Associate Director, Housing Finance Systems (Africa) | Habitat for Humanity

Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) is seeking a housing finance professional to fill the role of Associate Director, Housing Finance Systems to expand and deepen its housing finance initiatives across Africa. The position’s primary role is to design and implement an Africa-focused strategy to address systemic barriers linked to quality and access to financial services across the housing ecosystem, aligned with its global strategy. As part of the global leadership team of Financial Inclusion and Capital Markets, housed under the Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter (TCIS), the position is required to work with various internal and external stakeholders, including the donor community, to mobilize support for intervention design, capacity development and implementation. Key thematic areas include technology, gender and climate financing.

This position carries a subject matter expertise in technology / digital finance services, which would then assist in unpacking the housing solutions within the existing financial ecosystem for low-income households. This position would also be a technical advisor on strategy and other projects across the globe.

The Associate Director reports directly to the Global Director of Financial Inclusion and Financial Markets and cross-functionally to the Regional Director of the Venture Shelter Lab.

This position is based at our Africa Hub office in Nairobi, Kenya and eventually travel up to 50% both domestically and internationally.

ABOUT TERWILLIGER CENTER FOR INNOVATION IN SHELTER:

Through TCIS, Habitat facilitates more efficient and inclusive housing market systems making affordable housing possible for millions more families. TCIS consolidates more than a decade of experience in developing market-based solutions for housing and the body of work resulting from these early efforts. Through TCIS, Habitat accelerates and facilitates better functioning inclusive housing markets to enable more than 8 million people access to improved shelter solutions. https://www.habitat.org/our-work/terwilliger-center-innovation-in-shelt…

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

*Play a role of an anchor to design a pan-Africa, inclusive housing finance strategy focused on low-income households, financial intermediaries, investors and regulators.
*Responsible for lead identification, design, and implementation of Housing Finance partnership and interventions.
*Providing expert advice to financial institutions (Banks, Microfinance Banks/Institutions, FinTech and platform firms, Housing finance companies, central banks, regulatory bodies) on the following areas:
(a) initiating a mortgage lending program, or enhancing a program that is already underway.
(b) developing and implementing innovative financial solutions (through financial intermediaries) aimed at low-income and middle-income households that help them develop or construct houses incrementally or buy affordable housing units.
(c) developing products and policies for microfinance housing loans.
(d) financial feasibilities of establishing and running sustainable housing finance companies.
*Drafting of documentation such as terms of reference for consultants, strategy notes, market assessments, presentations on housing, concept notes for advisory projects, project approval documents, etc.
*Managing client expectations and ensuring their satisfaction while managing the day to day project activities.
*Ensuring the completion of projects within the allotted timeframe and budget.
*Managing the work of outside consultants as per the agreed TORs and expected work quality to help implement the project.
*Liaising with various functions within HFHI working to support the housing ecosystem.
*Design and implement internal revenue strategy for long term sustainability, including donor identification, proposal development and pitching.
*Relationship management with existing partners and other stakeholders within the investment, housing and financial inclusion community across the region.

Design and Operationalize Solutions:
*Lead conceptualization and documentation of project proposals and ensuring thematic solutions, such as housing finance solutions, embedding gender lens, climate resiliency and use of technology, are well-designed to meet donor and partner needs.
*Support the designing of pitch materials for business development and thematic proposals.
*Gather information from clients and project teams to monitor implementation of thematic area recommendations.

Create and Share Knowledge:
*Gather information from external sources on best practices, evolving trends and challenges, and emerging players that can be used to create new knowledge products.
*Provide organizational and coordination support in convening knowledge sharing forums and conferences and contribute to the development of content materials.

Build Capacity:
*Coordinate and support the delivery of training programs and workshops to raise awareness of thematic area, especially Housing Finance.

REQUIREMENTS:

*Master’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Economics or a related area.
*8+ years of international experience in financial institutions or advisory services with at least 3 years of specific housing finance related experience in at least one of the following areas:
(a) construction/developer finance project structuring and execution.
(b) mortgage finance for low-cost housing.
(c) micro housing finance.
(d) housing finance companies.
(e) climate finance.
(f) digital / technology platforms.
*Experience working within the financial sector across Africa on multiple thematic areas, such as product development, project design, research and capacity building.
*Demonstrated aptitude and ability to manage complex consulting projects effectively, including ability to implement projects on time and within budget.
*Strong client focus, excellent business judgement and ability to produce consistently positive results.
*Ability to ideate, conceptualize, package and present strategies and solutions for diverse range of stakeholders, with excellent writing skills.
*Having an entrepreneurial mindset and solution driven attitude, with ability to build relationships and teamwork.
*Active support of HFHI values and commitments:
-*Humility* – We are part of something bigger than ourselves.
-*Courage* – We do what’s right, even when it is difficult or unpopular.
-*Accountability* – We take personal responsibility for Habitat’s mission.
-*Safeguarding* — HFHI requires that all employees take seriously their ethical responsibilities to safeguarding our intended beneficiaries, their communities, and all those with whom we work. Managers at all levels have responsibilities to support and develop systems that create and maintain an environment that prevents harassment, sexual exploitation, and abuse, safeguards the rights of beneficiaries and community members (especially children), and promotes the implementation of Habitat for Humanity’s code of conduct.

PREFERRED:

*Experience with digital finance technology and concepts, such as M-Paisa, M-Shiwari, Block Chains, credit scoring models, big data, etc.
*Entrepreneurial and innovation mindset.

APPLICATION DEADLINE: 15 June 2021.

We strongly recommend including a cover letter describing your motivation for joining Habitat in this role.