UNCDF Jobs

UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s least developed countries (LDCs). It 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 microfinance institutions 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.

Established by the General Assembly in 1966 and with headquarters in New York, UNCDF is an autonomous UN organization affiliated with UNDP.

Of the 2.6 billion people who live on less than $2 per day, an estimated 90 percent lack access to formal financial services.  As a result, most poor households operate almost entirely in the informal and cash economy.  This means that they use cash, physical assets (e.g. jewelry and livestock), or informal institutions (e.g. money lenders and payment couriers) to meet their financial needs – from receiving wage remittances, to saving up to buy fertilizer, to insuring against illness.   These informal tools, however, tend to be insecure, expensive, and hard to use.  And when large problems arise, such as a major illness in the family, the tools often break down completely, leaving households exposed. 

One of the reasons it is too costly to provide poor people formal financial alternatives is because most poor households conduct most or all of their financial transactions in cash.  The best way to reduce the costs of reaching poor people with financial services is to help shift the majority of their cash-based financial transactions into digital form through mobile phones or other digital interface.  The digitization of cash also creates opportunities for delivering value beyond cost savings.

Electronic payment technologies offer a more effective, efficient, transparent and often safer means of disbursing payments while also promoting financial inclusion and advancing aid effectiveness.  Notwithstanding these benefits and success in a few countries, such as Kenya, electronic payment technologies have not been globally adopted especially in countries where a large percentage of the population has no relationship with the formal financial services sector and remains “unbanked”. 

Through its public-private partnership the Better Than Cash Alliance (BTCA) will bring together a broad cross section of private sector companies, host country governments, multilateral and bilateral donors, U.N. Agencies and international NGOs to create a global independent alliance.  The partners who join the BTC Alliance will demonstrate their shared commitments to:

• Broader recognition of the benefits of replacing the use of physical cash with electronic payments; 
• Improved understanding and sharing of approaches and lessons learned in replacing the use of physical cash with electronic payment systems; and
• Increased use of electronic payments systems in organizations’ programs and operations to promote financial inclusion, increased transparency and efficiency.

The Advisor and Project Manager will be responsible for starting the programme, developing and implementing the programme’s strategy and approach as well as drafting the annual work plans and reports.  With UNCDF FIPA, S/he will also draft the necessary policies and procedures for its operations, and oversee the programme’s grant and technical assistance fund.  S/he will be responsible for managing the programme management committee, consisting of its funders.  The programme is expected to have a team that includes three additional persons, including a Technical Assistance Manager, Communications/Knowledge Management Specialist and Programme Assistant,   which the Advisor will be responsible for managing.  Finally the - Advisor will play a key role in securing additional funds for the programme’s expansion.  The Advisor will report to the UNCDF Inclusive Finance Director and will have programmatic oversight of the staff included in the Programme Management Unit.

This is a Development Project funded position.

Summary of key functions

• Provide the overall direction, implementation and management of the BTCA programme resulting in an efficiently-implemented, managed, monitored and evaluated programme with top talent and expertise meeting or exceeding all targets;
• Ensure the success of the programme, organize and lead targeted advocacy, policy and  coordination efforts to build a globally recognized alliance and support its members;
• Ensure programme is adequately funded and has support of other funders, policy makers; 
• Manage the identification, vetting, and assessing of new BTCA partners to build a focused set of strong BTCA  activities that meet their targets;
• Oversee Communications and Knowledge generation/sharing.

Provide the overall direction, implementation and management of the programme. An efficiently-managed, monitored and evaluated programme with top talent and expertise meeting or exceeding all targets:

• Develop the overall strategy, the policies and procedures for the programme, including the grant and technical assistance fund;
• Prepare annual workplans with performance targets and budgets for programme management committee (PMC) approval;
  
• Manage the delivery of programme activities and outputs on time and to budget in line with UNCDF’s policies;
• Develop Terms of reference, organize, coordinate, supervise and administer the personnel and the resources of the programme in order to catalyze effective action by all the BTCA members; 
• Serve as Secretariat to the programme management committee (PMC), ensuring that all required documentation is available to facilitate decision-making, and that performance-based agreements are completed accurately and approved quickly; 
• Prepare mid-year and annual progress reports, narrative as well as financial reports and progress and results achieved for the PMC;
• Ensure financial and performance reports are issued to development partners on time as per Cost-Sharing Agreement requirements with funding partners;
• Assure, track and analyze quarterly portfolio reporting;
• Report project achievements, delivery and other areas of accountability to FIPA, for input to regular UNCDF performance monitoring and reporting;
• Ensure effective and efficient use of ATLAS in line with project cycle with Atlas approval authority of Project Manager and in compliance with UNCDF Internal Control Framework.

