI MF’s services are inclusive, scalable, and client-centric, particularly for women, youth, and low-income populations. The position provides technical support to microfinance entities in alignment with BRAC’s broader mission.
The position will report to the Associate Director, Strategy and will work very closely with other BI MF Technical areas (i.e. Operations, Digital, IT, Communications, Knowledge Management, HR and Finance); as well as collaborate with BRAC’s social development programmes and various affiliates for overall achievement of BRAC’s goals and mission.
Key Responsibilities
Strategy Development
- Develop and spearhead the overall strategy and direction relating to Impact Management & Measurement (IMM), Product Innovation, and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting in consultation with BIHBV management, technical teams, and country microfinance leadership teams.
- Develop and implement strategies that will maximize the synergies between microfinance and other programmes and ensure quality implementation for achievement of BRAC’s overall holistic goals.
- Lead or oversee research design and project management on IMM activities.
Impact Measurement & Management (IMM)
- Lead and support the BI MF Client Impact team to ensure quality implementation of the three flagship IMM activities across BI MF country entities:
- Annual 60 Decibels Lean Data Report to provide standardized and actionable client insights pertaining to poverty outreach, household wellbeing, quality of life, and challenges faced by BRAC’s customers.
- Annual Dropout Surveys to better understand drivers of client retention and address issues that are causing high attrition at the country level.
- Quarterly SPI5 Audit to assess country microfinance entities against the Universal Standards of Social Performance Management (USSPM) and Client Protection Principles (CPPs).
- Ensure knowledge transfer and capacity building within country microfinance entities to drive Responsible Inclusive Finance (RIF) agendas.
- Provide leadership and oversight to the measurement and management of outreach to target groups and clients' social impact across BRAC's microfinance portfolio and ensure the use of impact data for the achievement of social mission.
- Work closely with IT and digital teams to ensure that client impact data is captured, stored and available as necessary.
- Ensure quality reporting and dissemination on impact data for both internal and external stakeholders.
Product Innovation
- Drive product innovation to ensure they are inclusive, client-centric, and scalable. Lead the responsible scaling of BI’s agrifinance and youth finance portfolios in alignment with institutional goals.
- Collaborate with BRAC’s social development programmes to deliver integrated, holistic solutions where feasible. Partner closely with the Digital and IT teams to ensure product and channel innovations are synergistic and aligned with client protection standards.
- Ensure appropriate technical assistance, knowledge transfer and capacity development is provided to country microfinance entities in research, development, implementation, and monitoring and review of new products, as well as refinements to existing products.
Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Reporting
- Lead ESG integration across BI MF, aligning with global frameworks such as ESRS.
- Identify ESG reporting requirements and gaps; develop action plans for compliance and implementation.
- Collaborate with Finance and Technical teams to lead design standardized templates for ESG data collection and narrative reporting.
- Ensure timely updates to the BIHBV strategic dashboard, including Outreach, IMM, ESG, and outcome indicators.
- Serve as the focal point for ESG, IMM, and outcome reporting to Boards, investors, and donors.
- Oversee quality assurance of ESG data from country entities and support them in meeting ESG compliance standards and ensuring reliable climate-related data and adherence to relevant climate standards.
Team Leadership
- Responsible for building a high performing, motivated team by capitalizing on each team members' individual strengths, skill sets, experience and ambitions.
- Ensure clear roles and responsibilities and fluid collaboration within and between departments and teams for timely and high level output.
- Provide individual mentorship to each team member to continuously develop leadership skills and ensure succession planning, with a focus on creating women leadership.
Safeguarding
- Ensure the safety of team members from any harm, abuse, neglect, harassment and exploitation to achieve the programme’s goals on safeguarding implementation. Act as a key source of support, guidance and expertise on safeguarding for establishing a safe working environment.
- Practice, promote and endorse the issues of safeguarding policy among team members and ensure the implementation of safeguarding standards in every course of action.
- Follow the safeguarding reporting procedure in case any reportable incident takes place and encourage others to do so.
Qualifications and Experience
- Bachelor's Degree with a Concentration / Major in Economics, Development Studies, Business, Finance, or related fields.
- Master’s degree (or higher) in Economics, Development Studies, Business, Finance, or related fields.
- 8-12 years’ experience, including 5 years plus in management roles in financial inclusion for women, program design & project management, strategy development and implementation, impact measurement and management.
- Deep understanding of challenges and issues in financial inclusion for women, youth, and people at the bottom of the pyramid.
- Masters or PhD in economics, development/social studies or business studies.
Skills & Competencies
- Highly motivated with a strong interest and experience in development and social issues.
- Experience of bringing structure to ambiguous problems and driving solutions at scale.
- Ability and willingness to train and mentor people and experience working with a diverse, global team.
- Strong communication and presentation skills (Fluency in English required).
- Strong data analysis skills and attention to detail.
- Ability and willingness to work in a challenging environment with poor infrastructure and human capacities and difficult security conditions.
