About Accion:

Accion is a global nonprofit on a mission to create a fair and inclusive economy for the 1.6 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 285 financial service providers serving low-income clients in 77 countries, reaching 478 million people. More at https://www.accion.org.

About Accion Advisory:

The Accion Advisory team combines decades of on-the-ground experience with insights into new technologies to help our partners become more sustainable and scalable. We work with a variety of organizations focused on serving the financial needs of low-income people and businesses in emerging markets. With a presence in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, our team provides strategic and operational support to strengthen our partners and maximize their impact on underserved customers.

Our team is comprised of Regional Program Managers (RPMs) and their teams who are responsible for driving new business, bringing local context and hands on experience to meet customer needs; and Practice Area Leads who are technical area experts responsible for building the Advisory team’s expertise in core areas, driving execution excellence, and capturing synergies across technical practice areas and regions. The Practice Area Leads seek to improve efficiency and effectiveness of the execution of our engagements and to develop reusable tools and collateral for specific areas of expertise that Accion Advisory brings to all of our clients.

Position Summary: 

The person in this role must be based in Mumbai, India. 

Position Responsibilities:

Primary Responsibility (75-80%):

• Lead and manage client engagements end-to-end, overseeing project planning, problem-solving, analysis, and delivery.
• Mentor and help associates on work-planning, technical skills, and project delivery.
• Act as the primary point of contact for clients, effectively communicating project progress, addressing challenges, and managing expectations.
• Break down complex business problems into manageable components, leveraging industry knowledge and analytical frameworks.
• Based on strategic initiatives and project objectives, building product business cases and models to determine the feasibility and viability of product ideas.
• Ensure alignment with partner executive teams and boards in the implementation of project approaches and plans. Influence stakeholders through ongoing communication and advocacy to build cross functional buy in and commitment to shared vision.
• Collaborate with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to develop strategic recommendations and implement solutions.
• Drive operational improvements, digital strategies, risk management initiatives, and compliance programs tailored to financial products/services firms.
• Ensure use of project management tools and regular updating of product management related documents
• Design and create templates required to document and deliver solutions that Accion is helping the partner design and implement and handhold and support team members to use and implement these templates.
• Ensure adherence to methodologies, quality standards, and risk management policies of Accion.

Contribute to business development, capability building and knowledge sharing (20-25%) 

• Support business development efforts, including proposal writing, client presentations, and relationship building.
• Work closely with other project managers/team members to provide necessary support and subject matter expertise.
• Act as a thought leader, introducing innovative concepts in the financial inclusion space, producing blogs, thought pieces, and knowledge sharing forums. Key responsibilities include:
• Support the development pitches and present Accion Advisory services to clients and/or donors.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, best practices, and innovations in digital transformation, providing strategic input and guidance on the Accion Advisory product development service offering and market positioning.

Position Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in related field.
• 6-8 years of consulting experience, specifically working with financial services providers, or strong execution and program management experience in a financial institution post-MBA.
• Proven leadership skills managing projects, consulting teams and client relationships.
• Experience working on projects with broad scopes covering multiple areas of expertise, including digital transformation, regulatory compliance, risk management, and operational improvement within the financial services sector.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities with the ability to synthesize complex data.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, suitable for client-facing roles.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively under pressure.
• Commitment to professional development and mentoring junior staff.

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with financial industry regulations and compliance frameworks.
• Knowledge of emerging channels and technologies impacting financial services such as fintech, blockchain, or AI.
• Prior experience in business development or client acquisition.

Travel Requirements:

Willingness and ability to travel 50% of the time.

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.