Ensure the success of the programme, organize and lead targeted advocacy, policy and  coordination effort:

• Leadership in advocating for change, including engaging governments (both permanent missions to the UN, and senior government ministry official at country level), private companies at the senior corporate level, development agencies and NGOs; 
• Identify potential programme partners (peer leaders and sources of large cash transfers) and develop and lead tailored strategy to gain agreements;
• Embedding BTC principles into G20, AFI, Doing Business, and Transparency indexes and/or other similar global initiatives;
• Utilize UNCDF, UNDP and BTC Alliance members country presence to liaise with host country governments to find opportunities for government to person (G2P) payments that can be channeled through innovative payment technologies; 
• Build partnership with the World Bank’s Payments Systems Development Group (PSDG), the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI),  CGAP and other organizations to build awareness and support for electronic payment services; 
• In partnership with the BTCA partners, including the UNCDF network of Regional and Country Technical Advisors, develop and maintain partnerships with relevant regional and national stakeholders including the country governments, private sector actors, NGOs and donors;  
• Manage process of obtaining government endorsement of (i) programme document and (ii) individual funding agreements of partners in host countries and provide support to UNCDF’s network of Regional and Country Technical Advisors to support their efforts in obtaining government endorsements and informing local ICs of partner funding agreements;  
• Support annual and cumulative UNCDF results analyses and substantive inputs into Unit work plan and UNCDF and FIPA Business Plans.

Ensure the programme is adequately funded and has support of other funders, policy makers:

• Ensure programme delivers results with initial resources to support filling of the funding gap;
• Develop strategies to mobilize additional resources to fully implement the BTCA strategy and annual work plans; 
• Proactively manage relations with current and potential funders,  ensuring the funders are informed and supportive of the BTCA;  
• Lead fundraising and relationship management for non-core resources (i.e. non-UNCDF) to the BTCA .
• Build effective and efficient partnerships at the operational level with major donor agencies  to coordinate BTCA related activities globally and in host countries.  
• Support coordinated and co-funded efforts and track funds mobilized as a result of BTCA efforts.  
  

Manage the identification, vetting, and assessing of new BTCA partnerships and monitor their progress / a focused set  of strong BTC  activities that meet their targets:

• Work with the Manager of the Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) and partners to develop a pipeline of potential projects that help the programme achieve its outcome;    
• Determine the approach to using TAF resources that is appropriate for the BTCA strategy and the size of the facility;
• With the Manager, develop and implement RFAs, determine criteria and vet potential applicants to identify the strongest projects;
  
• With Manager of the TAF, develop the process  for selection  grantees, including managing consultants hired to review applications, undertaking due diligence missions, and ensuring applicants are eligible and capable of performing;
• Prepare and present recommendations to PMC for award of grants and/or technical assistance to successful applicants;
• Prepare, negotiate and finalize performance-based agreements (PBAs) with recipient institutions; 
• Seek opportunities for coordinating and co-funding projects with other funders, ensure the programme’s efforts complete those of other initiatives with shared focus;
• Develop monitoring and reporting requirements for partners.

Oversee Communications and Knowledge generation/sharing:

• Act as official representative and spokesperson of the BTCA; 
• Lead strategy development on communications, knowledge generation and sharing with the input of BTCA’s funders and members;
• Provide guidance and oversight to the Communications/knowledge management specialist to ensure that the communications, knowledge generation and sharing strategy is fully effective;
• Develop the strategic approach of this new alliance with respect to building the knowledge base and facilitating implementation of electronic cash payments;
• Collaborate with key partners and stakeholders for research and development of innovative, cutting-edge strategies and approaches to sharpen delivery of innovative payment technologies;
• Ensure coordination of efforts with other key stakeholders, including those engaged in similar activities;
• Manage process of convening national, regional and global stakeholders to share lessons learned;
• Oversee preparations for mid-term and final evaluations; 
• Develop and provide annual Learning Plan for team;
• Attend approved trainings; share debriefing and value of training with the wider practice community through knowledge maps;
• Oversee development of the BTCA website as a means to support BTCA objectives;
• Participate in annual FIPA Technical Retreat to engage UNCDF country and regional infrastructure of technical staff in BTCA strategy and objectives.

