Deputy Group Managing Director
NICO Holdings Plc. is seeking to appoint a Deputy Group Managing Director. This newly created position offers an exceptional opportunity to provide strategic leadership, drive performance transformation, and create long-term value within a premier financial services group. The role is a key component of the succession plan for the Group Managing Director. However, the eventual promotion to Group Managing Director will be contingent upon the Board's assessment of the candidate's skills, aptitude, and performance during their tenure in this deputy role. The position is based in Blantyre, Malawi.
About NICO Holdings Plc.
NICO Holdings Plc. ("The NICO Group") is a diversified financial services entity with primary operations in Malawi and Zambia. The Group also maintains a presence in Mozambique and Uganda through an associate relationship with Sanlam. As the first company listed on the Malawi Stock Exchange in 1996, NICO has since listed two of its subsidiaries, NBS Bank Plc and ICON Properties Plc. The Group's comprehensive portfolio spans General Insurance, Life Insurance, Pension Administration, Banking, Asset Management, Property Solutions, and Information Technology. NICO Group is dedicated to fostering a high-performing, innovative, and values-driven organization guided by its "ONE NICO" philosophy.
The Role
The Deputy Group Managing Director will partner with the Group Managing Director and the Board to shape and execute the Group's strategic direction. This role is responsible for supporting enterprise-wide leadership, enhancing performance across the business portfolio, ensuring strategic alignment among subsidiaries, and cultivating a culture of high performance. The successful candidate will operate at both strategic and operational levels, support Board-level engagement, and help position the Group for sustainable growth in a dynamic financial services landscape.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Mandate, Leadership and Execution
- Act as a strategic partner to the Group Managing Director to advance the Group's long-term objectives.
- Assist in refining the Group's strategic agenda and drive the execution of initiatives that promote growth, profitability, and shareholder value.
- Translate high-level strategic priorities into clear, actionable plans for all business units and subsidiaries.
- Provide leadership in identifying and evaluating new growth prospects and emerging business opportunities.
- Foster collaboration across subsidiaries to unlock synergies and enhance the Group's competitive edge.
- Manage strategic initiatives and joint-venture partnerships.
- Promote organizational alignment by embedding the "ONE NICO" philosophy throughout the Group.
Group Performance and Business Oversight
- Support the oversight of business operations across the Group, working with the Executive Team and subsidiary leaders to improve operational effectiveness and performance.
- Play a vital role in developing and utilizing robust key performance indicators and Group-wide dashboards to facilitate data-driven business decisions.
- Monitor performance against annual, medium-term, and long-term business plans.
- Strengthen performance, accountability, and value creation across all subsidiaries.
- Monitor customer satisfaction levels and proactively manage evolving trends and needs.
Leadership, Culture and Human Capital Development
- Contribute to the development of a strong, cohesive, and high-performing executive leadership culture.
- Champion the "ONE NICO" philosophy by promoting shared values and collaboration.
- Drive leadership development, accountability, succession planning, and performance management across the Group.
Governance, Risk and Stakeholder Management
- Assist the Group Managing Director and the Board in upholding the highest standards of governance, ethics, and corporate stewardship.
- Ensure that risk management and compliance practices are thoroughly embedded across the Group in accordance with Board-approved frameworks.
- Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with regulators, shareholders, and other key stakeholders.
Required Qualifications and Experience
- A bachelor's degree from a recognized institution is mandatory.
- A relevant postgraduate degree in business administration, finance, management, or a similar field is strongly preferred.
- A relevant professional qualification in a related discipline is also required.
- Candidates must possess a minimum of 10 to 15 years of applicable work experience, ideally within the financial services sector or a comparably complex corporate environment.
- A proven track record in strategy development and execution, business transformation, and leadership within complex organizations.
- Demonstrated strong commercial acumen and a thorough understanding of corporate governance, risk management, and stakeholder engagement.
Personal Attributes
- Exceptional strategic thinking and strong commercial insight.
- An affable, firm, yet approachable leadership style.