Manager Research & Development and Innovation Programs Job Vacancy at CRDB Bank PLC

Organization: CRDB Bank PLC – Benki ya CRDB

Location: Tanzania Head Office

Category: Research, Monitoring & Evaluation

Job Type: Full-Time

Application Deadline: 18 November 2026

CRDB Bank PLC is inviting applications from qualified and experienced professionals for the position of Manager Research & Development and Innovation Programs at its Tanzania Head Office.

Job Purpose

The Manager Research & Development and Innovation Programs will institutionalize CRDB’s innovation capability by establishing frameworks, governance structures, partnerships and adoption mechanisms that transform research and ideas into scalable, compliant and value-creating outcomes across the Group.

The role will enable business units to innovate faster and more effectively while ensuring measurable improvements in business growth, operational efficiency and customer experience.

Key Responsibilities

1. Innovation Framework and Governance

• Design, maintain and institutionalize the enterprise innovation framework, covering idea intake, prioritization, piloting and scaling.
• Define stage-gate criteria, decision-making authorities and governance standards.
• Establish minimum documentation and evidence requirements for experimentation and scaling of innovation initiatives.
• Ensure innovation initiatives comply with risk management, regulatory compliance and customer-protection requirements.

2. Research, Problem Framing and Opportunity Identification

• Facilitate business units in identifying high-value business problems and developing Research and Development (R&D) agendas.
• Coordinate structured insight gathering using customer, process, market and competitor information.
• Lead cross-functional working sessions to translate research insights into testable solution hypotheses.
• Ensure R&D opportunities align with the Bank’s strategic priorities and identified capability gaps.

3. Innovation Adoption and Change Management

• Develop an adoption-readiness model for innovation initiatives, covering stakeholder alignment, training and change impacts.
• Partner with the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), Human Resources, Learning and Development (L&D) teams and business owners to integrate innovations into Business-as-Usual (BAU) operations.
• Monitor adoption indicators and intervene early where utilization or expected value is at risk.
• Institutionalize innovation culture programmes and communities of practice across the Group.

4. Strategic Partnerships and Innovation Ecosystem

• Establish co-creation mechanisms with fintech companies, telecommunications companies, universities, vendors and development partners.
• Coordinate innovation sprints with external partners and internal product and process teams.
• Ensure partner engagements have clearly defined value hypotheses, compliance criteria and pathways for scaling successful initiatives.
• Coordinate partnership onboarding governance in collaboration with Legal, Procurement, Risk and Compliance teams.

5. Innovation Portfolio and Performance Management

• Maintain an enterprise-wide innovation portfolio covering initiatives under exploration, validation and scaling.
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• Define and monitor innovation Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) covering speed, adoption, value creation and control.
• Produce portfolio performance insights and recommendations on resource allocation and trade-offs.
• Enforce evidence-based decisions to stop, scale or reshape innovation initiatives based on performance and value thresholds.

Qualifications and Experience

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Strategy, Finance, Business Innovation or a related field.
• Minimum of 6 years’ experience in the financial services sector, with exposure to Research and Development, innovation, strategy or transformation programmes.
• Strong understanding of commercial models, operating frameworks and strategic market developments.
• Proven ability to translate business and market insights into successful cross-functional implementation.
• Demonstrated ability to build institutional capabilities and adoption systems, including designing and implementing innovation operating models, governance frameworks and effective delivery processes.

Required Skills and Competencies

Candidates should demonstrate the following competencies:

• Design Thinking and Problem Framing: Ability to identify business challenges, define problem statements and facilitate user-centred solution development.
• Research and Development: Experience in research, facilitation and experimentation methods, including prototyping, testing and iterative improvement.
• Partnership Co-Creation and Ecosystem Management: Ability to engage internal and external stakeholders to develop partnerships and achieve innovation outcomes.
• Data Literacy and Insight Translation: Ability to interpret data, generate actionable insights and support evidence-based decision-making.
• Executive Communication and Influencing: Ability to present ideas, recommendations and innovation outcomes effectively to senior stakeholders.
• Collaboration and Matrix Management: Ability to work effectively across teams and influence stakeholders without direct reporting authority.
• Stakeholder Management: Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to align expectations and manage diverse stakeholder interests.

Equal Employment Opportunity

CRDB Bank is committed to upholding sustainability and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices. The Bank promotes an inclusive workplace and encourages applications from women and persons with disabilities.

Important Notice: CRDB Bank does not charge any fees for the application or recruitment process. Applicants should disregard any requests for payment, as these do not represent the Bank’s recruitment practices.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

How to Apply

Interested candidates should submit their applications online through the official CRDB Bank PLC careers portal.

Application Deadline: 18 November 2026

CLICK HERE TO APPLY