Background

ORGANIZATION CONTEXT AND BACKGROUND INFORMATION

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 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 also are 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 SDG goals 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 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.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Financial Health Programme requires a consultant who will support the administrative and procurement functions of the team in the living lab. The assignment entails:

Management and Administrative Functions

  • Build project and administrative capacity of the living lab in India
  • Manage the requests for local/international and strategic procurement as approved by the Programme Manager
  • Ensure that all files and reports are in order for the project
  • Ensure all financial and project documents are in order for the project

Deliverables

  • Updated project reports, including financial and administrative
  • Support the Financial Health (center and living lab) Programme Team in travel arrangements

Assist on conferences and events of the Financial Health Programme: 

  • Build capacity, administrative and operations for planning and organizing conferences and events
  • Support the Team in outreach and scheduling

Deliverables:

  • Satisfactory support provided for organizing conferences and events

Support the Stakeholders of the Financial Health Programme  

  • Liaise with other internal and external stakeholders to assess any operational needs and support them
  • Manage any local/international procurement requests for any effort related to the Financial Health Programme in the living lab

Deliverables:

  • Satisfactory support extended to all internal and external stakeholders
  • Manage all procurement requests

Competencies

  • Strong ability to communicate and function effectively in local/international/multicultural environment
  • Expertise in managing senior level engagements with both public and private sector stakeholders
  • Fundamental knowledge of public procurement processes, methods and procedures
  • Data gathering and implementation of management systems
  • Maintains effective client relationships

Required Skills and Experience

Education

  • University degree, or secondary Education with specialized certification in Management, Accounting or related field. 

Experience

  • Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible administrative experience is required at the national or international level.
  • At least three (3) years of experience working with senior executives and high-level management within the international organizations, UN organization/agency track record is desirable.
  • Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems is required.
  • Experience in the use of Enterprise Resource Planning Software (i.e. ATLAS, Oracle or similar) is required.
  • At least two (2) years of experience with international public procurement and finance procedures is required.
  • Experience in corporate training and capacity building is desirable.

Language requirements

  • Spoken and written fluency in English

Timeline, duration of assignment, and duty station:

  • Duration:  24 months with possibility of extension based on satisfactory performance and requirements and budget
  • Location(s): Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, India – the consultant will have to report to the UNCDF office as a norm, but depending on the stage and demands of the project, there will be days when the consultant may be allowed to work from home
  • Total Number of Working Days for Assignment: Approximately 400 days

Provision of Monitoring, Progress Controls & Payments:

  • The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Operations Analyst
  • Payments will be made on a monthly billing basis in accordance with actual number of days worked evidenced by a time sheet, and upon satisfactorily achieved deliverables. All payments are subject to the clearance and approval of the Programme Manager.

APPLICATION

Applications will be rated on both technical and financial submissions.  The best proposal that will be awarded the contract shall be selected through the following method:

Highest rated proposal using the combined scoring method, with a weight distribution of 70% technical and 30% financial.

All applications must contain the following information:

Evaluation:

Applicants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

  • Preliminary Evaluation - Step I: Screening
  • Technical Evaluation Weight - 70% x [Step II: Desk review (20 points) + Step III: Written test (40 points) + Step IV: Interview (40 points)]
  • Financial Evaluation Weight - 30% = Step V.

Step I: Screening:

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

•    University degree, or secondary Education with specialized certification in Management, Accounting or related field.

•    Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible administrative experience at the national or international level.

•    Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems.

•    Excellent oral and written English.

Step II: Shortlisting :

UNCDF will produce a shortlist of candidates according to the criteria listed below. Only applicants who obtain 80 points at this stage will be invited to sit for a written test.

  • Minimum of five years of progressively responsible administrative experience is required at the national or international level. (25 points)
  • At least three years of experience working with senior executives and high-level management within the international organizations, UN organization/agency track record is desirable. (20 points)
  • At least three years of experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advance knowledge of spreadsheet and database packages, experience in handling of web-based management systems is required. (15 points).
  • At least two years of experience in the use of Enterprise Resource Planning Software (i.e. ATLAS, Oracle or similar) is required. (20 points)
  • At least two years of experience with international public procurement and finance procedures is required. (10 points)
  • At least one year of experience in corporate training and capacity building is desirable. (10 points)

Step III: Written test

A written test will be administered to the top 4 shortlisted candidates. The test will have a pass/fail score of 70%.

Step IV: Interview

A competency-based interview shall be conducted for all the candidates who pass the written test. Only candidates who obtained a minimum of 70% on the combined total of Steps II (20 points) + III (40 points) and IV (40 points) 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 contract shall be awarded to the applicant whose offer have been evaluated and determined as: responsive/compliant/acceptable and having received the highest combined weight for the technical proposal (desk review, written test, interview) 70% + financial 30% = 100%.

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. 

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). Please note that in such case the company institution will be asked to issue an RLA http://www.undp.org/content/dam/vietnam/docs/Legalframework/Reimbursable%20Loan%20Agreement.doc.  

Women candidates or women-owned businesses are strongly encouraged to apply.

(Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA): A legal instrument between UNCDF and a Company/institution, according to which, the latter makes available the services of an individual delivering time-bound and quantifiable outputs that are directly linked to payments. An RLA is governed by the provisions of this policy.)

 

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