: Portfolio Lead – Financial Institutions (Microfinance Focus)

1. POSITION VACANT: Portfolio Lead – Financial Institutions (Microfinance Focus), New Delhi/ Chennai, Water.org

2. ORGANIZATIONAL BACKGROUND:
Water.org is a global non-profit headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, working to bring water and sanitation to the world. Co-founded by Gary White and Matt Damon in 2009, Water.org helps remove the barriers between people living in poverty and access to the safe water and sanitation solutions they need to survive and thrive. The organization has changed 73 million lives with safe water or sanitation and transformed thousands of communities in Africa, South Asia, and Latin America.

In India, Water.org has empowered over 28 million people with access to water and sanitation through innovative financing models like WaterCredit. By partnering with microfinance institutions (MFIs), self-help group federations, and rural livelihood missions, Water.org has expanded the reach of water and sanitation finance to low-income households across the country.

For more information please visit, https://water.org/.

3. JOB DESCRIPTION/ RESPONSIBILITIES:

Reporting to the Director/ Associate Director and with a dotted line to the Regional Director, the Portfolio Lead – Financial Institutions (PL-FI) shall be responsible for managing a large and diverse portfolio of microfinance institutions (MFIs) and similar financial service providers. The incumbent will lead strategic engagement, performance monitoring, and expansion of MFI partnerships to deepen Water.org’s outreach to underserved communities.

S/he will drive strategic account development, build institutional capabilities, and ensure that MFI partners are empowered to deliver water and sanitation loans at scale, with high portfolio quality and social impact.

Key Responsibilities:

Job Specific Accountabilities:

A. Strategic Partnership and Portfolio Management:
(1) Lead Water.org’s MFI-focused portfolio strategy and execution, ensuring delivery on impact, loan outreach, and sustainability targets;
(2) Manage the full partnership lifecycle with MFIs – from partner selection, onboarding, product design, and capacity building, to loan portfolio monitoring and renewal;
(3) Ensure strong portfolio health through regular partner engagement, field visits, early warning systems, and remedial actions;
(4) Develop and roll out tailored capacity-building support for MFIs on WSS loan product development, marketing, credit underwriting, and social performance management.

B. Business Development and Institutional Engagement:
(1) Identify and cultivate strategic partnerships with high-potential MFIs and SHG-promoting institutions with outreach to water-scarce and sanitation-deprived populations;
(2) Represent Water.org in national and state-level MFI/ SHG forums, alliances, and stakeholder platforms to expand visibility and partnerships;
(3) Develop financial models and co-investment proposals with MFIs to scale WSS lending, including blended finance, social performance incentives, and credit

C. Loan Performance and Impact Monitoring:
(1) Conduct regular due diligence and appraisal of MFI partners’ WSS loan books, using financial and operational indicators;
(2) Coordinate disbursement tracking, loan utilization studies, repayment trends, and social impact monitoring in collaboration with the Impact and Operations teams;
(3) Generate timely reports, dashboards, and field insights for internal and donor reporting requirements.

D. Team Leadership and Collaboration:
(1) Lead and mentor a high-performing team of Account Managers and Analysts supporting MFI partnerships;
(2) Foster a culture of innovation, responsiveness, and continuous learning within the team;
(3) Coordinate closely with internal units (legal, finance, impact, communications) to ensure smooth execution of projects and documentation

E. Sector Engagement and Insights:
(1) Stay abreast of microfinance trends, RBI guidelines, digital lending platforms, and SHG-bank linkage developments;
(2) Document learnings from MFI engagement to contribute to Water.org’s thought leadership in water-sanitation financing;
(3) Advocate for pro-poor WSS financing in public and private microfinance platforms.

This description provides a general overview of the role and does not encompass a comprehensive list of all duties, responsibilities, or activities required of the incumbent. Responsibilities, tasks, and key interactions may evolve or be reassigned at any time, with or without prior notice, based on organizational needs.

Department Accountabilities:
(1) Partnership Development and Portfolio Expansion
(2) Account Management and Relationship Building
(3) Loan Performance Monitoring and Impact Tracking
(4) Pre- and Post-Award Compliance
(5) Risk Identification and Mitigation
(6) Product Innovation for MFI WSS Lending

Supervisory Accountabilities:
(1) Supervise and support a team of Partnership Managers and Associates;
(2) Responsible for performance management, coaching, and team capacity development.

4. QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES:

(A) Qualification and Experience:

(1) Bachelor's degree in Finance, Development Studies, Business Administration, or related field; Master’s preferred;
(2) Minimum 10 years of experience in microfinance, inclusive finance, or rural banking, preferably with exposure to water, sanitation, or housing loan portfolios;
(3) Demonstrated experience managing MFI partnerships and large loan portfolios;
(4) Experience in strategic account management, business development, or credit product innovation in the development finance ecosystem;
(5) Familiarity with MFI operating models, NBFC-MFI regulatory norms, SHG-based finance, and low-income client engagement;
(6) Fluency in English and proficiency in Hindi or other regional language preferred.

(B) Skills and Competencies:
(1) Strong partner management and communication skills;
(2) Ability to analyze loan performance data and translate insights into partner action;
(3) Demonstrated ability to influence senior leadership within MFIs and build long-term relationships;
(4) Strong interpersonal and team-building skills with a passion for financial inclusion and social impact.

(C ) Problem-Solving and Strategic Thinking:
(1) Ability to design contextual WSS loan programs with MFIs;
(2) Strong negotiation skills and strategic outlook;
(3) Ability to balance mission focus with financial sustainability in partnerships.

5. TRAVEL: Travel up to 25% of the time both domestically and internationally.

6. COMPENSATION OFFERED:

Gross compensation offered for the position is attractive. The offer made to the selected candidate shall be commensurate with qualifications, experience, and salary history.

7. LOCATION: New Delhi or Chennai, with preference for New Delhi.

8. REFERENCE: PL-FI -WO

9. CONTACT INFORMATION:

Team SAMS
Strategic Alliance Management Services P Ltd.
1/1B, Choudhary Hetram House, Bharat Nagar 
New Friends Colony, New Delhi 110 025
Phone Nos.: 011- 4081 9900; 4165 3612
 

10. APPLICATION PROCESS:

Eligible candidates interested in the position are requested to apply using the link  by or before July 31, 2025.