Background

UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s least developed countries. 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.

Mobile Money for the Poor (MM4P):

UNCDF manages several initiatives related to digital financial services (DFS), of which the lead programme is Mobile Money for the Poor (MM4P). MM4P addresses the opportunities and challenges of implementing Digital Financial Services (DFS) in LDCs in Africa and Asia with the objective to build an inclusive digital financial ecosystem that offers a wide range of DFS provided responsibly, and at reasonable cost, by sustainable institutions in a well-regulated environment. Specifically, MM4P provides a mix of policy, technical financial support to a range of government and private sector actors in each country, as well as investing in research and other public goods that benefit all market actors. By supporting the development of DFS in these countries, MM4P works to increase the financial security of low income and rural households through access to appropriate, affordable and secure means to receive, manage and save money. MM4P is currently active in eight countries (Benin, Laos, Nepal, Malawi, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zambia). In each of these countries MM4P implements projects that aim to push the needle on financial inclusion through digital financial services.

For more information on the UNCDF MM4P program, see http://mm4p.uncdf.org

MM4P in Zambia:

There has been significant growth in the DFS landscape in Zambia over the life of the programme with the percentage of adults actively using DFS increasing to 18%, up from 4% in 2014. This has been coupled with the increase in the number of providers to 18 including banks, mobile network operators and third-party providers. Despite this growth, dormancy rates among customers are high. This is largely caused by a lack of meaningful awareness and product design processes that do not take into account customer challenges and needs

MM4P’s State of the DFS Market report highlights that many providers reported data for decision making as a key focus area, but also the lack of capacity in the DFS industry.

UNCDF is looking for a Consultant with strong skills in data analytics, reporting, and business reporting to support the efforts of its’ grantees. The consultant will complement UNCDF’s existing investments in technical and financial assistance, improving the grantees capacity in data analysis and in leveraging the insights to improve existing products and practices, and/or create new products with the objective to increase adoption and usage.

Under the direct supervision of the Regional Technical Specialist (RTS), the Data & HCD Consultant will be responsible for improving the grantees capacity in data analysis for the following stakeholders:

• UNCDF Zambia- Annual Provider Survey analysis project.
• UNCDF Zambia-Impact Measurement of Zambia activities.
• UNCDF Zambia – Data design sprint project.
• UNCDF Zambia - Addressing customer dormancy project.
• Bank of Zambia-Data automation project.
• Zambian Aggregators - Aggregator and Application Programming Interface (API) Scoping report.
• Local providers - Data and Human Centric Design Facility.
• The Innovation and Technology Hub Bongohive. Regional innovation platform project for Fintechs.

Duties and Responsibilities

The activities entail the below:

• Conducting data analysis to optimize strategic decision-making, product design and operational processes, using provider data, (secondary) survey data, and other sources of data. The analysis will have a specific focus on:
• Providing technical inputs to the design, implementation, analysis and synthetization of data collection activities and customer focused research.
• Identifying Key Performance Indicators and develop/improve tools (e.g. dashboard) for the provider to monitor performance and identify opportunities of business growth
• Conducting trainings with providers to build internal capacity of provider to ensure sustainability of activities.

All deliverables will require the review and approval of the direct supervisor, the Regional Technical Specialist (RTS).

Competencies

• Experience in data analysis related to digital financial services
• Proven ability to extract actionable insights from data
• Strong IT skills, including software related to results measurement and analysis
• Strong analytics and written skills
• Ability to translate complex technical ideas to a non-technical audience in both verbally and in writing.
• Understanding of need for confidentially of information associated with Central bank responsibilities.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• A master’s degree in technology, economics, public/business administration, social sciences, or related discipline or the equivalent experience is mandatory.

Experience: 

• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in data analytics, statistics analysis and reporting is required;
• A minimum of two (2) years dedicated experience (more desirable) in building and administering databases, conducting data analysis, developing analytical reports and dashboards is required;
• A minimum of three (3) years of practical experience working with DFS provider data sets is required.
• Good working knowledge of SQL, Python, R and/or other data analysis programs;
• Working knowledge of current developments in fields of big-data and market research, data collection and analytics, GIS mapping and reporting methods;
• Understanding of issues related to financial inclusion is desirable;
• Work experience in Asia and/or Africa

Language Requirements:

• Fluency in English

Timeline, duration of assignment, duty station and expected places of travel:

• Timeline: 12 months

• Location: Lusaka, Zambia and Offsite with intermittent travel

• Total number of working days for assignment: 240 working days

Travel:

Travel is expected with this role. All travel costs will be covered directly by UNCDF.

Payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed.

Please note that UNCDF cannot guarantee residence permits or visas for consultants. Consultants are responsible for securing their work documentation. In the case of national consultants, applicants that are not nationals of the duty station requested will have to prove their residence status.  

Please note that consultants residing in the duty station will not be compensated for living expenses.

Provision of Monitoring, Progress Controls & Payments:

• The primary contact for reporting for this TOR shall be the UNCDF MM4P Regional Technical specialist;
• Payment will be made at the end of each phase against satisfactorily achieved deliverables. All payments are subject to the clearance and approval of the MM4P Regional Technical specialist;
• Final payment shall require a signed performance evaluation of the consultant.

Application:

Interested individuals must submit the following as proposals in order to demonstrate their qualifications: (NOTE: the system does not allow multiple uploads of document. Applicants must make sure to upload all documents in one PDF file).

All applications must contain the following information:

• Cover letter with a summary statement of competencies in relation to the TOR
• Earliest availability and proposed schedule for consultancy
• Curriculum Vitae
• Completed P11 Personal History Form with names and current contacts of 3 referees (available fromhttp://sas.undp.org/documents/p11_personal_history_form.doc)
• Financial proposal for the full assignment outlining: Total professional fee (including professional fees. Other professional expenses (such as insurance, taxes, etc.), travel related costs (e.g. return ticket from place of origin to duty station, Lusaka, Zambia). Please use the form available at http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=29916)

Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

• Preliminary Evaluation - Step I: Screening
• Technical Evaluation Weight - 70% x (Step II: 20 Points + Step III: 30 Points + Step IV: 50 Points = 100 Points)
• Financial Evaluation Weight - 30% = Step V

Step I: Screening

Applications will be screened and only applicants meeting the following minimum criteria (listed under education and experience) and that will have provided samples of writing will progress to the pool for shortlisting.

Step II: Shortlisting by Desk Review

UNCDF will conduct a desk review to produce a shortlist of candidates and technically evaluate the candidates. Only candidates that obtained 80% of the points at this stage shall be invited for the next step.

Step III: Test

A test shall be conducted to the candidates who achieved 80% of the points at shortlisting. The test will be on pass/fail basis, pass is 70% or above.

Step IV: Interview

A competency-based Interview shall be conducted for the candidates who passed the written test:

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% on the total of Steps II + III + IV will be considered as technically qualified and will be reviewed further for financial evaluation.

Step V: Financial Evaluation

The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:

Lowest priced proposal/price of the proposal being evaluated x 30%.

Award Criteria

The contact shall be awarded to the applicant whose offer have been evaluated and determined as:

Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and Having received the highest combined weight (technical proposal & Interview) 70% + financial 30%= 100%.

Both individual consultants and individual employed by a company or institution are welcome to apply. 

Any individual employed by a company or institution who would like to submit an offer in response to a Procurement Notice for IC must do so in their individual capacity (providing a CV so that their qualifications may be judged accordingly). Women candidates or women-owned businesses are strongly encouraged to apply.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

If you are experiencing difficulties with online job applications, please contact jobs.help@undp.org.