Director of Operations - Financial Services

About the role

An established financial services institution serving individuals, households, small businesses and community-based customers is strengthening its operating model to improve service quality, operational controls, productivity and consistency of customer experience. It is seeking a Director of Operations in Kigali, Rwanda, reporting to the CEO and leading Operations Managers, Customer Service Manager, branch or service centre managers and the Process Improvement Lead. The role covers operational planning, process management, customer service, operational risk, resource utilisation and service performance.

Key responsibilities

• Set the operational strategy, annual plans, budgets and performance targets, and establish policies, procedures and service standards.
• Oversee day-to-day delivery of customer-facing and back-office services, set service standards and turnaround times, and handle complaints and escalations.
• Map and redesign critical processes, introduce automation with the Technology team and set up standard operating procedures.
• Oversee transaction, account servicing, documentation and reconciliation workflows, with segregation of duties and approval controls.
• Identify and monitor operational risks, work with Risk and Compliance on controls, maintain incident registers and support audits.
• Manage staffing plans, productivity measures, training, performance reviews and succession planning.
• Work with IT on workflow automation, system adoption and reliable management reporting.
• Establish continuity plans, test recovery procedures and coordinate responses to service interruptions.
• Manage the operational budget, run a dashboard of service quality, productivity and risk, and track KPIs such as turnaround times, accuracy, complaints and resolution times.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Finance, Operations Management, Economics or a related field; postgraduate qualification advantageous.
• At least 10 years of relevant operational experience, including at least five years in a senior operations management role.
• Experience in financial services, banking, cooperative finance, microfinance or another regulated environment.
• Experience designing SOPs and operational controls, and managing teams, budgets and service performance.
• Experience in Rwanda or comparable East African financial services markets is advantageous.