Background

UNCDF

UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s least developed countries (LDCs). Established by the General Assembly in 1966 and with headquarters in New York, UNCDF is an autonomous UN organization affiliated with UNDP which creates new opportunities for poor people and their communities by increasing access to microfinance and investment capital.  UNCDF focuses on Africa and the poorest countries of Asia and the Pacific, with a special commitment to countries emerging from conflict or crisis.  It provides seed capital – grants and loans – and technical support to help  financial service providers  reach more poor households and small businesses, and local governments finance the capital investments – water systems, feeder roads, schools, irrigation schemes – that will improve poor peoples’ lives.

UNCDF works to enlarge peoples’ choices: it believes that poor people and communities should take decisions about their own development.  Its programmes help to empower women – over 50% of the clients of UNCDF-supported microfinance institutions are women – and its expertise in microfinance and local development is shaping new responses to food insecurity, climate change and other challenges.  UNCDF works in challenging environments – remote rural areas, countries emerging from conflict – and paves the way for others to follow. Its programmes are designed to catalyze larger investment flows from the private sector, development partners and national governments, for significant impact on the Millennium Development Goals, especially Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger, Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women, and Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability.

UNCDF operates several global thematic initiative (GTI) programmes see http://www.uncdf.org/en/global-programmes) that are offering needed and innovative financial services. The Better Than Cash Alliance (BTCA, see http://betterthancash.org/) is housed at UNCDF and works closely with these other programmes.
 
Better Than Cash Alliance

The Better Than Cash Alliance is an alliance of governments, private sector and development organizations committed to accelerating the shift from cash to electronic payments.
Billions of dollars in cash payments are made daily in emerging and developing economies, including payment of salaries, social welfare and relief, payments to suppliers, etc. The problems with these cash payments include a lack of transparency, accountability and security, as well as inefficiency. Furthermore, the individuals who receive the cash are excluded from the formal financial sector. There were approximately 2.5 billion people excluded from the formal financial sector in 2012.

Shifting these payments from cash to electronic has the potential to improve the livelihoods of low-income people by advancing financial inclusion and enabling people to save, while giving governments, the development community and the private sector a more efficient, transparent and often safer means of disbursing payments

The Better Than Cash Alliance seeks to leverage the leadership of governments, the networks of development organizations and the expertise of the private sector in payment technologies to replace the use of cash in their programming and payment streams with electronic payments, where appropriate. It also seeks to build the financial capability of low-income clients who will benefit from electronic payments and a wider range of financial services.

The Better Than Cash Alliance:

  • advocates for the use of all forms of electronic payments where they provide a preferable payment option to cash;
  • collaborates with program partners to mobilize available technical expertise and resources to identify; and
  • Implements the most effective approach to make the transition from cash to electronic payments;  and
  • conducts research, documents good practices and produces knowledge products to address the barriers to adoption and drive the effective shift from cash to electronic payments globally.

The consultant hired for this position will be working for BTCA with assignments for other UNCDF programmes as defined by Managing Director, BTCA.

UNCDF is also engaged in digital financial service in other areas, through its Mobile Money for the Poor (MM4P) and the Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme (PFIP) and a few other projects.  These projects are also investing in research in digital payments and other digital financial services.

Duties and Responsibilities

Scope of Duties:

  • UNCDF programmes: primarily BTCA, with material contribution to Mobile Money for the Poor, Pacific Financial Inclusion Programme and other UNCDF programmes as needed;
  • Key research and knowledge topics: Transitioning from cash to electronic payments in emerging and developing economies; Financial Inclusion; Digital Financial Services; Government-to-person electronic payments (G2P); Donor-to-person electronic payments (D2P); Mobile Financial services, Digital Finance Ecosystems, Responsible Digital Finance;
  • Key objectives of BTCA’s research and knowledge agenda: position BTCA as a leader in digital financial services research and knowledge production and sharing with a focus on payment services; maximize the impact of digital financial services in poverty reduction, economic growth and risk management; help elaborate effective tools and methodology for BTCA and its partners that will help boost the effectivity and efficiency of digital finance ecosystems and digital payment services;
  • Types of research and knowledge products: including but not limited to surveys, case studies, tools, methodologies, analyses, events, peer learning, online dialogues, communities of practice, theoretical frameworks, taxonomies, and training.

