Background

UNCDF

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (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.

Inclusive Digital Economies (IDE)

UNCDF Financial Inclusion Practice Area is focusing on Inclusive Digital Economies (IDE), focused on how innovation and technology can increase access to critical services for the underserved and vulnerable groups.

https://www.uncdf.org/inclusive-digital-economies

UNCDF’s Inclusive Digital Economies & Gender Equality

Women and girls today face difficult challenges in almost every country in the world. Women earn less money than men. Globally, the gender pay gap is estimated at about 20 per cent. Specifically, in poorer regions around the world, women, including smallholder farmers and informal workers, are at a higher risk of economic exclusion with structural barriers in accessing economic resources. Women control less money than men (even when they earn). According to the report “Women and Money,” co-published by IDEO.org and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, “Money is the domain of men. Society does not view it as her role to earn money or her right to make financial decisions.” This is the reality on the ground for most women in the countries UNCDF works in. Lack of appropriate skills often pushes many women to opt for economic opportunities in sectors that often pay poorly with no job security and social protection. Similarly, women owned SMEs have often limited capacity and expertise to scale up business and to gain better access to markets, inputs and machinery. Lastly, the digital and energy divide remains a gendered one. Most of the 3.9 billion people who are offline and without energy access are in rural areas, are poorer and less educated, and tend to be women and girls.

The UNCDF Women as Builders of the Digital Economy approach works within the UNCDF IDE Strategic framework and focuses on creating strategic partnerships at a global, regional and country level and complementing them with market facilitation and deep technical assistance to affect change on the ground. It leverages our on-the-ground presence and relationships with ministries of finance, central banks, telecommunications regulators, other relevant policy makers, as well as private sector (including banks, telecommunications companies, FinTechs and micro-finance institutions) and civil society to remove the barriers to women's economic empowerment. We will do this by implementing a tailored strategy on a country-by-country basis integrated into existing work that will both remove barriers and accelerate digital and financial autonomy.

IDE & the Generation Equality Forum

On July 1, 2020, UN Women unveiled the names of the UN agencies that will lead the Action Coalitions of the Generation Equality Forum, the campaign intended to drive concrete actions over the period of five years to drive systemic change in order to reduce gender inequality. Six thematic Action Coalitions—which will feature a combination of UN agencies, international organizations, NGOs, and member states--have been created to accelerate progress for women and girls by addressing critical constraints.

https://www.unwomen.org/en/get-involved/beijing-plus-25/generation-equality-forum

UNCDF was named the UN leader of the Action Coalition on Economic Justice and Rights

The vision of the Generation Equality Action Coalitions is to deliver concrete and transformative change for women and girls around the world; leveraging the efforts of six Action Coalitions focusing on different themes including Economic Justice and Rights. Building upon existing experiences, the Action Coalitions aim to accelerate progress for women and girls by addressing critical constraints. Concrete actions over the period of five years will be collectively led by public, private, and civil society leaders to drive systemic change to reduce gender inequality.

UNCDF is looking for a Digital Economies and & Gender Equality Consultant to provide technical expertise in Digital Economies and Gender Equality to support UNCDF’s IDE practice.

Duties and Responsibilities

Under the supervision of the the Director of the Financial Inclusion Practice Areas, the Consultant will be responsible for the following activities and deliverables:

Areas 1: Provide technical inputs related to UNCDF Inclusive Digital Economy (IDE) practice to address market constraints towards gender equity and women’s economic empowerment in LDCs.

Activities:

• Mapping of Global, Regional and Local women's groups and women innovation hubs in UNCDF focus countries/regions
• Draft concept notes focused on: (1) developing women's leadership in LDCs, (2) addressing the gender digital divide (3) addressing digital/financial products for women and (4) addressing regulatory gender-smart approaches

Deliverables:

• Map of Global, Regional and Local women's groups and women innovation hubs in focus countries/regions
• 4 Concept notes

Area 2: Design Knowledge Management strategy and key tools to advance UNCDF's thought leadership on gender equality

Activities:

• Develop Knowledge Management Plan for IDE & Gender
• Draft the IDE & Gender Playbook summary - focused on describing the market constraints to gender equality and interventions that can address those market constraints
• Draft Women Groups & IDE stakeholder Mapping

Deliverables:

• KM Work plan
• IDE Gender GAP analysis
• Draft Women Groups & IDE stakeholders map

Area 3: Provide technical assistance to UNCDF’s contributions to the Generation Equality Forum Action Coalition

Activities:

• Draft the business case/blueprint for UNCDF's contribution to the Generation Equality Forum Economic Justice and Rights Coalition - Action focused on Productive Economic Assets
• Draft UNCDF's agendas and strategies for UNCDF's participation in Mexico City Generation Equality Forum activities
• Draft UNCDF's agendas and strategies for UNCDF's participation in Paris Generation Equality Forum activities

Deliverables:

• Business case/blueprint for UNCDF's contribution
• Policy Brief and participation materials for the events above.

