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.

Recently, UNCDF has formulated its strategy ‘Leaving no one behind in the digital era’ based on over a decade of experience in digital finance in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. UNCDF recognizes that reaching the full potential of digital financial inclusion in support of the Sustainable Development Goals aligns with the vision of promoting digital economies that leave no one behind. The vision of UNCDF is to empower millions of people by 2024 to use services daily that leverage innovation and technology and contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals. For further detail on UNCDF strategy, refer to; https://www.uncdf.org/article/4931/global-strategy-leaving-no-one-behind-in-the-digital-era

UNCDF would like to hire a Digital consultant to support UNCDF on 3 main aspects:

• Provide technical inputs to an East and Southern Africa regional strategy for UNCDF on “Leaving no one behind in the digital era”;
• Provide technical inputs as needed for the countries and create synergies regionally for more UNCDF visibility;
• Provide technical inputs to UNCDF´s fundraising efforts for East and Southern activities at regional and countries’ level.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the UNCDF´s Global Digital Manager, the Digital Consultant will complete the following activities and deliverables.

Activities and Deliverables:

Provide technical inputs to an East and Southern Africa regional strategy for UNCDF on “Leaving no one behind in the digital era”:

• Draft regional strategy for East & Southern Africa aligned with strategy framework “Leaving no one behind in the digital era”.
• Draft and review country strategies and workplans for Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

Provide technical inputs as needed for the countries and create synergies regionally for more UNCDF visibility:

• Review the current workplans and projects underway in Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda and Ethiopia and provide recommendations for increased impact and visibility.
• Provide recommendations on regional synergies and increased visibility.

Provide technical inputs to UNCDF´s fundraising efforts for East and Southern activities at regional and countries’ level:

• Draft and /or review annual donor mapping & fundraising strategies and activities.
• Draft technical materials (brochures, business cases) for fundraising activities.
• Draft 5 concept notes and proposals with input from relevant staff.

Expected Deliverables

 The abovementioned activities have been outlined based on the some of the broader outcomes that have been outlined above and are representative and can be more than that.

Competencies

• Excellent analytical skills;
• Strong written communication skills;
• Focus on impact and results for clients and stakeholders;
• Committed to team work, working with other stakeholders;
• Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• A Master’s degree in economics, administration, social sciences, or related discipline.

Experience:

• Minimum 3 years’ experience in East and Southern Africa is mandatory
• Minimum 5 years demonstrated experience in developing and implementing projects/ programs around Digital services is mandatory
• Prior demonstrated experience developing proposals for institutional donors is mandatory.
• Demonstrated experience of successful grant applications is mandatory.
• Experience working with international organizations is preferred but not mandatory.
• Experience in projects with financial inclusion is preferred but not mandatory.

Language Requirements:

• Written and spoken fluency in English is mandatory.
• Other languages are an asset but not mandatory.

Timeline, total number of working days, duty station:

• Timeline: 12 months.
• Total Number of Working Days for Assignment: up to 90 working days.

Standard travel costs and living expenses: 

The financial proposal must include travel (economy class tickets and living allowance) to the following duty station’s:

• One mission from home base to Brussels 5 days.
• One mission from home base to Zambia/Malawi 10 days.
• One mission from home base to Ethiopia/Uganda/Rwanda/Tanzania 15 days. One mission from home based to New York City 5 days.

Kindly note that living expenses may not exceed Daily Sustainable Allowance rates referred to in the https://icsc.un.org/ map.

Progress Controls & Payments:

Payments shall be made following certification by the Global Digital Manager that the services related to each deliverable have been satisfactorily performed and the deliverables have been achieved by or before the due dates specified in the call-off.

Application process:

Interested individuals must submit the documents mentioned below as proposals in order to demonstrate their qualifications (Note: the system does not allow multiple uploads of documents. 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 and motivation rationalizing how the applicant meets the qualifications and can deliver the requirements of the Terms of Reference (TOR);
• Earliest availability and proposed schedule for consultancy;
• CV or signed P11, Personal History Form with names and current contacts of 3 referees (available from http://sas.undp.org/documents/p11_personal_history_form.doc)
• Signed financial proposal for the assignment outlining: all-inclusive fee (including professional fees and other professional expenses, such as insurance, taxes, etc.). Template for this is available at http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=29916).

Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.

Evaluation:

Step I: Screening: Applications will be screened and only applicants meeting the mandatory criteria will progress to the pool for shortlisting.

Step II: Shortlisting (20 points)

UNCDF will produce a shortlist of candidates and technically evaluate candidates from 1 to 100% as per experience requirements in the Terms of Reference. As applicable, only applicants scoring 80% or more shall be considered for an interview.

Shortlisting scoring:

20%- Education/Qualification;

50%- Mandatory Experience.

30%- Preferred Experience.

Step III: Technical test (50 points). Applicants from the shortlist will be requested to take a written test. The test will be scored from 1 to 100 points. The passing score being 70 points. 

Step IV: Interview (30 points): An interview shall be conducted to candidates having passed the test.

Step V: Financial Evaluation: Only candidates with scores above 70% of the technical evaluation (49 Points or above) will be considered.

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 scores) 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.