Bank Overview (Summary)

Al-Amal Microfinance Bank (AMB), established under Law No. 23 of 2002, is the first microfinance bank in the MENA region. It was founded through the joint efforts of the Government of Yemen (via the Social Fund for Development), AGFUND, and contributions from the private sector.
AMB operates as a non-dividend financial institution, aiming to provide sustainable financial services to low- and limited-income households, with a focus on micro and small entrepreneurs. Its services include financing, savings, insurance, and money transfers.
AMB delivers its services in line with Islamic sharia compliance —financing through Murabaha (in-kind financing) and savings under Mudaraba, with returns determined by annual performance.
To ensure full Sharia compliance, the Bank is undertaking a comprehensive restructuring of its operations, overseen by a Sharia Auditor responsible for reviewing and enhancing all related processes.

AMB announces the need to recruit qualified candidates for the position of:

• Product Champion - Platform CEO
• Position Title: Product Champion / Platform CEO
• Duty Station: Sana’a, Yemen (with travel to branches, partner sites, and ecosystem stakeholders, as required)
• Duration: 235 Days
• Contracting Entity: Al-Amal Microfinance Bank (AMB)

1. Purpose of the Assignment

The Product Champion (PC) is an entrepreneurial leader responsible for envisioning, developing, and scaling Al-Amal’s integrated financing and marketplace platform. The PC ensures that the platform is designed, built, and deployed according to project objectives, bank´s priorities, and client needs.
As the link between AMB, the Technical Service Provider, suppliers, logistics partners, the PC guarantees strong local ownership, compliance, and accountability. The PC ensures that innovation, user-centricity, and market fit are prioritized at every stage. The role is crucial for managing risks, supervising quality, and ensuring effective adoption by beneficiaries.

A. Product Vision & Strategy

• Define and drive the strategic roadmap for the platform, ensuring it meets market needs and scales effectively.
• Position the platform as an innovative digital finance and marketplace solution for Yemen, aligned with fintech and e-commerce best practices.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for growth, partnerships, and new features that strengthen client adoption.

B. Platform Development Leadership & User Experience

• Provide strategic oversight of the MVP and V1 design and rollout, ensuring functionality reflects client and supplier needs.
• Champion user experience (UX) and client-centric design, ensuring the platform is simple, intuitive, and widely accessible.
• Guide the Technical Service Provider in prioritizing features that support adoption, financial inclusion, and market integration.
• Lead iterative testing, feedback loops, and data-driven refinements to continuously improve the product.

C. Market Growth & Partnerships

• Lead partnership development with suppliers, logistics providers, fintech's, and investors to expand the platform ecosystem and scale the platform.
• Drive client acquisition and retention strategies to reach ambitious adoption targets (1,000 users by Month 12;  4,000 active users by Month 24).
• Represent the platform externally as its “Product CEO”, building credibility and visibility in the market.

D. Team Leadership & Capacity Building

• Recruit, manage, and mentor Expert II-B (Technical/Operations Lead) and Expert II-C (Client Engagement & Business Development Lead).
• Build and nurture a dedicated platform unit within AMB, ensuring skills and structures are in place to sustain operations post-project.
• Foster a results-driven culture within the team, focused on innovation, adoption, and client satisfaction.

E. Sustainability & Scaling

• Design and implement a sustainable business model, including revenue streams, and pricing strategies.
• Ensure the platform is scalable across sectors (agriculture, trade, renewable energy, manufacturing).
• Drive the transition of the platform into a standalone growth engine for AMB.

3. Deliverables & Milestones

• Product Roadmap: Approved strategic roadmap for MVP and V1, including growth and scaling plan.
• Partnership Agreements: Signed MoUs/agreements with suppliers, logistics partners, and fintech actors to strengthen the ecosystem.
• MVP Launch & Refinement: Successful launch of MVP with feedback-driven refinements.
• Platform V1 Rollout: Oversight of full platform launch with all core modules operational.
• Client Adoption Targets: Achievement of staged onboarding milestones (e.g. 1,000 clients by Month 12, 4,000 by Month 24).
• Team Formation: Recruitment and effective management of Expert II-B (Technical/Operations Lead) and Expert II-C (Client Engagement & Business Development Lead).
• Sustainability Plan: Strategy document for platform sustainability, including revenue streams and expansion opportunities.
• Market Growth Evidence: Demonstrated adoption through usage analytics, supplier activity, and client satisfaction indicators.

4. Qualifications & Experience

Education:

• Advanced degree in Business Administration, Economics, E-Commerce, or related field.

Experience:

• At least 8–10 years’ experience in product leadership, fintech, e-commerce, or digital platform development.
• Proven track record of building and scaling digital products/platforms from concept to market, preferable in emerging markets. 
• Experience in entrepreneurial or startup environments, with a bias towards action, experimentation, and rapid iteration.
• Strong understanding of digital financial services, microfinance ecosystem, SME development, and marketplace dynamics.

Skills:

• Visionary thinker with the ability to see the big picture while executing on tactical details.
• Strong business acumen
• Product management expertise: road mapping user research, feature prioritization, agile methodologies
• Data-driven decision maker: comfortable with analytics, KPIs, and performance dashboards
• Ability to adapt to fragile/conflict-affected contexts.
• Strong communication and presentation skills in English and Arabic.

5. Supervision

• Supervises the Technical Service Provider’s work progress, alongside AMB’s internal IT and MEQ teams.
• Directly supervises Expert II-B (Technical Operations Expert) and Expert II-C (Client Engagement & Business Development Expert), who report directly to Expert II-A.
• Holds the authority to select, recruit, and oversee Experts II-B and II-C, ensuring alignment with project objectives and performance standards.
• Supervises the Technical Service Provider’s work progress, alongside AMB’s internal IT and MEQ teams.