Scope of Responsibilities:
Responsible for development of internal and external research and knowledge generation strategies, systems and coordination of their implementation

  • Research and knowledge generation: strategy development and implementation in collaboration with  internal staff and external partners (which may include Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, World Bank Group, G20 Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion and academic institutions);
  • Positioning UNCDF’s global research and knowledge role in digital finance: assessing demand for specific research and knowledge products; identifying existing and proposed contributions by other actors; determining the comparative advantage and consequential areas of focus to maximize impact; determine a research agenda and key strategic partnerships;
  • Knowledge generation: commission specific research and knowledge products; writing original material alone or as part of a team; coordinating joint work with other external partners; ensuring that all research outcomes align and serve the BTCA research agenda;
  • Knowledge packaging: strengthening research and knowledge products to maximize their reach and impact, in collaboration with the Communications specialist; curating external material and ensuring technical content accuracy; drawing highlights, lessons and syntheses from internal and external products;
  • Knowledge sharing: contributing to knowledge sharing activities (Webinars, online discussion, workshops,…), in collaboration with the Communications specialist;
  • Developing and maintaining collaborative partnerships with external research and knowledge partners, including representation at global events, as required; and
  • Contribution to updating content on website and social media platforms.

Support to ME&L, reporting, implementation of internal and external communications, fundraising and advocacy and membership acquisition strategies:

  • Contribution to monitoring, evaluation and learning and preparation of funder, UNCDF, and programme evaluation reports;
  • Contribution to stocktaking of potential member or influencer organizations and external engagement strategies;
  • Contribution to communications activities for both content and clarity on digital finance related subject matter and on positioning as part of the knowledge and research agenda.

Support to Technical Assistance and in-country activities:

  • Help elaborate effective tools and methodologies to help BTCA and its partners to accelerate the shift from cash to electronic payments and boost the effectivity and efficiency of digital finance ecosystems and digital financial services; and
  • Technical inputs on project design, priorities, partnership opportunities for technical collaboration, and quality control of deliverables.

Hours:

  • Initially 50% FTE but can grow to 100% during the period of employment but for UN public holidays. Can include a mix of working from home office and working on-site at the NY UNCDF building. These matters to be mutually agreed by the successful candidate and the supervisor.

Work permit:

  • The position is open to national and international candidates. In the case the successful candidate is not a US citizen, UNCDF will provide assistance by requesting a G4 Visa for the candidate but this will not extend to family members.

Pay

  • This contract will be based on daily fee agreed.  Payments will be made to the consultant based on the number of days worked only;
  • The daily fee is all inclusive and shall take into account various expenses incurred by the consultant during the period of the contract, including professional fees, insurance, risks and inconveniences related to work under hardship and hazardous conditions, and any other relevant expenses related to the performance of services under the contract;
  • There are no additional living allowances included;
  • Payments will be based on timesheets and invoices approved by the supervisor;
  • Candidates should submit with the application their expected daily fee;
  • The candidates should be aware that the daily rate quoted represents 30% of the final score calculated to evaluate candidates.

Relocation expenses:

  • The UNCDF will not cover relocation expenses of the successful candidate other than a round-trip ticket which must include the flight from the city of origin to New York City according to UNDP procurement rules.

Travel: 

  • Business travel will be included under this contract (estimated 10-20%) and agreed with supervisor;
  • If there is any approved travel, UNCDF will pay separately travel expenses (economy airfare, terminal expenses and per diems which include hotel and food expenses) according on standard UN rates based on evidence of approved and actual travel.

Competencies

Functional Competencies:

  • Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment;
  • Self-development, initiative-taking;
  • Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
  • Facilitating and encouraging open communication within the team and with our external partners, communicating effectively;
  • Managing conflict;
  • Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member;
  • Informed and transparent decision making.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

  • A completed bachelor’s degree in a discipline relevant to these TOR is required;
  • A completed or in progress master’s degree in a discipline relevant to these TOR is desirable but not required;
  • A certificate or other course in research, knowledge and/or writing is desirable but not required; and
  • A certificate or other course in digital finance, payments, financial inclusion and/or private sector development is desirable but not required.

Experience:

  • A minimum of 7 years of progressively responsible experience in international development at international level is required;
  • This must include a minimum of two years dedicated experience (more desirable) in digital finance, payment systems, electronic payments, financial inclusion and/or private sector development and a minimum of two years dedicated experience (more desirable) managing an international research and knowledge agenda;
  • Demonstrated writing, editing and communications skills to a high, international standard are required;
  • Excellent attention to detail, a proactive approach to achieving key results, and a high level of thoroughness in a complex multitasking and matrix management environment; and
  • Excellent MS Office skills are required.

Languages:

  • Flawless written English is required; working proficiency in French, Spanish or other UN languages an asset.

Evaluation Scoring:

  • Technical evaluation based on online submission, interviews and a skill-based assessment 70%;
  • Financial evaluation based on daily fee quoted by applicant: 30%;
  • Total score: 100%.

Application Requirements:

Note:

  • Please upload all documents as one file under "CV".