Deputy Country Manager – Uganda

Role Purpose

The Deputy Country Manager provides strategic, operational, and people leadership to ensure the successful execution of country operations for a fast-growing financial services organization. The role supports business growth, regulatory compliance, customer experience excellence, and the delivery of high-performing teams across Uganda. The Deputy Country Manager acts as second-in-command and serves as Acting Country Manager when required.

The Deputy Country Manager plays a critical role in driving cross-functional alignment and ensuring that all teams operate cohesively toward the company’s strategic objectives. The role requires a hands-on leader who can balance strategic planning with day-to-day operational execution, address complex challenges with sound judgment, and serve as a trusted advisor to the Country Manager. The successful candidate will champion a culture of accountability, innovation, customer-centricity, and continuous improvement—ensuring the organization remains competitive, compliant, and resilient in a dynamic financial services environment.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Country Operations (30%)

• Support the development and execution of the country’s strategic plan, aligning with regional growth targets.
• Drive operational excellence and ensure efficient delivery of financial products (credit, savings, payments, insurance, or digital services).
• Analyze market trends, regulatory changes, and competitive dynamics to guide decision-making.
• Lead business continuity planning, risk mitigation, and operational improvements.

Business Growth & Market Expansion (20%)

• Identify and evaluate expansion opportunities in new regions, customer segments, and product lines.
• Support partnerships with agents, distributors, digital channels, and local stakeholders to grow outreach.
• Oversee performance of regional offices, branches, or agency networks, ensuring monthly financial and operational targets are met.
• Champion customer acquisition, retention, and portfolio quality improvement.

Financial Management & Risk Oversight (20%)

• Monitor country P&L, budgeting, and financial forecasting.
• Oversee adherence to credit policies, portfolio quality, and risk management frameworks.
• Ensure timely reporting to regional headquarters, regulators, and external stakeholders.
• Lead initiatives to reduce operational costs and improve efficiency metrics.

Regulatory, Compliance & Governance (10%)

• Ensure full compliance with national financial regulations, licensing requirements, AML/CFT guidelines, and data protection standards.
• Maintain strong relationships with Bank of Uganda, financial regulators, auditors, industry associations, and government partners.
• Drive internal audit readiness and corrective action implementation.

People Leadership & Culture (15%)

• Lead and mentor senior managers across operations, risk, finance, HR, IT, recovery, and customer service.
• Foster a high-performance culture rooted in accountability, innovation, and ethical standards.
• Support talent development, succession planning, and workforce planning.
• Manage performance reviews, team capacity building, and leadership development programs.

Stakeholder Engagement & Representation (5%)

• Represent the company in high-level forums, partner engagements, donor meetings, and industry roundtables.
• Build strong relationships with investors, partners, vendors, and community organizations.
• Act as a brand ambassador for the company’s mission and vision.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Country revenue, profitability, and operational efficiency
• Portfolio quality (PAR, NPL, recovery rates)
• Regulatory compliance and audit outcomes
• Customer acquisition, engagement, and satisfaction
• Employee engagement and retention
• Timely and successful delivery of expansion or innovation initiatives

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Economics, or related field; MBA preferred
• 8–15+ years of progressive experience in financial services, fintech, microfinance, banking, or payments
• Minimum 5 years in senior leadership or multi-branch management
• Strong understanding of the Ugandan financial sector and regulatory environment
• Proven success in operations, risk management, and business growth
• Demonstrated ability to lead large, diverse teams across multiple regions

Skills & Competencies

• Strategic thinking and execution
• Strong financial and analytical capability
• Exceptional stakeholder management
• Operational and risk management expertise
• Change management and transformation leadership
• High emotional intelligence and people leadership capacity
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills

Working Conditions

• Office-based with frequent travel across Uganda
• Occasional regional travel
• High-paced, performance-oriented environment