Deputy Director, Regulation, Policy & Research (Inclusive Financial Systems)

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Seattle, WA or London, UK

Position Summary

While financial service providers ensure the last-mile delivery of financial services, their ability to serve unbanked population segments hinge on whether policymakers, regulators, and commercial providers adopt evidence-based interventions which have been proven to expand the poor’s access to digital financial tools. The Deputy Director, Regulation, Policy & Research will lead a team which seeks to (1) support regulators in LMICs to develop inclusive financial regulations; (2) protect DFS consumers by equipping supervisors with policy guidance and technology tools which enable them to mitigate consumer risks; (3) support regulators in expanding healthy access to productive credit markets; 4) generate evidence which informs decision-makers in LMICs; and 5) ensure the IFS strategy and programming reflects the latest research and data.

What You’ll Do

Serve on the IFS Leadership Team and Investment Committee, informing overall IFS team strategy and grant making.
Manage and cultivate a cohesive, high-impact team which leads the IFS team’s Regulations, RegTech & Consumer Protection, Research & Measurement, and Strategic Partnerships portfolios.
Lead the development, implementation, and refinement of these IFS team strategies.
Cultivate a high-impact grant portfolio and partner ecosystem to advance the IFS team strategy, with a strong focus on regional partners in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.
Represent the foundation to external constituencies. This could include formal and informal presentations, attending conferences, sitting on working groups, and holding board seats as appropriate.
Write and produce briefings, reports, email updates, and other materials to inform foundation leadership.
Serve as a point of contact on IFS issues for internal and external collaborators, working within the complex matrix-style organization across the foundation.
Conceptualize and manage high impact partnerships and coalitions to advance the IFS team agenda.
Provide clear, concise, and insightful written analyses and recommendations for investments and team strategy.
Ability to travel up to 20% domestically and internationally.

Your Experience

We are looking for a recognized global professional with deep expertise in policy and regulation (ex. Country Central Bank) of financial markets in low- and middle-income countries. Additional knowledge and skills include:

Understanding of the key issues driving the growth of financial inclusion, as well as barriers impeding progress.
Understanding of financial and data regulation and supervision, ideally including experience regulating and supervising financial institutions in LMICs or engaging directly with financial regulators and policymakers in LMICs.
Understanding of supply side and demand side barriers and opportunities for women’s financial inclusion.
Experience interpreting academic evidence and translating that evidence to inform financial inclusion policy.
Understanding how credit markets work, and the policies and regulations which can foster healthy access to productive credit.
Understanding the technologies and policies needed to support data regulation.
Understanding of key financial consumer protection issues faced by LMIC consumers.
Understanding how investments in financial inclusion can advance a range of development objectives, including social protection, domestic resource mobilization, and women’s economic power.
Excellent strategic thinker and strategy development experience.
Demonstrated ability to organize/prioritize work and meet deadlines within a fast-paced environment with multiple and competing demands.
Innovative thinker who is hands-on and willing to go as deep or broad as necessary to achieve outcomes.
Excellent manager, with a track record of building cohesive and high-impact teams.
Demonstrated ability to question and challenge colleagues in a constructive manner.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, able to effectively synthesize. information to reach diverse audiences and create consensus.
Deep commitment to development issues.
High standards of personal integrity.
Advanced degree preferred in public policy, law, business, international relations, development or a related field with 15+ years experience in financial inclusion or related fields (preferably with a mix of service in the public and private sectors).