VisionFund Banking Systems Director

Opportunity Type: Job
VisionFund International

About the Organization: 
VisionFund International (VFI) improves the lives of children in the developing world by offering small loans and other financial services to families living in poverty. It empowers its clients to grow successful businesses which enable children to grow up with improved health and education.

About the Job: 
VisionFund International (VFI) is looking for a VisionFund Banking Systems Director. S/he will provide leadership, management, and support to all aspects of technology. S/he will also ensure that adequate technologies, infrastructures, and IT capacity are in place and that both people and data are safe.

Tasks and Responsibilities: 

• Strategy: Work together with the COO and CFO to ensure an effective VFI systems strategy is in place, focusing on the standardization of data and business processes;
• Roll-out plan: Develop a detailed plan of how the VFI systems strategy will be rolled out including core banking applications, infrastructure, support, and other technologies at the global, regional, and MFI level;
• Communication: Communicate initial strategy and the roll out plans as well as all other on-going communication on systems that affects the MFIs;
• Resources: Lead the hiring, budgeting, and management of resources that will support the communication and roll out of the strategy;
• MFIs prioritization: Recommend MFIs for regional systems initiative and present prioritization plan with rational to executive steering committee (ESC);
• Budget/funding: Work together with CFO on proposal on regional systems budgets and funding;
• Project management: Lead the search and appointment of regional project managers and ensure all projects are effectively managed;
• Selection: Oversee and/or assist in the due diligence and software selection process for regional systems. May involve brining in external expertise for a technology audit/review;
• Contract negotiations: Assist in the vendor negotiations of software licenses, implementation support, and on-going support;
• Oversee the implementation of all regional systems and participate in issue-resolution decisions and regular update communication to all stakeholders;
• Develop and implement system policies, particularly dealing with security issues;
• Oversee MFIs assessments of their infrastructure to ensure they meet minimum acceptable standards of security and efficiency;
• Oversee MFIs assessments of IT staff, policies and procedures to ensure the MFIs are equipped to support the business operations from an IT perspective.

Qualifications: 

• Educated to degree level, ideally in a science or technology related discipline. Experience of leading a number of successful microfinance/banking systems implementations, ideally in developing countries;
• More than 7 years of project management experience working to recognized PM methodologies. Qualification in a recognized PM discipline preferred;
• Understanding of microfinance/retail banking operations, from a credit, financial, risk, and systems perspective;
• More than 7 years of software development life cycle (SDLC) experience including business analysis experience;
• Project management and office tools experience (e.g. Microsoft Project, Office tools);
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills and be able to work effectively with and manage a diverse and geographically remote team of information technology professionals;
• Proficiency (both speaking and writing) in English is a must. Other languages (particularly Spanish or French) is a plus;
• Demonstrated ability to write polished reports (e.g. business cases, risk management plans, project close out reports, etc.).

Posted: 28 Jun 2012
Closing Date: 10 Jul 2012
How to Apply:
Apply online
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