Antecedentes

INTRODUCING UNCDF

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.

With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” financing models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local development. UNCDF targets low-income and underserved populations and areas in the LDCs where resources for development are the scarcest; where market failures are most pronounced; and where increased.

national economic prosperity does not reach a large part of the population. UNCDF focusses on local development finance and inclusive finance, using its capital mandate paired with strong technical and policy support to help communities and individuals save, borrow and invest.

UNCDF’s objective is to develop inclusive financial systems in which a range of financial products are available to all segments of society, at a reasonable cost, and on a sustainable basis. UNCDF supports a wide range of providers (e.g. microfinance institutions, banks, cooperatives, money transfer companies) and a variety of financial products and services (e.g. savings, credit, insurance, payments, and remittances).

INTRODUCING DIgital Finance In UNCDF

UNCDF manages several initiatives in LDCs in Asia and Africa, to develop an inclusive digital finance eco-system that offers a wide range of financial services specially for low income vulnerable communities. Specifically, UNCDF provides a mix of policy, technical and financial support to a range of government and private sector actors in each country, as well as invests in research and other public goods that benefit all market actors. By supporting the development of digital finance eco-system in these countries, UNCDF aims 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.

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. UNCDF will apply a market development approach and continuously seek to address underlying market dysfunctions

Introducing UNCDF’s Financial innovation lab

UNCDF is hosting Financial Innovation Lab (FinLab) based out of key markets and serving regional agenda of UNCDF. With FinLab, UNCDF would focus on supporting work around inclusive innovation under the by creating partnerships and providing tools and resources. The focus under inclusive innovation is to support development of new use-cases, products or business models that could drive outcomes around financial health/financial security for different segments, including women, youth, refugees, migrants, MSMEs, farmers, etc. This will be achieved by supporting various stakeholders in the market through:

1. working with the established providers to solve some key challenges of these segments by crowding in solutions across start-ups or individuals,
2. working with start-ups to solve use-cases that would drive customers to actively consume financial and digital services; and
3. working with government and regulators to support innovation and open frameworks that could drive creation of plug and play model between start-ups and industry players.

The work under the FinLab is structured within three pillars, that allow to deliver on different outcomes, that is Community, Academy and Venture.

Deberes y responsabilidades

UNCDF is seeking a Community Associate who can support the work of one of the FinLab pillars “Community”, in the following areas of work:

1. Community events (i.e. speaker series):

Curate, plan, organize, execute and manage four (4) community events by inviting guest speakers (e.g. experts, innovators, entrepreneurs or corporates) to share experience, knowledge or insights on topics related to financial inclusion or innovation with audience such as startups, corporates, banks, financial institutions, entrepreneurs, etc.

2. Community platforms:

Curate, plan, organize, execute and manage a community platform by (1) building the community and (2) engaging with the members of the community with topics of discussion or learning and insights from other markets.

3. Mentoring program:

1. Manage a mentoring platform that is already available to FinLab by making sure that the platform works well for all the online mentoring sessions and providing feedback for the improvement of the platform.
2. Connect, build and manage the community of mentors and on-board them on the mentoring platform.
3. Plan, organize and execute 15 mentoring sessions with at least, in total, 15 hours from 15 different mentors or 15 different mentees. The Community Associate will report to the Digital Innovation Specialist of the FinLab. Following are the activities and deliverables of the consultant:

Competencias

• Experience in liaising with partners — from early stage companies to mature organizations
• Open to work in multi-cultural and diverse team of professionals
• Results-driven, problem-solver with structuring and analytic capabilities
• Inspires others, influences and builds trust
• Strong communicator that can serve multiple functions as needed
• Basic coding knowledge
• High degree of organization and initiative
• Diligence and attention to detail
• Ability to multi-task and work independently
• Ability to prioritize and work under pressure
• Self-management and emotional intelligence

Habilidades y experiencia requeridas

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in either economics, social or international development, finance, business administration, public policy, computer science or related field

Experience:

• At least 1 years of professional experience in digital finance, banking, microfinance, telecom preferably in Asia
• At least 1 year in organizing events or learning programmes
• Previous experience with UN agencies or UN funded projects
• Exceptional written and oral communications skills.

Language:

• Excellent written and oral English is mandatory.

Timeline, total number of working days, duty station:

• Timeline: October 2019 to January 2020
• Total Number of Working Days for Assignment: Max of 80 working days within 4 months
• Duty station: Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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.

Please note that consultants residing in the duty station will not be compensated for living expenses.

Progress Controls & Payments:

Payment will be made against each satisfactorily achieved deliverables. All payments are subject to the clearance and approval of the Digital Innovation Specialist - FinLab.

Final payment shall require a signed performance evaluation of the consultant.

Application process:

Interested individuals/companies 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);
• Earliest availability and proposed schedule for consultancy;
• Curriculum Vitae with names and current contacts of 3 referees
• Signed financial proposal for the assignment outlining: All-inclusive fee (including professional fees and other professional expenses, such as insurance, taxes, etc.), Available at http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=29916). The consultant’s hosting is provided by UNCDF, therefore no DSA or living allowance is to be quoted in the financial proposal.

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

Evaluation

The Technical Evaluation will entail three key steps

Step 1: Longlisting.

• Longlisting.

UNCDF will produce a longlist of candidates Applications will be screened and only applicants meeting the following minimum criteria will progress to the pool for shortlisting.

• Bachelor’s degree in either economics, social or international development, finance, business administration, public policy, computer science or related field
• At least 1 years of professional experience in digital finance, banking, microfinance, telecom preferably in Asia

Step 2: Shortlisting criteria for Desk Review (Maximum 100 points) are as follows:

• At least 1 year in organizing events or learning programmes – max 40 points
• Previous experience with UN agencies or UN funded projects max 15 points
• Demonstrated experience working in a multicultural team – max 15 points
• Demonstrated experience in liaising with partners from early stage companies to mature organizations – max 20 points
• Excellent English and communication skills -max 10 points

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70% after the desk review will be considered as technically qualified and will be reviewed further for financial evaluation.

Step 3: Financial Evaluation

The following formula will be used to evaluate financial proposal:
Lowest priced proposal/price of the proposal being evaluated 100 points 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 (CV) 70% + financial 30%= 100%.

UNDP’s Individual Consultant’s General Terms and Conditions are provided here:
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/procurement/documents/IC%20-%20General%20Conditions.pdf

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.