JOB PURPOSE

The Manager, Public-Private Dialogue and European Ecosystem Partnerships will manage three strategic pillars of AFI’s European Representative Office (ERO) workplan, expanding collaboration with private sector partners, developed country policymaking authorities, and strategic knowledge partners in Luxembourg and broader European ecosystem with the aim to:

• enhance technical knowledge of AFI members,
• contribute to AFI’s financial sustainability, and
• advance AFI’s position as a global financial inclusion policy thought leader.

This role will report to and be supervised by the Director, European Representative Office (ERO) and Global Partnerships (GP).

ACCOUNTABILITIES / KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. AFI’s Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) platform

The AFI Public-Private Dialogue (PPD) platform was launched in 2014, to provide a range of well-tested modalities both at the global and regional levels for policymakers, regulators, and the private sector to engage in frank and issue-focused dialogue and knowledge exchange, and to cooperate on special projects with the aim to enhance awareness and technical capacity of AFI members to develop and implement financial inclusion policies and regulations. The platform enriches the understanding among AFI members of market trends, challenges and opportunities and provides early exposure to innovative emerging technologies and business models. A significant focus of the AFI PPD is on the advancement of innovative and inclusive digital financial services, with gender-inclusive finance being a cross-cutting priority.

The incumbent will be responsible in managing and expanding the AFI PPD platform, which includes:

• Lead AFI’s PPD strategy, ensuring alignment with members’ evolving needs and priorities.
• Manage a portfolio of current PPD partnerships by (a) negotiating and developing tailored annual workplans together with each PPD partner, (b) oversee implementation of said workplans in coordination with various AFI Management Unit teams; (c) develop PPD session briefs, produce event summary notes, and draft progress reports and updates on PPD activities as and when required.
• Lead the expansion of AFI’s PPD portfolio: actively market the PPD platform, identify prospective new partners in key industry sectors of relevance to AFI members, and secure new PPD partnerships with financial contributions toward AFI activities.
• Manage the annual AFI PPD program of global and regional events including executive-level and technical-level policy dialogues, private sector participation in capacity building/training events, and strategic engagements on advocacy and positioning.
• Provide technical moderation for PPD activities.
• Conceptualize, develop and introduce new PPD offerings and modalities, in physical and virtual formats.
• Monitor the industry landscape for ecosystem trends, opportunities and risks as these pertain to engagement with the private sector.

2. European ecosystem partnerships

The inclusive and sustainable finance ecosystem of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is both vibrant and diverse, consisting of public and private sector organizations that work synergistically, leveraging their individual and collective strengths, to advance shared objectives and the Sustainable Development Goals.  AFI’s European Representative Office (ERO), hosted by the Government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, plays a pivotal role in this ecosystem, by ensuring that the financial inclusion priorities of financial policymakers from developing and emerging countries are addressed and that their policy insights and learnings are elevated and shared.

The incumbent will be responsible in deepening cooperation with strategic partners in Luxembourg and broader European ecosystem, which includes:

• Manage AFI’s engagement with a broad portfolio of partners across Luxembourg’s inclusive and sustainable finance ecosystem through the development, implementation and monitoring of a multi-facetted annual workplan.
• Act as AFI’s focal point to a diverse range of institutions in Luxembourg including financial regulatory authorities, academia, multilateral institutions, public and private sector service providers, and other ecosystem partners.
• Conceptualize, coordinate and implement national level activities and events in collaboration with ecosystem partners.
• Maintain and regularly update a contact database of strategic partner institutions in Luxembourg and broader European space.
• Monitor the ecosystem for emerging trends, issues and opportunities with the aim to expand collaboration in Luxembourg and broader Europe and deliver added value to AFI members.
• Support the Director of ERO in engagement with and reporting to the Government of Luxembourg on national-level partnerships and activities, including the ERO Annual Workplan.
• Conceptualize, develop and introduce new partnership offerings and modalities to maintain the vibrant nature of AFI ERO’s partnership platform.

