Background

UNCDF makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

UNCDF’s financing models work through two channels: (1) financial inclusion that expands the opportunities for individuals, households, and small businesses to participate in the local economy, providing them with the tools they need to climb out of poverty and manage their financial lives; and (2) by showing how localized investments— through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance — can drive public and private funding that underpins local economic expansion and sustainable development. By strengthening how finance works for poor people at the household, small enterprise, and local infrastructure levels, UNCDF directly contributes to SDG 1 on eradicating poverty and SDG 17 on the means of implementation. By identifying those market segments where innovative financing models can have transformational impact in helping to reach the last mile and expand access, UNCDF’s work also contributes indirectly to additional SDGs.

Since 2008, UNCDF has been supporting digital finance with significant success; digital finance is currently the largest part of its inclusive finance portfolio. Digital finance includes digital innovations linked to off-grid energy, agriculture, employment, health and transport.

UNCDF is also host to the secretariat of the Better than Cash Alliance, a partnership of governments, companies, and international organizations that accelerates the transition from cash to digital payments in order to reduce poverty and drive inclusive growth.

With 60 professionals who have strong digital finance experience across the globe and with several hundred projects in digital on-going, UNCDF is one of the leading development agencies in digital finance aimed at very low-income customers in some of the world’s most difficult markets. UNCDF is in the process of consolidating its financial and technical resources to create a comprehensive team of experts in various domains to drive the new strategy “Leaving no one behind in the digital era.”

This strategy aims beyond household- or community-based interventions to support the evolution of inclusive digital financial ecosystems. The strategy recognizes that reaching the full potential of digital financial inclusion in support of the SDGs aligns with the vision of promoting digital economies for the following reasons:

  • The value of digital financial services (DFS) is not necessarily obvious to poor and vulnerable populations, as it is not currently closely linked to their specific constraints and needs around agriculture, education, health, energy and other key aspects of daily life.
  • Innovative services should address these unmet needs. Innovation will not come from traditional providers but mainly from a range of new players (entrepreneurs, start-ups in various sectors, and platforms like Facebook, Grab, WeChat, etc.).

The ‘Leaving no one behind in the digital era’ strategy to move from DFS to digital economies represents a logical integration of UNCDF interventions, developed over many years, in financial inclusion and digital. The legacy of UNCDF interventions was built through a range of country/regional programmes and global thematic initiatives, and has established a very strong reputation for UNCDF vis-à-vis donors and peers.

Please refer to www.uncdf.org

 

International Remittances

The UN General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in September 2015. The 2030 Agenda recognizes migration as a core development consideration, marking the first time that migration has been explicitly integrated into the global development agenda. The 2030 Agenda also recognizes international migration as a multidimensional reality for the development of countries of origin, as well as that of transit and destination countries, and one which thus requires coherent and comprehensive responses.

Migration is considered key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which are the heart of the 2030 Agenda. All member states of the United Nations have signed on to the 17 SDGs which collectively contain 76 explicit references to migration, demonstrating that migration has been mainstreamed into global development policy. Migration can reduce poverty (SDG 1), improve health and education outcomes (SDGs 3 and 4), enhance gender equality (SDG 5), foster growth and innovation (SDGs 8 and 9), and reduce inequality (SDG 10).

Meanwhile, remittances can also contribute to reaching the SDGs in a variety of ways:

  • Household level: By making it possible for individuals and families to pay for SDG-aligned goods and services they need (e.g., better nutrition, medical care, education, water, electricity)
  • Community level: Benefits associated at sub-national or municipal levels including reduced rural poverty, lower income inequality, increased micro small and medium enterprises (MSME) activity, and greater resilience to adverse effects of climate change or disaster risks
  • Government level: Benefits for public sector institutions including greater transparency, better communication with citizens, and increased private sector development and entrepreneurship as a result of access to capital and domestic credit
  • Macro level: At macro-economic level, remittances can foster much needed foreign currency exchange, stabilize low-income and vulnerable populations, reduce dependency on government aid, and re-allocate capital resources into more productive investments and other financial services – moving money from international to domestic, consumption to investment, and from urban to rural.

Guided by the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and informed by the Declaration of the High-Level Dialogue on International Migration and Development adopted in October 2013, the Heads of State and Government and High Representatives adopted the 2018 Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration. The Global Compact expresses a collective commitment to improving cooperation on international migration, leading to a set of focused objectives on remittances:

  • Empowering migrants to catalyze their development contribution, and to harness the benefits of migration as a source of sustainable development
  • Promoting faster, safer, and cheaper transfer of remittances by enabling competition, regulation, and innovation in the remittance market
  • Developing financial safety net and wealth stock for migrants and their families in the home countries which build the potential to facilitate dignified and sustainable return of the migrants.

