About Accion:

Accion is a global nonprofit on a mission to create a fair and inclusive economy for the nearly two billion people who are failed by the global financial system. We develop and scale responsible digital financial solutions for small business owners, smallholder farmers, and women, so they can make informed decisions and improve their lives. Through targeted investment strategies, advisory solutions, and expert thought leadership, we work with local partners to develop and scale cheaper, more accessible, and customer-friendly financial solutions. Since 1961, Accion has helped build more than 235 financial service providers serving low-income clients in 75 countries, reaching more than 350 million people. More at https://www.accion.org.

About Accion Advisory:

We are a diverse and close-knit global team with one common social purpose: building a financially inclusive world for small businesses and low-income households. We are passionate about what we do – working with financial service providers and other partners worldwide to build sustainable businesses to achieve financial inclusion. We enjoy solving problems, being exposed to new ideas, sharing information, and asking, “What if?” In this position, the Accion Advisory team is seeking an Associate in Product Development who is passionate about financial inclusion and delivery of financial products to underserved customers and the digital transformation of organizations that serve these customers.

Position Summary 

This position reports to the Accion Advisory team's Senior Director of Product Development. The Associate will work under the Senior Director's direction and will be responsible for strategic partner and program management for initiatives with external partners. The partners include Financial Services Providers, Startups, Industry Bodies, and other financial services or product development organizations. The Accion Advisory team has prioritized Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) as one of the strategic areas. We are exploring the potential of DPIs such as Account Aggregator (AA) and Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) to build new financial products with the help of partners. The Associate will play an important role in identifying such partners and managing the relationships as part of our current projects and business development efforts.

Position Responsibilities

• Play a pivotal role in developing and managing strategic partnerships.
• Conduct market research and identify potential partners who align with our strategic goals in the finance industry.
• Develop and implement partnership strategies that support the company's overall business objectives and financial goals.
• Analyse partnership data and provide insights to inform strategic decision-making.
• Develop compelling partnership proposals that showcase the value proposition for both parties.
• Initiate contact and build relationships with key decision-makers at potential partner organizations.
• Negotiate and finalize partnership agreements that ensure clear expectations, benefits, and compliance with financial regulations.
• Undertake program management for partnership and provide reports and insights on progress.

Position Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business or a related field required. Master's degree preferred.

• 8+ years of experience in consulting, partnerships, or a related field, preferably within the financial services or technology industry.

• Minimum of 4 years of experience in partnership development, management, or program management in the finance industry.

• Proven track record of successfully building and managing strategic partnerships in finance.

Key Attributes

• Effective stakeholder engagement: Associate deal with stakeholders at all levels of an organization.

• Critical thinking: Understanding and analyzing problems and finding solutions.

• Problem-solving: The ability to think creatively and work collaboratively with teams to solve business challenges.

• Good listener and communicator: Requirement gathering is a key part of the role, so the ability to ask the right questions and correctly understand the information received is essential.

• Documentation and writing skills: Associate prepares documents and presentations for clients and internal discussions.

• Confident presenter: The ability to present findings and recommendations to senior leaders and to manage stakeholder meetings.

Travel Availability

• Willingness to travel nationally and internationally (up to 50% possible)

Accion is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace culture. Accion seeks qualified applicants without regard to race, color, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, change of sex or transgender status, or any other basis protected by law. Accion is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.