ABOUT GOOD RETURN

Good Return's mission is to enable those who are marginalised and excluded to achieve economic empowerment through responsible financial inclusion and capability development. We do this by engaging with partners across the Asia Pacific, where two-thirds of the world’s poor live. We help them deliver better financial services and economic opportunities to those living in poverty.

Our work focuses on promoting responsible inclusive finance, building financial capability & consumer empowerment, and providing access to credit through our micro lending platform and impact investment programming to support SMEs in the agricultural sector. 

Good Return is the registered business name of World Education Australia, an Australian Aid accredited agency and member of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID). We hold Australia Financial Services License granted by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Visit www.goodreturn.org.au for more information.

ABOUT OUR PARTNERS

We have been working in partnership with various Financial Service Providers across the Asia Pacific Region since 2010. Our current partners are located in Cambodia, Indonesia, PNG, Nepal, Philippines, Myanmar, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Tonga and Australia.

Our partnerships are based on a shared mission to provide responsible and inclusive financial services to people living in poverty as well as build the financial capability of consumers. 

Our microfinance partners are committed to improving their social performance management systems, which includes implementing the seven client protection principles.

Please visit our website (www.goodreturn.org.au) for further information on our partners.

Good Return is recruiting a Manager, Access to Finance to bring the program to its next level. It is an exciting time to join the team and to lead innovative activities in this growing sector. 

Scope of position

The Manager, Access to Finance is responsible for leading Good Return’s impact investment activities in the Asia Pacific region. The impact investment program currently comprises loans and guarantees to partner financial service providers, with a strong gender lens focus. The manager will work closely with partner agencies to ensure these activities are optimised for social impact and sustainability, and explore innovative new partnerships and funding relationships with fintechs and others in the financial inclusion ecosystem, supporting their product design and delivery to be more socially inclusive. 

More information https://goodreturn.org.au/impact-investing. 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

Following Good Return Strategy 2022-2025 and our Program Manual, and with a strong understanding of partners’ needs:

1. Program Management (30%) 

• Supervise Good Return Access to Finance program, which comprises a loan program, loan guarantee fund and other smaller initiatives
• Engage closely with current partners of the program, including cross-partner learning exchanges. Visit them as needed, at least once a year
• Ensure compliance with program management processes (Program Manual) and with processes specific to the Impact Investment program. Refine the latter as necessary
• Supervise and engage the Impact Investment team composed of employees and volunteers. 
• Together with the Program Impact & Effectiveness Manager and the Impact Investment team, refine solid Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning framework
• Manage relationships and reporting to donors
• Complete annual budget, monthly financial forecasting and operational plan for Impact Investment activities 
• Skill up Good Return team to ensure everyone has a good understanding of Impact Investment and of the program

KPIs 

1. Clear and compliant Impact Investment Process and Toolkits 
2. Donors report high satisfaction with impact investment progress reports.
3. FSP partners report high satisfaction with their partnerships with Good Return
4. Annual plan and budget completed by 30 April each year for 1 July commencement 

2. Partnership Development (40%) 

• Manage, develop, and nurture impact investment partnerships with FSP partners and other actors in the ecosystem to achieve social impacts
• Proactively identify and connect with suitable in-country partners to expand impact investment activities. Spearhead the contextualisation of Good Return impact investment models to meet the needs of the partners and to promote social inclusion, including gender
• Organise partner assessment and due diligence as per processes
• Organise Impact Investment Committee meetings
• Conduct and oversee desk and field research to ensure Good Return has contemporary understanding of in-country value chains and ecosystems
• Provide advice and assistance to partner agencies on financial product design and delivery to enhance social impact and sustainability

KPIs 

1. A minimum of 2 new partners per year joining the program

3. Innovation and Thought Leadership (30%) 

• Actively scan and connect with the social impact investment and gender lens SME financing development sector to learn about innovations in the sector and to promote Good Return’s impact investment program
• Based on strategy, plans and opportunities, design new Impact Investment activities and projects to be piloted and if successful, deployed
• Provide thought leadership internally and externally on financing for impact, including presenting at conferences, writing articles, and actively networking
• Identify funding opportunities. Support proposal writing and fundraising with investors, donors, and technical assistance organisations

KPIs 

1. Minimum 1 new pilot project per year
2. Secure two grants per year to fund program activities 
3. At least 4 thought leadership pieces per year (articles, conference presentations)

SKILLS & ATTRIBUTES

Essential

• Ability to manage a developing business unit, set strategic goals and priorities, drive growth and manage budgets
• Experience in the design or delivery of financial services
• Strong experience in modeling business and financial projections to analyse FSPs / SMEs
• Strong interpersonal, collaboration, negotiation and cross-cultural communication skills - both verbal and writing. 
• Commitment to gender equality and women’s economic empowerment
• Strong alignment with Good Return’s vision, mission, values and cultural focus

Desirable

• SME financing experience
• Tertiary qualifications in business, accounting, banking or finance
• Impact investment and/or fund management experience
• Track record in managing and developing a business unit
• Business advisory experience
• Business experience in Asia, Pacific Islands, or other developing countries

Applications can be submitted by selecting the 'I'm interested' link below.

Please indicate how you heard about this position.

Enquiries can be directed via the Good Return website https://goodreturn.org.au/contact/

Applications close: Please apply as soon as possible. Applications will be reviewed continually.

Location: Good Return Head Office, North Sydney OR Asia Regional Office, Phnom Penh, OR remote from the Asia-Pacific region. Role will entail frequent travel.

Additional notes: 

• Good Return is an inclusive organisation. We strive to build a team that truly represents our diverse society and those of the Asia-Pacific communities we operate in. We actively encourage all applicants, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, disability and sexuality, to apply. If you require adjustments to the recruitment or interview process to accommodate your specific needs, let us know and we will try to provide them.
• Good Return is a child safe organisation. Our recruitment processes reflect our commitment to the protection of children from abuse; successful candidates will need to comply by our Child Protection Policy and undergo pre-employment checks.