I went the FINCA International networking lunch last Friday afternoon to learn about their village banking model and hear about the types of opportunities available to recent graduates. With 20 years of experience in microfinance, FINCA targets the poorest of the working poor, and has served over 700,000 clients in 21 locations across the globe. Like Grameen, FINCA uses a group lending model, taking advantage of the human capital that exists in villages in lieu of collaterol needed to secure capital.
FINCA has a great career track called the Senior Banking Leadership Program, which grooms mid-career professionals to become the chief operating officers of their regional offices. FINCA also has a fellowship program, which apparently opens on Monday. Forty-five positions are listed on FINCA’s website.
The FINCA representative highlighted the need for strong financial and language skills and international experience. We have “lots of Wall Street talent now,” she explained, alluding to the new pool of financial expertise that the current economic situation has provided.
Random tidbit: you don’t have to have international experience specifically in the financial access or microfinance industries to get a job at FINCA. Our speaker landed her position because of her travels as a Dutch Olympic high-diver.