Background

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 inclusive finance 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 can provide seed capital both grants and loans as well as technical support 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. 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.

UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s 47 least developed countries (LDCs). 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. This last mile is where available resources for development are scarcest; where market failures are most pronounced; and where benefits from national growth tend to leave people excluded.

UNCDF’s financing models work through two channels: savings-led 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 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. UNCDF financing models are applied in thematic areas where addressing barriers to finance at the local level can have a transformational effect for poor and excluded people and communities.

By strengthening how finance works for poor people at the household, small enterprise, and local infrastructure levels, UNCDF contributes to SDG 1 on eradicating poverty with a focus on reaching the last mile and addressing exclusion and inequalities of access. At the same time, UNCDF deploys its capital finance mandate in line with SDG 17 on the means of implementation, to unlock public and private finance for the poor at the local level. By identifying those market segments where innovative financing models can have transformational impact in helping to reach the last mile, UNCDF contributes to a number of different SDGs and currently to 28 of 169 targets.

UNCDF hosts the Secretariat of the Better Than Cash Alliance. 

The Better Than Cash Alliance is a partnership of 75 governments, companies and international organizations that accelerates the transition from cash to digital payments in order to reduce poverty, drive inclusive growth and accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Billions of dollars in cash payments and transfers are made daily in emerging and developing economies, including payment of salaries, social welfare and relief, payments to suppliers, remittances, 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 payments are often part of the 1.7 billion excluded from the formal financial sector. This means they are excluded from access to a range of appropriate and affordable financial services to help them save safely, take advantage of economic opportunities and reduce their vulnerability to risk.

Shifting these payments from cash to digital has the potential to improve the lives of low income people, particularly women -who are twice as likely to be excluded from the financial system, while giving governments, the development community and the private sector a more transparent, time and cost efficient, and often safer means of disbursing payments. Digitizing payments can also contribute to women’s economic participation by providing them with more control over family finances, increasing personal security, and improving economic opportunities. 

The Alliance Secretariat works with its 75 members to navigate their digitization journeys, by:   

·       Providing advisory services based on member priorities 

·       Sharing action-oriented research and fostering peer learning 

·       Conducting advocacy at national, regional and global level 

The Better Than Cash Alliance Secretariat Core Values:

• Achieving together 
• Striving for excellence
• Service oriented 
• Results oriented

The Alliance is looking to hire an international consultant with good understanding of the garment sector to support the Alliance Garment Digitization Work in priority countries of the Alliance. Since 2017, the Alliance has worked with its member companies and governments to catalyze the digitization of wages in a responsible manner in the garment sector. Estimates show that some 33% of garment workers worldwide are paid in cash which is unsafe and prevents workers from having access to other financial services.  For more information on BTCA, please visit the website: http://www.betterthancash.org/

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the Private Sector Digital Innovation Lead and in partnership with the Deputy Managing Director and the Asia Pacific Regional Lead, the incumbent will support the Alliance’s Wage Digitization Strategy in the garment sector. Key responsibilities are as follows:

1. Global Advocacy, Liaison with Brands and Apex Bodies: 

• Support the ongoing liaison on digital wages with partner organizations working on sustainable practices for the garment sector, including Sustainable Apparel Coalition, Social and Labour Convergence Project, Better Work, Business Social Responsibility (BSR), the German Sustainable Textile Partnership as well as individual brands members of the Alliance to ensure adequate resources are provided to meet the Alliance objective on driving digitization of wages.
• Support the coordination of a global working group of all relevant partners: including drafting the concept note and agenda, liaising with partners and speakers, organizing the different sessions, compiling lessons learnt from ongoing initiatives and ensure follow up between working groups
• Conduct research and facilitate relations-building to build relations with new potential partners and develop new initiatives. 

2. In-country corporate advisory in Bangladesh and Jordan:

• Support the project-management of in-country digitization initiatives currently ongoing between the Alliance and its members, including in Bangladesh and Jordan to ensure achievement of the objectives. 
• Draft background and briefing notes for missions, meetings and/or presentations for conferences and workshops on the digitization of wages in support of Private Sector Lead and other relevant colleagues and members. 
• Ensure input from projects is documented into different team monitoring systems and support liaison with relevant colleagues to ensure quality assurance of technical work, research and presentations as well as of communication, as needed;
• Track progress of in-country initiatives, contribute to project development and ensure liaison with management and procurement teams to ensure delivery of project milestones;
• Monitor key indicators for Monitoring & Evaluation teams to track activities to feed into donor and internal reports;
• Provide administrative support to missions including mission preparation, scheduling meetings, conference calls, accompany the Private Sector Lead and/or other members of the team for in-country missions as needed;

