Director of Savings Group Operations

Role Description

Application deadline: September 30, 2026

The director of savings group (SG) operations provides strategic and operational leadership for the systems, tools, and processes that enable HOPE’s savings group department to execute its mandate and strategy with excellence. This role oversees SG methodology, training, LM&E, quality assurance, performance management, budgeting, reporting systems, and strategic project implementation. Working closely with SG leadership, regional and country teams, partners, and corporate assist units, the director ensures that SG’s operating model is clear, scalable, sustainable, mission-aligned, and responsive to field realities. As a member of the SG leadership team, this position plays a vital role in translating strategy into execution, strengthening accountability, stewarding resources, and building a healthy operations team that supports our SG Mandate and HOPE’s mission.

Location:Lancaster, PA (preferred) or Durham, NC, USA; Kigali, Rwanda,

Level: Senior Professional

Salary range: US base*:$81,000-$86,000

Type: Full-time

Department: Savings Group Programs

Reports to:Senior Director of Savings Group Programs

Position supervises: SG Operations Team

Responsibilities

• Promote and contribute to the fulfillment of HOPE International’s mission and vision.
• Savings Group Program Operational Leadership
• assist the SG leadership team in prioritizing department-wide initiatives and managing trade-offs across growth, quality, risk, staffing, and budget
• As the point person for program operations, deliver assist and guidance to SG operations team towards the achievement of SG department objectives
• keep close collaborative engagement with SG regional leaders in assist of their needs and responsibilities developing and implementing program operations
• Build effective relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, promoting unity of purpose and positive working relationships
• Oversee the operations team, which provides technical assist and capacity building to field operations (methodology, quality, training, reporting, and budgeting)
• create team capacity in project management, data use, quality assurance, risk management, and field assist
• Risk Management
• Collaborate with internal audit, risk & compliance, finance, and field leadership to strengthen accountability, risk action planning and response
• track departmental risk dashboards and oversee alignment of departmental risk with board regulated risk appetite
• Collaborate with risk & compliance in reporting top risks and proposed action plans for risk management to SG senior leadership and HOPE International leadership as invited.
• Budgeting and Data Reporting
• Oversee SG performance management systems, dashboards, reporting tools, and data management
• Strengthen analysis of program performance and help SG leadership use evidence for strategic decisions
• Ensure timely and accurate reporting on key program indicators, including growth, quality, sustainability, spiritual integration, risk, and cost-effectiveness
• In collaboration with the SG operations principal, guide the development of SG field departmental budget and forecasting processes, including the evaluate and submission of program budget and reforecasts for approval to the senior director
• assist resource allocation decisions that align with strategic priorities, growth targets, quality standards, and sustainability goals
• Analyze program cost-effectiveness, staffing needs, and funding gaps to inform leadership decisions
• Strategic Planning and Development
• Participate in the collaborative development of annual and longer-term SG strategies
• guide the operational execution of SG’s multi-year strategy in close collaboration with the senior director, SG leadership team, regional leaders, and country teams.
• Ensure alignment across SG HOPE led, SG Multiply and agriculture program designs under a unified operating logic
• guide evaluate and monitoring of progress toward achievement of SG strategic objectives
• As requested, take a leadership role in oversight of SG-wide strategic projects and initiatives
• Spiritual Integration and Christian Witness
• make sure that SG spiritual integration objectives are present within existing and proposed elements of program team operations
• Ensure spiritual integration is embedded in SG methodology, training, quality assurance, reporting, and field assist
• make sure that HOPE’s Christian witness is the primary consideration in word and deed
• HOPE Representation
• Represent the mission, values, and culture of HOPE in all aspects of responsibilities
• deliver assist to external-facing departments (Marketing, Development, Finance) as requested in a manner that promotes HOPE’s mission, values and culture
• Team Leadership & People Management
• oversee the SG operations team. Set clear expectations, oversee priorities, and guide the team toward shared goals with care for both people and outcomes
• Steward team resources responsibly, contributing to strategic and budget planning while ensuring alignment with HOPE’s mission, values, and strategy
• Model Christ-like servant leadership, fostering a team culture of care and holistic development through mentoring, coaching, intentional delegation, and regular one-on-one meetings
• deliver regular, prayerful feedback that encourages growth, reinforces accountability, and builds on each person’s God-given strengths
• Encourage and guide direct reports in ways that deepen their connection to HOPE’s mission and reveal how their work contributes to God’s Kingdom

Qualifications

• Personal confession of Christian faith and commitment to the mission and vision of HOPE International.
• Commitment to integrating spiritual formation, Christian witness, and operational excellence
• Qualifying degree in international development, business administration, or similar field of study
• At least 10+ years of experience in international development, with a strong preference for experience in economic development, especially savings group programs
• Proven track record and experience in overseeing multi-faceted program operations
• Proven ability to translate strategy into operating plans, systems, tools, and accountability rhythms
• Proficiency with Microsoft Excel as a tool for data input, reporting, evaluate, and analysis
• Proven ability to guide complex, organization-wide projects from planning and scoping through successful implementation; experience in a matrix organizational structure preferred
• Skilled leader, with at least 7+ years in people management, with a keen ability to relate to and effectively motivate staff; experience leading a dispersed global team preferred
• Strong cross-cultural intelligence; experience living and working cross-culturally preferred
• Fluent in spoken and written English; proficiency in French or another language relevant to HOPE’s SG operating contexts preferred
• Excellent communication skills
• Assertive self-starter with demonstrated ability to work both independently and collaboratively

Special application instructions

* Note on salary: HOPE International determines starting salary ranges based on internal equity and the external market. Because we take a market-based approach to pay, this salary range is specific to US-based employment. Hires made in other countries will have a salary range based on local market factors and this range will be disclosed during the interview process.