Area 4: Provide technical inputs to UNCDF's programming focusing on women and girls in country, regional and global strategies

Activities:

• Design and provide quality assurance to 2 Gender-related intervention in Pacific, Asia, West Africa and East Africa

Deliverables:

• 2 Project documents

Area 5: Support UNCDF’s management in the quality assurance of programs, program documents that require a gender approach

Activities:

• Provide technical inputs to at least four program Business cases to ensure UNCDF Gender requirements are met

Deliverables:

• 2 Gender annexes, GAP analysis, and recommendations reports for the related business cases

Area 6: Contribute to the Measurement Frameworks for IDE & Gender metrics

Activities:

• Set up the Reference Group on IDES for Women's Inclusion Score, resulting on recommendations to be considered by UNCDF
• Support  UNCDF's participation with CGAP Inequity's Social Norms Diagnostic,  and draft UNCDF’s analysis/report

Deliverables:

• Recommendations report
• Final analysis/report

Area 7: Contribute to the Gender focus in Centre for Financial Health

Activities:

• Formulate Financial Health Gender approach
• Draft gender requirements for UNCDF Centre for Financial Health.

Deliverables:

• Financial Health Gender approach
• Requirements document

The table below outlines the list of key deliverables, due date and level of effort foreseen:

Timeline, total number of working days, duty station:

• Timeline: 12 months.
• Total Number of Working Days for Assignment: up to 200 working days.

Progress Controls & Payments:

Payment will be made against satisfactorily completion of each deliverable. All payments shall be disbursed only upon written confirmation of acceptance of the outputs which and authorization for payment by the Director of the Financial Inclusion practice. Disbursement of the final payment shall require a signed performance evaluation of the consultant.

The payment schedule will be as follows:

Competencies

• Excellent organizational and analytical skills complemented by sound interpersonal skills and the ability to work in a multicultural environment.
• Demonstrated ability to act independently and exercise sound judgment
• Ability to work closely in harmony international officials at all levels.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: 

• A Master’s degree in business administration, economics, international development, or related field is mandatory.

Experience

• 7 years of experience in in managing projects for improving access to financial services is mandatory.
• At least two years of experience in implementing digital solutions in inclusive digital finance is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in developing interventions that empower women through digital finance innovations is preferred.
• Experience working in LDCs is preferred.
• Experience working with the international development organisations preferred. 

Language requirements:

• Written and spoken proficiency in English is mandatory.

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;
• 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. 

Selection process and evaluation:

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. The weight distribution shall be 70% technical and 30% financial. 

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

·       A Master’s degree in business administration, economics, international development, or related field is mandatory.

• 7 years of experience in in managing projects for improving access to financial services is mandatory.
• Proficiency in English is mandatory.

Step II: Shortlisting: (20% out of technical assessment)

UNCDF will produce a shortlist of candidates and technically evaluate candidates by using the following criteria with corresponding points (100 points):

·       A Master’s degree in business administration, economics, international development, or related field: 20 points

• 7 years of experience in in managing projects for improving access to financial services is mandatory: 25 points
• At least two years of experience in implementing digital solutions in inclusive digital finance: 15 points
• Demonstrated experience in developing interventions that empowers women through digital finance innovations: 15 points
• Experience working in LDCs: 15 points
• Experience working with the international development organisations: 5 points 
• Proficiency in English: 5 points

UNCDF will produce a shortlist of candidates and technically evaluate candidates as per above requirements reflceted in the Terms of Reference.

Step IV: Interview: (80% out of technical assessment): Only candidates obtaining a minimum score of 80 points and above at the desk review stage shall be invited to a competency-based interview.

Step V: Financial Evaluation: Only candidates with scores above 80% of the technical evaluation (Desk review 20% + Interview 80%) shall be considered as technically qualified and will be reviewed further for 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 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.

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