Director Strategic Initiatives

Reporting Structure

This role will be in the CEO Office Department and the reporting line under CEO Karandaaz Pakistan.

About Us

Karandaaz Pakistan is a not-for-profit organization, based out of Islamabad, registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan under Section 42 of the Companies Act 2017. The entity has been seeded by Enterprise and Asset Growth Programme of UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and our digital finance initiatives are being funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

Karandaaz is guided by the vision of Investing for Shared Prosperity, and driven by the mission to enhance capabilities of the financial and digital ecosystem through investments, innovations, and strategic partnerships for inclusive, green and sustainable growth.

Position Summary

KRN has a diverse portfolio with interventions in wide range of areas including Green Finance, Micro and SME Finance and Digital Finance. KRN has shareholdings in fours strategic Investment Finance Services licensed companies (InfraZamin Pakistan, Pakistan Microfinance Investment Company, Parwaaz Financial Services Ltd, National Credit Guarantee Company Ltd) with unique business models and serving the access to finance needs of the individual and MSMEs.

Further, KRN’s digital finance grant investments are highly visible. KRN funded by the BMGF, has implemented Raast and is providing catalytic grants to fintechs and private sector players for innovating, testing and scaling new solutions for financial inclusion. KRN has active technical assistance relationships with regulatory and state agencies for support on digital transformation and ‘digital public infrastructure’ is a growing area of interest under this portfolio.

KRN investment and digital finance portfolios have both matured and evolving and the organization needs a resource which can deputize the CEO for supporting senior members of the Management Committee, lead on meticulous planning and execution of new initiatives and reach out to broad spectrum of capital providers for raising funds for new initiatives and KRN subsidiaries/associated companies.

This role requires a dynamic individual with a strong strategic mindset, exceptional leadership abilities, expert understanding of theoretical concepts underpinning development finance and a passion for driving impact in the financial inclusion space. The role may also require Board representations on behalf of KRN in its strategic, associated and other investee companies.

Job Responsibilities

Vision & Strategy

• Advise on formulation of strategic framework for KRN under the supervision of the CEO and with the guidance of the Board.
• Support CEO in implementation of KRN’s organizational strategy and assist departmental heads/members of the Management Committee (ManCom) for implementation of their respective thematic strategies such as for investment, research, digital finance etc.
• Support CEO in operationalizing group wide Subsidiary and Associate Companies Management Framework
• Work with the ManCom and, when required, Board of Directors for accomplishment of established goals and organizational vision.

Initiative Development & Execution

• Work with the CEO and ManCom for identification, prioritization and conceptualization of new strategic initiatives under different themes.
• Develop concept notes, delivery plans (budgets/timelines/key milestones) in close collaboration with departmental heads and form project-specific teams, comprising internal staff and externally mobilized resources, for taking new projects to fruition till those become sustainable and/or are absorbed under regular KRN workstreams.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive initiative implementation and overcome challenges

Donors/Market Engagement and Fundraising

• Engage with multilateral institutions, commercial institutions, and impact funds to secure funding for KRN strategic initiatives and, when required, for KRN subsidiaries.
• Advise CEO and support departmental heads on understanding and structuring the terms of partnership which deliver results for funding partners and achieve double-bottom line returns for KRN

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including government agencies, financial institutions, development partners, and other relevant organizations.
• Represent Karandaaz at strategic forums, conferences, and industry events to promote collaboration, enhance company visibility and for knowledge sharing.

Eligibility

Education & Experience

• Master’s degree (or equivalent) in Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Management, or related field.
• At least fifteen (15) years of strong general and executive management experience in Development Finance/Fintech/Digital Finance/SME Finance.
• Demonstrated experience of strategic planning, budgeting, monitoring, financial reporting, compliance and risk management.
• Proven track record of successfully leading complex strategic initiatives from conceptualization to implementation, delivering tangible results and impact.
• Demonstrated track record of effective leadership in senior management positions and ability to create and support a culture of innovation, learning and delivering results.
• Any or all of below will be considered an advantage:
  • In-depth knowledge of full spectrum of impact investment and development finance instruments
  • Knowledge and experience of Financial Markets, Investment Banking or relevant industries.
  • Experience in private sector development or economic growth teams of Development Finance Institutions (DFIs)/Multilateral institutions
  • Experience of Corporate Governance and working with high level board of directors

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Knowledge across a range of technical areas including project management, MSME finance, credit guarantees and digital financial services.
• High Emotional Quotient (EQ) so the individual can work with a wide range of personality styles and effectively hold teams accountable to higher standards of results and pace of delivery
• Entrepreneurial mindset and passion for financial inclusion, digital finance and economic growth via SME finance and women empowerment.
• Genuine desire for learning new concepts and an urge to update knowledge-base with international literature available on thematic areas for refining KRN’s offering to the market/partners
• Ability to represent KRN and influence thinking in policy making forums/committees as KRN is regularly invited for lead contributions
• Value for diversity and inclusion as an enabler of high-performance culture

Culture and Values at Karandaaz

Karandaaz culture is guided by our values of Integrity, Diversity, Entrepreneurship, Appreciation and Learning Acumen (IDEAL). These values shape our choices on what we do and the approach we take towards it. We also believe that we are all responsible for creating a great place to work and are constantly looking to hire individuals who bring the same level of passion and commitment to the purpose of the organization.

If you believe in the Karandaaz vision and values and feel excited about the work we are offering, please send us your application for this position.

Karandaaz is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications by all population groups

Application Deadline: 25 December 2024

Full-time

Morning Shift

Islamabad

Grade 9