UNCDF aims to improve the functioning of the remittance market in order to improve the financial health of migrant families while strengthen economic development efforts of the origin and host countries. In doing so, UNCDF engages with public and private sector stakeholders to strengthen the capacity of the regulators to monitor and analyze the remittance transaction data towards evidence-based policy making, enable a conducive policy and regulatory environment, and deliver financial and technical assistance to a wide range of financial institutions (e.g. banks, cooperatives, microfinance institutions, money transfer operators, and mobile networks operators) to improve the digital remittance ecosystem and design migrant-centric financial products and services (e.g. savings, credit, insurance, payment services, remittances, pension, and investment).

Duties and Responsibilities

The objective of this role is to lead the communications and digital engagement strategy of UNCDF’s migration and remittance portfolio. Under the supervision of the Lead Specialist, the consultant will work very collaboratively with UNCDF global, regional, and country leads and colleagues on the implementation of Digital Strategy. UNCDF is looking for a resource with strong knowledge of the digital economy and the role that the digitization of finance can play in achieving Sustainable Development Goals. The core function of the consultant is to proactively lead the design and implementation of a well-targeted communication and advocacy strategy for UNCDF’s digital portfolio, seeking opportunities for effective engagement and tailored content creation for diverse range of partners and market actors.


Key Duties and Responsibilities

1. In support of UNCDF’s Migration and Remittance Portfolio: Lead the design and implementation of the Communications and Advocacy Strategy for the migration and remittance portfolio of UNCDF by working closely with the Lead Specialist and key colleagues from the team. 

 

  • Designing the Strategy
    • Design the communications strategy for the migration and remittance portfolio, including developing tools and establishing process/platforms to effectively disseminate content to support the objectives of the portfolio.
    • Focus on the portfolio’s key audiences which include governments’ line ministries – Foreign Affairs, Finance, Labor – and Central Banks amongst other policymakers and regulators; private-sector financial institutions, money transfer operators, telecommunications companies, insurers, pension fund operators and administrators, and fintechs.
    • Focus on external relations with donors, development partners, the UN System, the media and the public to increase awareness and support of activities within the portfolio.
    • Enhance communications and branding, including improving internal and external communications through web-based tools (website, intranet, social media), events, publications, new media initiatives, etc.
    • Set targets, workplan, and strong monitoring and evaluation protocol.

 

  • Content Creation and Management
    • As a content manager, the Communications lead is expected to play a team-lead role, donning multiple hats including, but not limited to project management (maintaining timelines and Gantt chart for deliverables), data crunching in Excel for reporting analytics, working with the knowledge management lead on knowledge management platforms, taxonomical classification, and distribution for internal usage and external dissemination. 
    • Further responsibilities will include managing all types of content on respective platforms, including, but not limited to the written content, blogging platforms, news media, visuals – both static and animated across video platforms, audio podcasts, etc.
    • As a writer, develop original content both individual and as part of a team with other writers and editors for a range of formats and platforms, including but not limited to: white papers, survey reports, research pieces, newsletters, op-eds, memos, blog posts, social media posts. 
    • As an editor, provide high-quality editing and proofreading services across formats and platforms, including but not limited to MS Word documents, donor reports, PowerPoint presentations, social media communication and posts, website content, and other learning products.
    • Conceptualize, draft, and coordinate the development of innovative visual assets such as infographics and animations with colleagues, vendors, and partners.
    • Oversee drafting of communication materials for conferences, events, panels at international or national level as needed with consultants and partners. This could include strategic partnerships with international and regional organizations’ and non-governmental organizations’ media centers, alternative press and information networks.

 

  • Administration of digital media channels:
    • Keeping search engine optimization and indexing in mind, develop web content to ensure effective utilization of content generated.
    • Collaborate with members and partners around key moments by developing strong social media packages with key messages and visuals.
    • Help maintain updated content on our website by creating content, sourcing and posting.
    • Monitor and manage any possible risks to the organizations due to social and media mentions of the projects and activities.
    • Review and submit evaluation reports on the impact of the communications activities on social media and other digital platforms and take action to continue innovating and improving.

