MasterCard Labs Innovation Management Business Leader Job in Kenya

Job Description Role Profile: Business Leader, Innovation ManagementThe Client: MasterCard Labs is MasterCard’s global Research and Development division, focused on the evolution of technological and consumer trends and the implication of these evolutions on the payments industry. Their tried, tested and proven methodologies enable us to generate new ideas from a variety of sources, and fast-track the best ideas from concept through prototype, pilot and into commercialization faster than ever before. 
The Position: Reporting to the MasterCard Labs for Financial Inclusion, the Business Leader, Innovation Management role will play a pivotal role in launching and establishing MasterCard Labs for Financial Inclusion, as well as ideating and prototyping new financial inclusion focused products suitable for development at the Lab.

The position will enable and catalyse innovation through the establishment, management and evolution of a comprehensive innovation program. You will leverage best practices and learnings, incorporate new ideas and assimilate with proven MasterCard Labs innovation processes.

Key Responsibilities

Provide day-to-day leadership of the Innovation Management team (initially managing one other innovation management professional): hiring, setting and tracking objectives, obtaining resources, overseeing task completion; and reporting progress, accomplishments and hurdles to the Head of the Lab.Promote culture of innovation.Orchestrate internal and external idea generation processes to generate new ides to feed into the innovation process.Manage design, development and implementation of financial inclusion focused innovation programs; identify opportunities, anticipate barriers and develop roadmap/bridge to cultivate desired innovation mind-set.Ensure innovation programs are managed effectively in terms of cost and timing.Continuously improve and scale the innovation program by sharing best practices and lessons learned.Evaluate all ideas’ against established criteria to determine their fitness for Labs, and then orchestrate the effort to incubate the most promising ideas taking them from concept, through rapid prototyping and market testing, to commercialization.Position Requirements / QualificationsBachelor’s degree, preferably in marketing, communications or journalism.Passion for innovation and a belief in how it can address financial inclusion challengesProven leadership and Innovation Management skills.Strong cross-functional team and relationship building skills.Demonstrated leadership in taking accountability, acting with a sense of urgency and delivering plans with passion, ambition and aptitude.Superior interpersonal, and communication skills.Basic familiarity with the web application development space.Organization and project management skills.Knowledge of the East African market and the current availability of financial services in that region is desirable.How to Apply Applicants should email their cover letter and CV with names of three referees who can provide confidential assessment of their capabilities. Indicate on your CV your current and expected salary.All communication relating to application for these positions should be addressed to:

mastercard@preferredpersonnel.co.ke

On the subject matter of the email, ensure you indicate the position you are applying for.

Applications should be received by 11th December 2014.

Please note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.