3. Research, learning and dissemination: 

• Pro-actively work with the Digital Payments Resource and Innovation Hub, with the Private Sector Lead and the Communication team to ensure lessons are regularly distilled from all in-country initiatives as well as related initiatives by partners.
• Keep abreast on the latest in the sustainable garment sector and identify opportunities for knowledge dissemination and new research opportunities on achievements -  and challenges – in driving the digitization of wages in companies’ supply chains;
• Conduct in-depth research on topics related to digital payments, digital financial services and financial inclusion in specific markets to inform the regional strategy and the drafting of concept notes for in-country initiatives and members’ workplan

• Working closely with country teams, monitor and identify advocacy opportunities for the Alliance, including potential targets, conferences, UN, regional and corporate events on wage digitization and payment digitization in companies’ supply chain, 

4. Communications and events: 

• Support the organization of panels, events, conferences and specialized workshops, in close collaboration with the Private Sector Digital Innovation Lead, advocacy, media and communications teams
• Share news and stories from Alliance member countries for social media and other communications channels, as needed; 
• Other activities, as requested

Duration of the Work

This is an assignment that will have an initial duration of up to 220 working days within 12 months period.  Any extension of another one (1) year is possible depending on consultant’s performance, continued need for the services and availability of funds. The performance control/monitoring mechanism will be applied from the start date. 

Duty Station

The duty station / location for the contract duration will be home based. 

Travel

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 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.

Competencies

• Good analytical, and diplomatic skills;
• Strong inter-personal skills and a demonstrated capacity to forge effective relations with colleagues and counterparts from different backgrounds essential; 
• Ability to work collaboratively and effectively as part of a team as well as individually; 
• Excellent attention to detail, a proactive approach to achieving key results, a high level of thoroughness in a complex multitasking environment and a strict adherence to deadlines;
• Builds strong relationships, focuses on impact and results;
• Comfortable working with senior level management and officials;
• Establishes and maintains relationships to understand needs and gain support;
• Consistently approaches work with energy and positive, constructive attitude;
• Ability to work under pressure; and
• Proven networking and communication skills.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: 

• Advanced university degree (Master’s level) in international affairs, development, political science, or any other relevant field.

Work Experience:

• Minimum 3 years of relevant professional experience working on issues related to the garment sector and/or labor standards and/or sustainable production, ethical sourcing, inclusive business, including at the international level; essential; 
• Knowledge of digital payments and digital financial inclusion a strong advantage,
• Demonstrated excellent writing, editing and communications skills to an international standard including correspondence, reports, talking points and briefing material is essential.
• Experience engaging with the garment sector is essential  
• Experience in event management and supporting the organization of high-level meetings desirable. Experience organizing events within the UN system is an asset;
• Computer literacy, including familiarity with spread sheets and power point presentations essential.
• Experience working with Asana or salesforce or other contact data bases, is an asset. 

Languages:

• Fluency in English, both oral and written, is required. 

Provision of Monitoring, Progress Controls & Payments

• The consultants will work under the supervision of the Private Sector Innovation Lead, who would set the quarterly deliverables at the beginning of every quarter and will hold a weekly communication either in person, or via e-mail and/or skype for coordination and guidance purposes, ensuring consultants’ output quality and targets.
• Payments will be made periodically, in line with the payment schedule below and upon confirmation of UNCDF that the individual has delivered on the contract obligations in a satisfactory manner based on the completed deliverables stated under Description of Responsibilities above. 
• Final payment shall require a signed performance evaluation of the consultant.

The payment schedule will be as follows:    

The following supporting documents will serve as conditions for disbursement: 

1. submission of an invoice and Certificate of Payment (COP). 
2. review, approval and written acceptance of each deliverable by the UNCDF Private Sector Innovation Lead and/or his designate. 
3. submission of a workplan / progress report with relevant supporting documentation; and,
4. an authorization of payment disbursement from a direct supervisor.

Recommended Presentation of Offer

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).

The following documents are requested:

1. Duly accomplished Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability;
2. Personal CV or P11, indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and the names of at least three (3) professional references (e-mail addresses, telephone numbers);
3. Brief description of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the consultancy 
4. Financial Proposal that indicates the all-inclusive Daily Fee price excluding travel. 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. Please use the form available at http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=29916

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

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

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:

• Advanced university degree (Master’s level) in international affairs, development, political science.
• Minimum 3 years of relevant professional experience working on issues related to the garment sector and/or labor standards and/or sustainable production, ethical sourcing, inclusive business, including at the international level. 

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: 

• Minimum 3 years of relevant professional experience working on issues related to the garment sector and/or labor standards and/or sustainable production, ethical sourcing, inclusive business, including at the international level; essential  -40 points
• Knowledge of digital payments and digital financial inclusion a strong advantage – 40 points
• Experience in event management and supporting the organization of high-level meetings desirable – 20 points.

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

Step III : Technical interviews 

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 same key work areas, in greater depth, with the same weighting, namely:

•           Relevant experience

•           Sector Knowledge  

•           Programme Development and Management

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 vis-à-vis the requirements of the TOR and the project operating environment; and
• Having received the highest score out of a pre-determined set of weighted technical (70%) and financial (30%) criteria.

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.