 

2. In support of UNCDF’s Corporate Digital Strategy: Support the implementation of the Communications and Advocacy Strategy for UNCDF’s Corporate Digital Strategy, by working closely with the Global Digital Lead, Lead Policy Specialist, and Knowledge Management Team. This effort includes:

  • Working with the Global Digital lead to help identify communications and advocacy opportunities at the global level, around thematic areas and geographic priorities.
  • Working with the Lead Policy Specialist to implement communications and advocacy strategies, including advising on messaging, helping edit and prepare key advocacy campaigns.
  • Providing editorial supervision and correction of work submitted by in-house writers, vendors and agencies, ranging from light copyediting and proofreading to substantive rewriting. 

 

3. In support of UNCDF’s global work: Provide broad support on communications and advocacy

  • Work with UNCDF Communications and Knowledge Management lead to help identify communications and advocacy opportunities at the regional level and in key countries.
  • Work with colleagues to help implement communications and advocacy strategies on thematic areas. This may include advising on messages, helping prepare presentations and providing support around communications material for high-level events and conferences.

 

Institutional Arrangement

  • The consultant will be directly supervised by the Lead Specialist for Migration and Remittance Portfolio, and will work closely with Lead Policy Specialist, Global Digital Lead, and UNCDF Communications and Knowledge Management lead.
  • The consultant will have regular communication with the supervisor via email and skype, for coordination and guidance purposes, ensuring consultants’ output quality and targets.
  • The consultant is responsible for providing his/her own laptop during the course of his/her engagement with UNCDF.

 

Duration of the Work

  • The assignment will have an initial duration of twelve months with a maximum of 220 days. An extension of another one year is possible depending on performance, continued need for the services and availability of funds. The performance control/monitoring mechanism will be applied from the start date.

 

Duty Station and Scope of Travel

  • The position will be based remotely
  • Travel to the field and other relevant locations may be required and will be compensated on reimbursable basis and following the UNDP/UNCDF rules and regulations which states that consultants shall only be paid the most direct and most economical ticket, as will be quoted by the official UN travel agency.  Any amount in excess of the said quotation, such as class and airline preference of the consultant, shall be borne by the consultant and the daily living allowance will be paid in amounts not exceeding the UN established Rate.

 

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 who 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.

Competencies

Competencies

Core Competencies

·      Demonstrates ethics and integrity.

·      Demonstrates political acumen and calculated risk taking.

·      Impeccable diplomatic skills and knowledge of protocol.

·      Builds own competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation.

·      Creates and promotes open communication.

·      Remains calm, in control and good humored even under pressure.

·      Conducts fair and transparent decision-making.

·      Displays cultural and gender sensitivity and adaptability.

·      Shows strong corporate commitment.

 

Functional Competencies

 

Professional

·      Sets high standards for quality of work and consistently achieves project goals.

·      Proven ability to conceptualize, plan and execute ideas.

·      Anticipates constraints in the delivery of services and identifies solutions or alternatives.

·      Makes effective use of UNCDF’s resources and comparative advantage to strengthen partnerships.

·      Creates networks and promotes initiatives with partner organizations.

·      Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking.

 

Technical

·      Demonstrates strategic thinking, creativity and innovation; positive, proactive, “can do” approach.

·      Ability to listen and collaborate with a wide range of colleagues, members and partners.

·      Ability to work both independently and as part of a team, being pro-active and taking the initiative and smart risks, but also able to identify threats in the use of social media and other digital platforms.

·      Ability to translate complex policy ideas and technical concepts into accessible and compelling language.

·      Seeks and proposes opportunities for advancing the UNCDF’s mission.

·      Negotiates effectively by exploring a range of possibilities.

·      Demonstrates and shares detailed technical knowledge and expertise.

·      Ability to juggle competing priorities, whilst maintaining attention to detail and meeting deadlines.

·      Excellent writing, editing and verbal skills in English.

·      Ability to visualize: to turn complex or arid content into graphic representations that tell a story non-specialists can understand and care about.

Required Skills and Experience

Required Skills and Experience

Education

  • Bachelor degree in communications, journalism, international relations or a related field.

