FINCA Nigeria Job for a Chief Operating Officer (COO)

FINCA is a leading international Microfinance Institution offering financial services and products to small scale businesses that have been turned down by traditional banks, so that these businesses can start, grow, and diversify with resulting increases in family income, nutrition, employment and well-being.


We are recruiting to fill the below position:

Job Title: Chief Operating Officer (COO), FINCA Nigeria

Location: Nigeria

Job Description

• The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is responsible for the management of core business operations, including lending, product development, marketing, policy development, and application of internal controls.
• S/he will ensure that FINCA Nigeria is competitive, and that outreach and profitability performance targets are met.
• The COO is responsible for ensuring that core business personnel are adequately trained and operate at a high standard of technical competency.
• The COO also ensures that FINCA Nigeria implements responsible lending and savings practices. As a member of the Management Team, s/he shares responsibility for the overall performance and activities of FINCA Nigeria, and participates in making decisions on strategic issues.

• Guides and directs management in the development, production, promotion, and financial aspects of the organization's products and services.
• Directs the preparation of short-term and long-range plans and budgets based on broad organizational goals and growth objectives.
• Oversees executives who direct department activities that implement the organization's policies.
• Implements programs that meet organizational goals and objectives.
• Creates the structure and processes necessary to manage the organization's current activities and its projected growth.
• Evaluates the results of overall operations regularly and systematically and reports these results to the chief executive officer.
• Ensures that the responsibilities, authorities, and accountability of all direct subordinates are defined and understood.
• Ensures that all organization activities and operations are carried out in compliance with regulations and laws governing business operations.
• Maintains a sound plan of corporate organization, establishing policies to ensure adequate management development and to provide for capable management succession.
• Develops and installs procedures and controls to promote communication and adequate information flow within the organization.
• Supervises design of hardware and software systems to assist in the smooth and efficient flow of information.
• Establishes operating policies consistent with the chief executive officer's broad policies and objectives and ensures their execution.

• Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.
• Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
• The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Master's degree in Business Administration, Management, Finance, Economics or related field, or equivalent work experience is required.
• 5-year experience minimum in comparable positions in terms of responsibility in banking or microfinance in an operations line-management role. Prior experience as a member of a senior management team is desirable.
• Strong business management and negotiation skills.
• Experience managing and motivating a large staff.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and training skills.
• Excellent technical report writing skills and computer literacy.
• Adaptability to challenging environments, country or regional experience is a plus.
• Experience in credit origination and credit risk assessment, business experience in (a) micro lending, (b) small enterprise lending, (c) rural & agriculture lending.
• Experience in deposit mobilization and delivery channel development a plus.
• Experience in developing and implementing strategic/operational plans for financial institutions.
• Excellent organizational, planning, analytical and problem-solving skills.
• High level of customer service and strong willingness to work in the field.

• Fluency in English and local language(s) required.

• Develop, modify, and implement credit and savings products.
• Hire, supervise, and train credit and savings related staff.
• Together with the CEO and the CFO, direct the preparation of the operations plans and budgets.

• Availability for domestic travel (up to 30%), and international travel (10%).

• Ability to travel in economy class when traveling by air or rail.