Impact of Results:

The key result expected is the successful implementation and attainment of targets of the Better Than Cash Alliance programme, including coordination with/reporting to all stakeholders, the Financial Inclusion Practice Area (FIPA) in UNCDF and the funders of the programme. The Advisor will pursue the following key results of the programme:

• Broad acceptance by governments, development agencies, NGOs and private sector that electronic-payment solutions are superior to cash;
• Commitments from these actors to implement electronic-payment solutions instead of cash;
• Delivery of demand-driven technical assistance to governments, NGOs or private companies that increases their capacity to deliver end user-focused payment technologies;
• BTCA members make a significant improvement globally in the number of low-income and poor people served by innovative payment technologies, including those that were previously unbanked.
• Easily accessible knowledge products generated from BTC and other actors’ activities that demonstrate how to implement electronic-payment solutions so that:
  a) electronic payments to the mass market can be offered  on a profitable and thus sustained basis by financial service providers (FSPs).
  b)electronic payments are an affordable means for governments, development agencies, and other mass payment providers to distribute funds
  c)poor recipients benefit from increased options for financial inclusion afforded by the transition from cash to e-payment solution.

Functional Competencies:

Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda

• Dialogues with counterparts and other stakeholders to strengthen advocacy efforts, incorporating various perspectives. Advocates for and advances a policy agenda related to BTCA objectives;
• Effective high level spokesperson, engaging  high level stakeholders and groupings, both government ministers and private sector senior corporate leaders, to advance the development of non-cash payments.

Results-Based Programme Development and Management

• Starts up new programmes, able to act quickly and independently to create necessary structures;
• Ensures the full implementation of a project and the financial resources to obtain results;
• Conceptualizes more effective approaches to programme development and implementation and to mobilizing and using resources;
• Proven ability to manage projects, teams and global policy efforts.

Building Strategic Partnerships

• Makes effective use of UNCDF’s and other BTCA member resources and comparative advantage to strengthen partnerships;
• Creates networks and promotes initiatives with partner organizations.

Innovation and Marketing New Approaches

• Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking;
• Conceptualizes more effective approaches to programme development and implementation, and to mobilizing and using resources.

Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing

• Promotes the BTCA  as a learning/knowledge sharing organization.

Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise

• Possesses expert knowledge of advanced concepts related to the conversion from cash to innovative payment technologies, including financial inclusion.  Has a broad knowledge of related disciplines, as well as an in-depth knowledge of relevant organizational policies and procedures;
• Experience in advocacy efforts related to financial inclusion, aid effectiveness, transparency or other efforts using technology to reach underserved  populations;
• Understanding of legal and regulatory issues related to innovative payment technologies;
• Experience in managing donor projects, corresponding budgets, and monitoring and evaluation plans; 
• Working knowledge of current developments in innovative payment technologies, including mobile financial services; 
• Working experience and knowledge of socio-economic issues which excludes various vulnerable groups, in particular women and rural or remote communities, from the financial sector and the strategies employed to address these;
• Working knowledge of international donor organizations and preferably experience in preparing proposals for funding; 
• Strong IT skills, including ability to work regularly with MS Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.  

• Anticipates constraints in the delivery of services and identifies solutions or alternatives;
• Proactively identifies, develops and discusses solutions for internal and external clients, and persuades management to undertake new projects or services;
• Advises and develops strategic and operational solutions with clients that add value to UNCDF and UNDP programmes and operations.

Core Competencies:

• Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents;
• Building support and political acumen;
• Building staff competence,  creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
• Building and promoting effective teams;
• Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication;
• Creating an emotionally intelligent organization;
• Leveraging conflict in the interests of the BTCA, UNCDF and UNDP & setting standards;
• Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning;
• Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking.

Education: 

• Advanced University (Masters equivalent)  degree in economics, public/business administration, social sciences, or related fields.

Experience: 

• Minimum of ten (10) years of experience in progressively responsible positions in the development field, including financial services for the poor;
• Experience working in or with support projects on financial services for the poor.

Language Requirements: 

• Fluency in spoken and written English is required. Knowledge of French desirable.