Reports To: Chief Executive Officer

Direct Reports: Lead – Digital Finance and Infrastructure, Lead – Consumer Engagement and Capacity Building,

Lead – Research and Market information and Project Portfolio Manager

Location: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Background / Role motivation

Established in 2004, the Financial Sector Deepening Trust (FSDT) is a donor-funded financial sector market facilitator that aims to achieve poverty reduction through a transformative financial sector, that offers inclusive and sustainable financial solutions to improve the livelihood, wellbeing, and empowerment of underserved Tanzanians. FSDT’s work is guided by the Making Markets Work for the Poor (M4P) approach, which aims to develop market systems that benefit poor people, offering them capacities and opportunities to improve their lives.

The role of FSDT is to use a market systems development approach to facilitating financial services in Tanzania that is relevant for people on low incomes and small enterprises. Outcomes are evidenced by improved capacity of the financial sector to provide relevant financial services for low-income populations and improved access, use and impact for the financial services users.

Currently, our main target markets are women and youth, who have been identified as the most financially excluded mar­ket segments in the country. FSDT is dedicated to supporting the financial sector in delivering inclusive, quality financial solutions that meet the financial needs of women and youth.

Position summary

Reporting to the CEO and the PIC, the CPO will have direct responsibilities related to programme design, monitoring, eval­uation and reporting on programmatic delivery; and shared accountability for governance and fiscal discipline, financing, governance, advocacy and external relations.

The CPO is an experienced, strategic leader with a demonstrable track record of programmatic delivery, which can be expressed as a measure of impact. They will have a strong network of influence and credibility across the East Africa region (and beyond), including within government regulators and policy makers, private sector, academia, and across the global and regional donor and governance sector.

The CPO can apply tactical plans to strategic outcomes, execute on complex plans and communicate with compelling clar­ity to high-level government officials and private sector executives in order to deliver measurable, cost-effective results. The CPO is also experienced in leading a senior team and possesses the skills, sensitivity, and personal confidence to tap into the commitment that each member of the team brings to FSDT’s mission and vision.

Key responsibilities

The CPO will be responsible for ensuring that FSDT’s programmes enable it to achieve its mission to support the develop­ment of inclusive financial markets in Tanzania as a means to stimulate wealth creation and reduce poverty. They will lead efforts to strengthen programmatic delivery, leading a team of specialists across multiple programme areas. They will align resource use, business processes and use of technology with the evolving needs of the business.

FSDT is managed on a strongly results based approach and its management team is expected to deliver specific annual targets agreed with the Chief Executive Officer to support the strategy and business plan. The CPO will be responsible for leading and supporting activities which contribute substantially to projects where their expertise could add value. Programme and project reporting, as formally specified in the policies and procedures, must be delivered on time and to the highest standards.

Thought Leadership & Strategy

Lead the team in developing deep and ever-growing understanding of how to drive financial market development and in­clusiveness; play a leading role in the development of the whole country strategy and guide the programs team to develop pillar strategies and annual business plans that will support targeted areas of the real economy

Pipeline Development & Portfolio Management

Lead the review and continuous development of the project pipeline to ensure utilization of funds and achievement of out­put, outcome, and impact targets; ensure a potentially high impact portfolio of interventions are submitted and approved across all pillars

Ensuring Impactful Implementation

Oversee the implementation of business plans so that results are achieved, risks are managed and that quality projects are delivered; ensuring that learning from projects is fully utilized to maximize impact and innovation

Influencing & Communicating for Impact

Actively participate in the development, implementation, and results-measurement of an innovative Communications & Influencing plan for FSDT as a whole and for each pillar; ensure that the plan will result in key pro-gramme stakeholders being influenced effectively.

Finance Management, Risk & Accountability

Manage the finances associated with the Programmes department aiming to maximize the efficiency achieved with the available resources, and ensuring compliance with FSDT and donor policies.

Team Leadership

Lead the FSDT Programmes team of staff and consultants in a manner that empowers them to add value to FSDT and deliver high standards of performance

Requirements of the Role Educational Qualifications:

• Minimum of bachelor’s degree in a relevant field
• Post Graduate Degree in Development Economics, Business Administration, or other related field
• Additional professional qualification and relevant accreditations are an advantage (e.g. CFA, SME Finance)
• Certification in Project Management (e.g. PMP/ PRINCE2) is an added advantage

Job Related Skills and Experience

• 10+ years’ post-graduation experience in Portfolio Management &/or Pipeline Development & Management; ideally culminating in a strategic leadership role
• Deep experience of working in financial inclusion and in financial markets development; demonstrating thought leadership at the cutting edge; driving change, and creating opportunities for growth
• Proven experience of managing and engaging teams for delivery of results
• Strong technical understanding in strategy development, business planning and program development
• Deep understanding of and commitment to the M4P approach; with a proven capacity for systems-thinking, anal­ysis, and management of complexity
• Extensive Knowledge and understanding of Agribusiness or SME Management and/or Micro Finance Management
• Proven track record of working with a range of different actors to nudge and incentivize institutional change
• Excellent written and spoken English and Swahili