Head of Bicycle Financing

Position: Head of Bicycle Financing

Location: Colombia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi or Zambia

Reports To: Executive Director, Programs

Term: Full-time, 2-Year Fixed Employment Contract

About Us

World Bicycle Relief mobilizes communities in rural regions around the world to thrive with life-changing bicycles. We partner with communities to expand access to education, markets, healthcare and other essential services. With our purpose-designed Buffalo Bicycles, individuals in low-income regions are a force for change, unlocking pathways to new opportunities for themselves, their families and entire communities.

We are a mission-driven, global not-for-profit company that manages a highly refined bicycle supply chain from design through final distribution. World Bicycle Relief uses an innovative business model to create sustainable bicycle ecosystems. Through World Bicycle Relief's 501(c)3, we provide transport solutions to those who cannot afford them, and through Buffalo Bicycle Ltd, we sell the rugged Buffalo Bicycle and spare parts. Buffalo Bicycle Ltd also offers users repair and maintenance services via a retail network of shops and local mechanics. World Bicycle Relief has distributed over 900,000 fit-for-purpose bicycles and trained 4,000+ community-based mechanics. Girls with Buffalo Bicycles are 19% less likely to drop out of school; business owners see 53% more revenue; and health workers serve 63% more households.

Purpose of the Position

The Head of Bicycle Financing will lead the design, implementation and scaling of innovative financial products that make Buffalo Bicycles affordable for individuals in low-income regions including women, youth, marginalized populations and rural consumers, while ensuring partnerships are sustainable and impactful.

Working in close collaboration with WBR’s operating country teams, this role will co-develop and scale savings, credit, and employer-based programs in partnership with financial service providers such as local financial institutions, MFIs, SACCOs, cooperatives, fintechs, and banks. These collaborators, who share WBR’s mission and recognize the power of bicycles to transform outcomes for women, youth, and marginalized communities, are critical to embedding financing within local financial ecosystems.

The Head of Bicycle Financing will advance WBR’s objective to:

1. Develop affordable, attractive financial products for individuals in low-income regions including women, youth, marginalized populations and rural consumers.
2. Ensure profitability and viability for financial service providers.
3. Build models that are flexible and scalable across multiple markets.
4. Prioritize women as a key target group for bicycle financing.

By embedding financing into local ecosystems and working hand-in-hand with both internal and external partners, the Head of Bicycle Financing will help dramatically expand bicycle access, targeting 3,500 buyers within the first 18 months. Over the two-year term, the Head of Bicycle Financing will build sustainable partnerships, transfer knowledge to country teams, and establish systems and processes that enable long-term adoption of financing models.

As a new, two-year position spanning multiple countries, this role offers the opportunity to shape an emerging area of WBR’s work. The ideal candidate will be energized by the dynamic impact it can bring to our mission through increased access and will apply evidence-based decision making to identify the most reliable and sustainable financial products across diverse markets.

Responsibilities

Financial Product / Model Design

• Leads the design of bicycle financing products including but not limited to individual installment loans, peer/group lending (SACCOs, VSLAs), employer-based payroll dedication plans, lease-to-own or rent-to-own models, micro-leasing and blended financial approaches.
• Defines product terms (down payments, repayment schedules, risk parameters, interest, collateral/guarantees, grace periods) - ensuring affordability while incorporating de-risking requirements and performance metrics for the financial service provider.
• In partnership with country leadership, identifies, negotiates and manages relationships with local financial institutions, MFIs, SACCOs, cooperatives, fintechs, and banks to co-develop and refine bicycle financing models and products aligned with WBR’s mission and local market realities and tailored to target populations, including low-income customers.
• Cultivate relationships with employers and cooperatives to expand payroll-deduction or bulk purchase models that increase reach and uptake.
• Structures risk-sharing agreements, credit guarantees and reporting mechanisms with partners to ensure mutual accountability and sustainability.

Project Management

• Collaborates with Operating Country teams to build and maintain strategic relationships with financial service providers and local stakeholders.
• Leads the implementation of bicycle financing programs, including budgeting, reporting, and cross-team coordination.
• Oversees product rollouts to ensure timely, budget-conscious, and high-quality delivery.
• Supports country leadership in piloting financial products - developing toolkits and templates for teams to replicate financing models quickly and cost-effectively.
• Documents best practices and fosters cross-country learning
• Serve as a main point of coordination and facilitation between financial partners and Operating Country teams.

Financial Analysis, Reporting, & Regulatory Oversight

• Conducts financial analysis and modeling to support decision-making.
• Tracks and analyzes consumer adoption, repayment rates, and financial performance to inform ongoing product improvements and decision-making.
• Documents and share learnings to refine financing approaches and support knowledge transfer across the organization.
• Ensures compliance with local financial regulations in all operating countries.

Key Deliverables

• Consumer financing strategies co-developed and implemented.
• Strategic partnerships established with financial service providers to scale access to Buffalo Bicycles.
• Systems and tools created for ongoing bicycle finance product performance tracking and risk management.
• Knowledge transfer plans developed and executed to build global and operating country team ownership and sustainability.

Qualifications

• At least ten years of progressive experience in inclusive finance, microfinance, asset financing, or related sectors, with a demonstrated ability to set strategic direction and deliver results at scale.
• A relevant graduate degree in business administration, economics, finance, or development studies is required; a master’s degree is strongly preferred.
• Experience that bridges both nonprofit/social enterprise and private sector contexts.
• Deep knowledge of rural economic systems in sub-Saharan Africa or Latin America, including informal lending channels, seasonal income flows, and behavioral drivers of consumer decision-making.
• Demonstrated experience designing, pricing, and launching financial products for underserved consumers in rural and emerging markets, such as installment loans, group lending schemes, or lease-to-own models.
• Proven success in cultivating and managing partnerships across financial service providers, social enterprises, NGOs, and the private sector.
• Advanced analytical skills, including financial modeling, performance tracking, and risk management across multiple markets.
• Strong project management skills with a track record of delivering complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives on time and on budget.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills, with the ability to inspire, influence, and align diverse stakeholders, from community groups to senior financial and government partners.
• Experience developing tools, processes, and training programs that strengthen local team capacity and ensure long-term ownership of financing models.
• Entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to World Bicycle Relief’s mission, with a passion for reducing mobility poverty and advancing opportunities for women, youth, and marginalized communities.

Travel Required: 50% travel to our Operating Countries (Colombia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi or Zambia)

Work Location: Hybrid work location based in one of our Operating Countries (Colombia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi or Zambia)

WBR is a registered not-for-profit in the USA (501c3), Canada, UK, Germany, Switzerland, and Australia. We have supported programs in 20 countries, and have country offices, staff, and assembly facilities in Colombia, Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. WBR is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.