Background

Organization Context and Background Info

UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s 47 Least Developed Countries (LDC). UNCDF uses its capital mandate to support LDCs pursue inclusive growth. UNCDF promotes financial inclusion, also through digital financial services (DFS), as a key enabler of poverty reduction and inclusive growth; and it demonstrates how localizing finance outside the capital cities can accelerate growth in local economies, promote sustainable and climate-resilient infrastructure development, and empower local communities. Using capital grants, loans and credit enhancements, UNCDF tests financial models in inclusive finance and local development finance; ‘de-risks’ the local investment space; and provides proofs of concept, paving the way for larger and more risk-averse investors.

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 (SDGs) 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. Please refer to the link for further information: https://www.uncdf.org/article/4931/global-strategy-leaving-no-one-behind-in-the-digital-era

For years, many financial inclusion practitioners assumed that providing access to finance would enable people to use money in ways that would set them up for success. But having access does not cause people to be financially healthy, stable, and successful. For example, only 29% of Americans are financially healthy despite a booming economy and near-universal financial inclusion. 83% of Kenyans were financially included in 2019 but only 22% were deemed financially healthy, a drop from 39% in 2016.

Financial inclusion tends to be reduced to binaries as opposed to being a discussion of a spectrum. Financial health, on the other hand, is arguably a more customer-centric concept, one that offers principles to define impact more holistically, measure it systematically and create it in in a sustained and meaningful manner. Fundamentally, it is a non-product-centric approach based on the end consumers' needs. 

Financial inclusion and financial health are also fundamentally different approaches, with distinct entry points. With financial inclusion we start with the question, “What does a financial product or service unlock?”. With financial health we turn this notion on its head and ask instead, “What does it take to be financially healthy?”. Using this “impact” question as an anchor, we work backwards to better align financial interventions to what makes customers financially healthy. While digital has been a big enabler for driving financial services, the question still remains on driving the use of digital in a responsible manner and that SDGs could be achieved in true spirit.

In line with this, UNCDF is broadening its focus on financial health by investing in efforts around advocacy, research and insights and programming. As part of these efforts we are rolling out a global centre that would allow the work at different levels of Advocacy, Data and Insights, Searching and Investing solutions or business models while supporting the implementation in a living lab/in-country platforms in various markets of Asia, Africa and South America that would allow the tracking of impact and inform learnings over the next five years.

In this context, UNCDF in partnership with the Govt of Odisha (Mission Shakti) is setting up a living lab in India to impact 3.5 million women and women entrepreneurs, that would focus on increasing women’s agency and participation in new digital economy of the state and country. UNCDF plans to hire two district level Partnership Consultants who will be deputed at Ganjam and Sambalpur, Odisha, India.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Partnership Consultants will report to the Global Specialist – Innovations and Financial Health and work closely with Mission Shakti counterparts in their respective districts. The programme would have a booster team at the district/block level to drive various engagements. The Partnership Consultants would be driving the booster team activities and outcomes. At each level, the team will coordinate with respective Mission Shakti counterpart as guided and directed by Mission Shakti Living Labs. There are new staff members under recruitment to oversee the work of Mission Shakti Living Lab Odisha, the partnership consultant would report into the team once in place.

Specific roles and responsibilities:

Responsible for effective implementation of the project at district level by leading the booster team

• Coordinate with district level government counterparts and other stakeholders such as Lead district manager (LDM), Bank Managers, Odisha Rural Development And Marketing Society (ORMAS), etc. to ensure effective implementation of the projects
• Oversee activities of booster team and ensure they provide effective support to private sector partners for key performance indicators
• Document monthly reports and share with Mission Shakti-Living Labs Lead
• Support in research implementation, data collection and learning documentation for results measurement
• Review the implementation of different interventions such as one stop centres, Business Correspondent (BCs), projects, etc.

