UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s least developed countries. It creates new opportunities for poor people and their communities by increasing access to microfinance 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 provides seed capital – grants and loans – and technical support to help microfinance institutions reach more poor households and small businesses, and local governments finance the capital investments – water systems, feeder roads, schools, irrigation schemes – that will improve poor peoples’ lives.

From its Brussels office UNCDF provides programme support to the following initiatives and more specifically:

Mobile Money for the Poor (MM4P): MM4P addresses the opportunities and challenges of implementing DFS in LDCs in Africa and Asia with the objective to build an inclusive digital financial ecosystem that offers a wide range of DFS provided responsibly, and at reasonable cost, by sustainable institutions in a well-regulated environment. Specifically, MM4P provides a mix of policy, technical financial support to a range of government and private sector actors in each country, as well as investing in research and other public goods that benefit all market actors. By supporting the development of DFS in these countries, MM4P works to increase the financial security of low income and rural households through access to appropriate, affordable and secure means to receive, manage and save money. MM4P is currently active in eight countries (Benin, Laos, Nepal, Malawi, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zambia). In each of these countries MM4P implements projects that aim to push the needle on financial inclusion through digital financial services.

For more information please visit: https://www.uncdf.org/mm4p/home

Institutional Arrangement

The consultant will be supervised by the Programme Analyst, UNCDF Brussels, the frequency of reporting will be weekly meetings.

Deliverables will be approved upon completion.

UNCDF will provide an office and a computer with access to all relevant sources of information.

Payments will be made monthly upon receipt and acceptance by UNCDF of the contractor’s Certificate of Payment form specifying the outputs delivered as per agreed workplan.

Duration of the Work

The estimated duration of the work is maximum of 100 days spread over 5 months. The contract can be extended up to 24 months, extension is subject to need, funding and performance.

Duty Station

Duty station is Brussels, Belgium

No travel will be required for this consultancy.

Please note that UNCDF will not provide residence permits, only candidates with a residence permit in Belgium may apply.

Qualifications of the Successful Individual Expert

Education:

• Secondary Education, preferably with specialized certification in Administration, Accounting or Finance or related field.

Experience:

• A minimum of 4 years of progressively responsible administrative experience at the national or international level is required.
• Experience in having supported audit reviews is desirable.
• Experience in the usage of computers and office software packages (MS Word, Excel, etc.) and advanced 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. Oracle or similar) is required.
• Experience in corporate training and capacity building is desirable.
• Experience with a UN rules and regulations for operations is desirable.
• Experience reviewing programme files is mandatory.
• Experience in analyzing financial and project reports, update office budget and annual work plan.

Language requirements

• Fluency and excellent writing skills in English and French is mandatory.

Scope of Price Proposal and Schedule of Payments

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.

Please see detailed breakdown below.

Recommended Presentation of Offer

All applications must contain the following information, incomplete applications will not be considered:

• Cover letter with a summary statement of competencies in relation to the TOR;
• Earliest availability and proposed schedule for consultancy;
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Signed financial proposal for the full months assignment outlining: 1) Total professional fee 2) Other professional expenses (such as insurance, taxes, etc.); The financial proposal form is available at http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=29916).

Criteria for Selection of the Best Offer

Individual consultants will be evaluated based on the following methodology:

• Preliminary Evaluation, Screening;
• Technical Evaluation Weight - 70% x (Step I: 20 Points + Step II: 20 Points + Step III: 60 points = 100 Points);
• Financial Evaluation Weight - 30% 

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:

Step II: Technical Evaluation

• Shortlisting (20 points) UNCDF will produce a shortlist of candidates and technically evaluate candidates as per experience requirements in the Terms of Reference. As applicable, only the applicants who have achieved 80% shall be invited for a test.
• Test (20 points) A test shall be conducted to the candidates who achieved 80% of the points at shortlisting. The test will be on pass/fail basis, pass is 70% or above.
• Interview (60 points) - An interview shall be conducted for the candidates who passed the written test.

Step III: Financial Evaluation:

• Only for those candidates who have reached 70% of the Technical 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 (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.

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.

If you are experiencing difficulties with online job applications, please contact jobs.help@undp.org.

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.

UNCDF does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.