Program Management Office Project Manager (Nigeria / South Africa) at MFS Africa

The Role

• A key part of MFS Africa’s growth ambitions has and will come through inorganic growth – investing in and, in some cases, acquiring top-notch players in the fintech space who can accelerate MFS Africa’s growth and help us build an integrated network of services for users on the African continent. Once an acquisition is made, the Business Integration team then comes in to ensure the successful integration of that company into the MFS Africa group and deliver the expected value of the acquisition.
• We are recruiting a Program Management Office Project Manager to join the Business Integrations team and be responsible for tracking the end-to-end integration plan to ensure effective delivery of the integration program, identifying and reducing risks, and ensuring deadlines and milestones are achieved on time.
• The Project Manager will also have deeper involvement in specific workstreams as needed.
• This role will be required to work cross-functionally alongside various teams within and across hypergrowth organisations, interfacing with leaders across the organization to deliver on action items and follow-up requests related to various workstream deliverables, always with a focus on delivering value to the business. Additionally, this role will work with the rest of the Business Integration team to develop a repeatable integration playbook for future acquisitions and integrations.
• The ideal candidate for this role will have experience in project management and possess a strong framework for project management best practices and methodology. They will have the ability to measure project performance and identify areas for improvement.
• The first project this role will help drive is the integration of Capricorn Digital Limited (market-facing name: Baxi), a fast-paced and dynamic company based in Nigeria, into the MFS Africa group. Baxi is one of Nigeria’s largest independent SME-focused electronic payment networks, providing a cash-in/cash-out offering as well as value-added services — account opening, money transfer, bill payment and more — to the last mile.
• We are seeking candidates with 3-5 years of relevant experience ideally gained in fast-paced dynamic organisations within the financial services, technology, fintech, or management consulting industries. The successful candidate should possess exceptional communication skills, high EQ, strong organization skills, and be comfortable working in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• This role reports to the Chief of Staff to the CEO, who leads the Business Integration team, and serves as an integral member of the Business Integration team within the CEO’s office.
• Ideally, the position can based in either Johannesburg, South Africa or Lagos, Nigeria. Travel will be required as needed.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Monitor and oversee the work done by various workstream leads to ensure project deadlines are met. This will require significant project management and administrative skills
• Manage, coordinate, and facilitate project and business meetings with key stakeholders; escalate roadblocks and ensure proper task prioritization
• Regularly deliver a status report on the overall integration plan as well as specific workstreams to company leadership, Integration Steering Committee, and Board
• Apply knowledge and expertise in real-time to ensure momentum of workstreams and the overall integration plan is optimized
• Participate in and own sub-set of workstreams as needed
• Manage Business Integration PMO processes and templates
• Coordinate and drive cross-organisational communication
• Create business processes to improve delivery of initiatives and ensure efficient and effective delivery of the overall integration program
• Partner with the Chief of Staff and broader Business Integration team to develop a repeatable integration playbook for future acquisitions and integrations, including creation of content such as documentation of key integration activities and learning

Requirements
The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications and experience:

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration / Management, Commerce, or any other relevant field with high academic achievement
• 3-5 years of relevant experience ideally gained within fast-paced dynamic organisations within the financial services, technology, fintech, or management consulting industries
• Previous experience in post-merger integrations would be an added advantage
• Previous experience with financial modelling and corporate finance topics would be an added advantage
• Project management certification such as CAPM, PMP would be an added advantage
• Experience living or working in Nigeria and/or Pan African experience and exposure is highly desirable

You will be a good fit if you have / are:

• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to prioritise and manage timelines and cross-functional activities across multiple workstreams simultaneously
• Proven experience in project management, including managing to timelines, follow-through on action items, and ensuring successful achievement of deadlines
• Confidence to speak up to share ideas and recommendations for improvement, and flag potential issues before they become risks
• Good business sense and judgment – can prioritise, resolve, and escalate issues
• A Critical thinker with a solutions-oriented approach to problem-solving
• Professional presence and maturity to work across all levels of the organization
• Strong oral and written communication skills
• Proven ability to collaborate in a cross-functional environment
• Flexibility and ability to multitask in an environment with shifting priorities
• Ability to work autonomously and independently in a highly demanding environment
• An eager and consistent learner, receptive to feedback and interested in continuous improvement
• An Active listener, requesting clarification when needed.

Benefits

• We are the cutting edge of fintech in Africa
• Ranked by Fast Company as Second Most Innovative Company in Africa
• Attractive package including flexible benefits and competitive remuneration
• Diverse, inclusive, gender-balanced company culture representing >28 nationalities and speaking >20 languages
• Massive growth potential
• We operate a flexible remote working and unlimited leave policy
• We solve relevant problems for Africa and the world to create access for the millions of users who also believe in what we do.