Work experience

  • At least ten years of successful experience in designing and implementing communication and digital engagement strategies at global level. This should include experience with:
    • Social media channels, particularly Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, and monitoring tools
    • Other tools and tactics to effectively share learning content with governments in Africa, Asia-Pacific or Latin America, and with private sector and international organizations.
  • At least ten years of successful experience in designing and implementing communications strategies in financial inclusion, ideally for high-level global players in that industry.
  • At least five years of experience in writing and editing outstanding communications products, including social media posts, newsletters, comment pieces and PowerPoint presentations.
  • At least three years of experience providing support on advocacy and communications towards international organizations, development agencies, and governments, including donors.
  • Knowledge of how digital financial inclusion and digital payments help advance the Sustainable Development Goals is required. This includes good understanding of key actors, opportunities and challenges.
  • Ability to navigate and work effectively within diverse organizational cultures, including large multilaterals, government agencies, and private-sector companies from different industries.
  • Experience working in a multi-cultural environment is highly desirable.  
  • Advanced skills in graphic design, animation, and video production are an advantage.

 

Language:

  • Written and spoken fluency in English is required. 
  • Additional language skills in French is an advantage.

 

Provision of Monitoring, Progress Controls & Payments

  • Monitoring of progress shall be measured per the activities of the consultant.
  • The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Lead Specialist, Migration and Remittances.
  • Payment will be made on periodical basis in accordance with number of days worked and upon satisfactorily achieved deliverables. All payments are subject to the clearance and approval of the direct supervisor.
  • Final payment shall require a signed performance evaluation of the consultant.

 

The following supporting documents will serve as conditions for disbursement: (i) submission of an invoice and Certificate of Payment (COP); (ii) review, approval and written acceptance of each deliverable by the UNCDF Lead Specialist, Migration and Remittances and/or his designate; (iii) submission of a time-sheet and expenses with relevant supporting documentation; and (iv) an authorization of payment disbursement from a direct supervisor.

 

Application:

Recommended Presentation of Offer

The following documents are requested:

  • Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability;;
  • Personal CV indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
  • Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how they will approach the assignment.
  • Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive Daily Fee price. If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNCDF under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNCDF. 

Failure to submit all the below mentioned documents may result in rejection of the application.

 

Evaluation Criteria:

Applications will be rated on both technical and financial submissions. The following selection method will be used: Highest rated proposal using the combined scoring method, which assigns the weight distribution between the technical and financial proposals. The overall combined score will be 100 points, where weight distribution shall be 70% technical (30% desk review + 40% interview) and 30% financial.

 

Step I: Screening:

Applications will be screened and only applicants meeting the following minimum criteria (listed under education and experience) will progress to the pool for shortlisting:

  • Bachelor degree in communications, journalism, international relations or a related field.
  • At least ten years of successful experience in designing and implementing communication and digital engagement strategies at global level. This should include experience with:
    • Social media channels, particularly Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, and monitoring tools
    • Other tools and tactics to effectively share learning content with governments in Africa, Asia-Pacific or Latin America, and with private sector and international organizations.

 

Step II: Shortlisting by Desk Review (100 points): 

UNCDF will conduct a desk review to produce a shortlist of candidates and technically evaluate candidates as per the following criteria: 

  • Bachelor degree in communications, journalism, international relations or a related field. – 10 points
  • At least ten years of successful experience in designing and implementing communication and digital engagement strategies at global level. This should include experience with: -- 20 points
    • Social media channels, particularly Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, and monitoring tools
    • Other tools and tactics to effectively share learning content with governments in Africa, Asia-Pacific or Latin America, and with private sector and international organizations
  • At least ten years of successful experience in designing and implementing communications strategies in financial inclusion, ideally for high-level global players in that industry. – 20 points
  • At least five years of experience in writing and editing outstanding communications products, including social media posts, newsletters, comment pieces and PowerPoint presentations. – 20 points
  • At least three years of experience providing support on advocacy and communications towards international organizations, development agencies, and governments, including donors. – 10 points
  • Knowledge of how digital financial inclusion and digital payments help advance the Sustainable Development Goals is required. This includes good understanding of key actors, opportunities and challenges. – 10 points
  • Advanced skills in graphic design, animation, and video production are an advantage. – 10 points

As applicable, only the first top 3 ranked applicants achieving minimum 70 points shall be invited for an interview.

 

Step III: Interview: 

A competency-based Interview shall be conducted with the top three candidates who score the highest in Step II (minimum of 70 points). Candidates will be tested on the following:

  • Relevant experience
  • Sector Knowledge  
  • Communication Skills.

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% on the total of Step II: Desk Review and Step III: Interview will be considered as technically qualified and will be reviewed further for financial evaluation.

 

Step IV: Financial Evaluation:

The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:

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

 

Step V: 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.

 

UNCDF 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.