3. AFI’s Developed-Developing Country Dialogue and Policy Peer Learning (3D) platform

The AFI Developed-Developing Country Dialogue and Policy Peer Learning (3D) platform, implemented under the umbrella of AFI’s Sochi Accord on FinTech for Financial Inclusion, brings together AFI members (policymakers from developing and emerging countries) and their policymaking peers from developed economies in Europe and globally. The platform provides unique opportunities to advance policy understandings on topics of converging priority, such as inclusive FinTech ecosystems, inclusive green finance, cybersecurity, digital financial literacy, data privacy, consumer protection, and financial health among others. In recognition of the significant learning benefits for all participants, AFI members at the 2020 Annual General Meeting adopted a new category of “Observer” to enable developed country policymaking institutions, which are not qualified for AFI membership, to engage formally and systematically with AFI in the years ahead.

The incumbent will be responsible for advancing the platform by deepening cooperation with financial policymaking and regulatory authorities across the European Union and beyond. The deliverables include:

• Develop and manage a strategic 3D approach with the aim to maximize mutual learning benefits for AFI members and their developed country peers.
• Design, manage and monitor a tailored engagement plan for AFI to undertake with a select group of European central banks and other financial policymaking authorities, with defined objectives, actions and deliverables.
• Strengthen and expand relationships with focal points in developed country policymaking institutions.
• Actively position the AFI 3D platform and AFI Observer status for developed countries as a unique opportunity for policy peer learning with developing and emerging countries.
• Organize, manage and take part in technical exchange visits, virtual policy advisory services and other benefits delivered to AFI members in partnership with developed country policymaking and regulatory authorities.
• Develop and deliver presentations and moderate 3D activities where needed.
• Monitor the financial inclusion policy and regulatory landscape, especially in Europe, and identify opportunities to expand and advance engagement on topics of shared priority with AFI members.
• Track and coordinate members’ requests for 3D partners’ technical inputs to AFI activities and knowledge products, facilitating these partners’ participation and engagement in AFI activities, and vice versa.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

• A bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, economics, technology, marketing, or related field is a requirement of this position. An advanced degree (master’s or higher) is strongly preferred. Absence of advanced degree may be substituted by additional years of directly relevant work experience.
• Minimum seven (7) years of progressively responsible program management and client relationship management expertise in the field of financial services, international affairs, public policy, private sector coordination, membership network coordination or related.
• Combination of prior work experience with private and public sectors and the understanding and appreciation of mindsets and priorities of both public and private sector stakeholders would be an advantage.
• Work experience in the Luxembourg ecosystem and partner engagement in Luxembourg and/or broader European community will be an advantage.

COMPETENCIES / SKILLS

• Program and portfolio management skills, including in client relationship development and portfolio growth.
• High degree of knowledge of regulatory and market issues, particularly in digital financial services, is desired. While technical knowledge of financial inclusion policy and regulation is not required, an understanding of the financial inclusion landscape, as well as current and evolving issues and technologies as well as ecosystem trends is preferred.
• As English is the working language of AFI, full English-language proficiency, including excellent writing and verbal communication skills are a requirement for this position.
• Working proficiency in French is highly desired, while working knowledge of Luxembourgish, German and/or other languages is also a plus.
• High technical software acumen and relevant business management application skills.
• The ability to work in a collaborative manner and can adeptly juggle multiple tasks with grace under pressure.
• Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to persistently negotiate and articulate complex ideas clearly and persuasively with diverse stakeholders, including at senior levels.
• A portfolio management mindset with results-oriented approach and proactive business development acumen. The ability to monitor progress and ensure excellence on multiple levels, including strategic, operational and logistical, will be an advantage.

KEY CHALLENGES

• Revitalizing and expanding AFI’s public-private engagement during a most uncertain period, sustain and gradually grow PPD co-financing contributions during COVID-19 and as the world emerges from the pandemic.
• Building systematic technical partnerships with developed country policymaking peers, ensuring recognition of continued mutual learning benefits on all sides, and leading to structured partnerships via Observer status by some developed country peers.
• Maintaining high-level member satisfaction through delivery of highly valuable and broadly recognized added values to AFI members as a result of their participation in AFI’s PPD and 3D platforms.

Interested candidates are invited to apply together with the latest CV and cover letter in English.