The Partnership Consultants will be responsible to carry out the following activities with specific deliverables:

Competencies

• Open to working on challenging projects that require in-depth support to partners largely on operations levels.
• Experienced in managing clients and partners—from early stage companies to mature organizations on-ground in product sales and support.
• Solution-focused and medium-agnostic, willing to step out of your core skill set or discipline to find the correct solution to a challenge.
• Open to working in multi-cultural and with a diverse team of professionals.
• Results-driven, problem-solver with structural and analytical capabilities.  
• Strong ability to think and act strategically, even in situations of ambiguity, to develop both short- and long-term visions.   
• Inspires others, influences and builds trust.
• Strong communicator that can serve multiple functions as needed.   
• Team management skills; ability to guide team on a common objective.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Bachelor’s Degree in either economics, social or international development, finance, business administration, public policy or related field.

Experience:

• 5+ years of professional experience in digital finance, social development, financial inclusion, banking, micro-finance, telecom or agriculture sector in India, preferably in East India.
• At least 2 years of professional experience in managing district/cluster level teams related to financial products and services and/or digital financial services or other related areas of operations.
• Experienced in managing team of field executives.
• Experienced working on government-supported projects and coordinating with government counterparts.
• Proven experience in independently managing projects/tasks with defined KPIs and timelines. 
• Experienced in developing and managing business relationships with private sector, government agencies/regulators and civil society organizations.
• Experience in implementing/overseeing qualitative or quantitative research is a plus.
• Experience in writing detailed progress reports.
• Exceptional written and oral communications skills.

Language:

• Excellent written and spoken English and Hindi. Ability to speak and write in Odia is a plus.

Timeline, total number of working days, duty station:

• Timeline: December 2020 to November 2022
• Total Number of Working Days for Assignment: Up to 440 working days within 24 months
• Duty stations: Ganjam, Odisha, India and Sambalpur, Odisha, India and travel as required.

For unforeseeable travel, 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. UNCDF would cover the cost of stay for the selected person.

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.  

Progress Controls & Payments:

Payment will be made against each satisfactorily achieved deliverables. All payments are subject to the clearance and approval of the Global Manager – Innovations and Financial Health. Final payment shall require a signed performance evaluation of the consultant.

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 in relation to the Terms of Reference (TOR), and clearly indicating availability to work in one or both of the duty stations (Ganjam and/or Sambalpur);
• Curriculum Vitae and/or Completed and signed P11-Personal History Form with names and current contacts of 3 referees (Available at: http://sas.undp.org/documents/p11_personal_history_form.doc);
• Signed financial proposal for the full assignment outlining: All-inclusive fee (including professional fee and other professional expenses, such as insurance, taxes, etc. (Available at: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=29916).

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

Evaluation: 

Step I: Screening: 

Applications will be screened and only applicants meeting the minimum criteria below will progress to the pool for shortlisting.

• Bachelor’s degree in either economics, social or international development, finance, business administration, public policy or related field.
• 5+ years of professional experience in digital finance, social development, financial inclusion, banking, micro-finance, telecom or agriculture sector in India;
• Have clearly indicated availability to work in Ganjam and/or Sambalpur;
• Fluent in English and Hindi, both written and spoken.

Step II: Desk review (50 points):

UNCDF will conduct a desk review to produce a shortlist of candidates according to the criteria listed below. Only applicants that obtain 70% of the points at this stage shall be considered for an interview.

Shortlisting scoring:

• 5+ years of professional experience in digital finance, social development, financial inclusion, banking, micro-finance, telecom or agriculture sector in India, preferably in East India. – 30 points
• At least 2 years of professional experience in managing district/cluster level teams related to financial products and services and/or digital financial services or other related areas of operations. – 25 points
• Experience working on government-supported project and coordinating with government counterparts. – 15 points
• Experience in developing and managing business relationships with private sector, government agencies/regulators and civil society organizations. – 10 points
• Experience in implementing/overseeing qualitative or quantitative research is a plus. – 10 points
• Availability to work in both Ganjam and Sambalpur. – 10 points.

Step III: Interview (50 points)

Applicants who obtain a minimum of 70% at Step II shall be invited to a panel interview. The interview will have a pass/fail score of 70%.

Step IV: Financial Evaluation:

Only applicants who obtain a minimum of 70% on the total of Steps II (50 points) + III (50 points) will be considered as technically qualified and will be reviewed further for financial evaluation. 

The following formula will be used to evaluate the financial proposals:

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 (desk review and interview) 70% + financial 30% = 100%.

Both individual consultants and individuals 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.

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