Global Communities, formerly CHF International, is an international non-profit organization that works closely with communities worldwide to bring about sustainable changes that improve the lives and livelihoods of the vulnerable. Vitas Tech is in the process of becoming a Software as a Service (SaaS) company, and requires a Product Lead to identify, improve and develop products and digital applications that will drive the company’s strategic goals.

The Product Lead will perform day-to-day responsibilities that will support Vitas Tech in becoming a SaaS company. These responsibilities include:

• Anticipate, identify and validate needs with the client
• In coordination with Chief Digital Officer and the Vitas Group General Managers, design and map detailed application requirements to capture strategic business goals for both short-term and longer-term product roadmap delivery
• Propose and design complementary and parallel applications to core banking system developed by Global Communities tech subsidiary in Serbia. Application will include Loan Officers & Vitas branches digital automation and customer relationship digitization along SMEs’ lending and banking relationship journey
• In coordination with Tech lead, collaborate with teams based in different locations and from different cultures, background and time zones
• Prioritize initiatives based on business needs and Vitas Group requirements
• Lead application implementation planning and manage project organization
• Own all products developed in all tech centers
• Work closely with clients, technicians, and managerial staff and lead product steering committees with the 5 Vitas General Managers
• Maintain the Product Backlog, ensuring that it’s visible, transparent, and clear
• Evaluate business processes, anticipate requirements, uncover areas for improvement, and develop and implement solutions
• Lead ongoing reviews of business processes and developing optimization strategies
• Conduct meetings and presentations to share ideas and findings
• Manage projects, develop project plans, and monitor performance

Deliverables:

High-level deliverables that the Product Lead will work on include:

• Map out the key Vitas 5 business processes to be digitized
• Strategic recommendations about applications to be developed for Vitas to propose a competitive SaaS tech stack
• Product roadmap and milestones
• Work with the Vitas subsidiaries to design a CRM solution with Vtiger
• Benchmark and assessment of different vendors to provide different tech services like BPM automation, CRM automation, Loan officer APP
• Build tech team to build and implement product roadmap
• Support to write TOR to raise TA

Key Competencies:

• Build strong relationships with peers and cross functionally with partners outside of the team to enable higher performance.
• Proficient in knowledge of business applications, data usage, data management tools and flowcharting tools
• Passionate about solving problems, meeting deadlines, staying on task and professional delivery
• Grasp digital trends and have sufficient understanding of both tech and business needs.
• Adaptable, good communicator, able to work across teams and function
• Learns fast, grasps the “essence,” and can change the course quickly where indicated.
• Raises the bar and is never satisfied with the status quo.
• Creates and drives a learning environment, open to suggestions and experimentation for improvement.
• Embraces the ideas of others, nurtures innovation and manages innovation to reality

Educational Background:

• Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Finance, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field. A focus on microfinance, financial technology (FinTech), or development economics would be highly relevant.
• Certifications in product management, microfinance, CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce, Oracle APEX), or Agile methodologies can be beneficial.

Experience:

• 7+ years of experience in product management, preferably within the financial services or microfinance sectors.
• Proven experience in implementing CRM systems that cater to low-income customers, unbanked populations, or SMEs.
• Strong background in microfinance operations (e.g., loan origination, collections, client onboarding) and an understanding of how CRMs can optimize these processes.
• Experience in cross-functional collaboration with teams in operations, credit risk, compliance, sales, and marketing to deliver a customer-centric CRM solution.
• Previous experience in financial inclusion initiatives or working in developing markets is a significant plus.
• Deep understanding of microfinance operations, including loan disbursement, credit evaluation, collections, and regulatory compliance.
• Familiarity with customer engagement challenges in underserved and unbanked populations, and how to design CRM systems to address these.
• Knowledge of financial inclusion, especially in developing markets, and the role of technology in increasing outreach and reducing costs.
• Awareness of regulatory frameworks related to lending and customer data protection in the regions served by the microfinance institution.
• Strong understanding of CRM systems used in microfinance, such as Vtiger, Salesforce, Zoho, or custom-built solutions.
• Familiarity with loan management systems (LMS), credit scoring, risk management tools, and how they integrate into CRM platforms.
• Experience in managing CRM tools that support task orchestration for loan officers, track client repayment histories, and identify early indicators of loan default.
• Knowledge of API integrations for linking CRM with core banking systems, digital payment platforms, and external data sources for credit scoring.
• Expertise in data analytics to derive insights on customer behavior, repayment trends, and product effectiveness.
• Strong leadership abilities with experience managing cross-functional teams, including developers, risk analysts, and sales personnel in the microfinance sector.
• Ability to translate customer needs (e.g., loan applicants, rural clients) into technical requirements for the CRM platform.
• Excellent communication skills to engage with stakeholders across all levels, including loan officers, branch managers, and executive leadership.
• Problem-solving mindset with a focus on addressing unique microfinance challenges, such as rural penetration, customer literacy, and affordability

To be considered, please apply by 9/25/2024.