Digital Financial Services Expert (UNCDF - Mobile Money For The Poor (MM4P) Programme, Lilongwe, Malawi

Closing date: Tuesday, 10 March 2015

DIGITAL FINANCIAL SERVICES EXPERT, (UNCDF: MOBILE MONEY FOR THE POOR (MM4P) PROGRAMME

Advertised on behalf of : UNCDF

Location : Lilongwe, MALAWI

Application Deadline : 10-Mar-15

Additional Category

Poverty Reduction

Type of Contract : Service Contract

Post Level : SB-5

Languages Required : English

Starting Date : (date when the selected candidate is expected to start)

01-Apr-2015

Duration of Initial Contract : 1 Year

Expected Duration of Assignment : 1 Year

Background

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.

UNCDF works to enlarge peoples' choices: it believes that poor people and communities should take decisions about their own development. Its programmes help to empower women - over 50% of the clients of UNCDF-supported microfinance institutions are women - and its expertise in microfinance and local development is shaping new responses to food insecurity, climate change and other challenges. UNCDF works in challenging environments - remote rural areas, countries emerging from conflict - and paves the way for others to follow. Its programmes are designed to catalyze larger investment flows from the private sector, development partners and national governments, for significant impact on the Millennium Development Goals, especially Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger, Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women, and Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability.

A statement of work (SOW) has been agreed between UNCDF and USAID to assist Malawi Government accelerate transition of payments from cash to electronic. The SOW will leverage USAID's partnership with the UNCDF, which is the secretariat of the Better than Cash Alliance (BTCA), to create an enabling environment for the large-scale adoption of digital payment streams. UNCDF through it global thematic programmes Mobile Money for the Poor (MM4P) and better Than Cash Alliance (BTCA) will provide technical assistance in the implementation of this initiative. The Better Than Cash Alliance seeks to leverage the leadership of governments, the networks of development organizations and the expertise of the private sector in payment technologies to replace the use of cash in their programming and payment streams with electronic payments, where appropriate. MM4P on the other hand focusses on building inclusive digital financial sectors such that a wide range of digital financial services are provided responsibly, and at reasonable cost, by sustainable institutions in a well-regulated environment.

The Digital Financial Services Expert will act as a technical advisor to UNCDF's Programme in Malawi, providing technical inputs as needed (i.e. TORs, input to technical documents). S/he will work liaise mainly with external partners, *i.e. UNCDF Grantees (government and private sector) as per UNCDF instructions, focusing on moving forward the agenda of UNCDF's MM4p and BCTA programs within the context of UNCDF's contribution to the goals of the Malawi UNDAF.

Duties and Responsibilities

Support the dissemination and utilization of information on innovative payment reforms at the sectorial and national scale, through existing working groups such as the Mobile Money Coordination Group (MMCG), Financial Inclusion Working Group and other relevant fora;

• Participating and contributing at relevant working groups' meetings and engaging key stakeholders (Government officials, MNOs, Banks, Agent Network Managers and others) on the MM4P and BTCA program activities.
• Organizing workshops and trainings around electronic payments and Digital Financial services themes.

Support progress towards a digital payments ecosystem by raising awareness of the benefits of ecosystem approaches and/or the organization of digital payments ecosystem working groups:

• Facilitates the exchange of insights, experiences and technical expertise through hosted peer-to-peer exchanges, conferences and meetings within the country.
• Support the introduction and build awareness of the BTCA sponsored research within key stakeholders;
• Implements BTCA Knowledge Management strategy for Malawi as per instructions from UNCDF.
• Disseminates relevant publications and toolkits to stakeholders;

Develop collaborative action plans to accelerate the adoption of G2P payments;

• Identify and engage with private sector entities with key assets and/or substantial payment streams for conversion to digital payments;
• Supports MM4P and BTCA in EOIs and grant processes when aimed at Malawi stakeholders.
• Assist in the transitioning of at least two Government of Malawi payment streams from cash to digital;

Expected results:

• Government led and endorsed roadmap for the transition from cash to electronic payments developed and approved;
• Viable public and private sector partnerships in Digital Financial Services facilitated and established and an ecosystem approach adopted;
• At least two government payment streams transitioned from cash to digital by June 2016.
• Buy in and commitment of key stakeholders to shift from cash to digital.

Competencies

Core Competencies:

• Comfortable advocating and advancing an agenda, including with high level counterparts and other stakeholders;
• Demonstrates ethics and integrity;
• Experience in working with Government;
• Excellent communication skills;
• Understands how to build strategic partnerships and alliances;
• Remains calm, confident, in control and good humored even under pressure.

Functional Competencies:

• Knowledge on of digital financial services and national payment systems
• Familiarity with the concepts in to financial inclusion.
• Adequate understanding of key players in digital financial services and their interrelatedness;
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities, and resolve problems;
• Approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude and responds positively to feedback;
• Comfortable forming, leading or being part of teams and working with stakeholders to achieve common goals.
• General IT skills, including ability to work regularly with MS Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint.

Required Skills and Experience

• A Master's degree in Information Technology, Economics, Finance, Public/Business Administration, Social Sciences, or related discipline or the relevant experience
• A minimum of five (5) years' experience in progressively responsible positions in the financial services and/or telecommunications, particularly related to payments and payment methods;
• A minimum of three (3) years' experience working with branchless banking and mobile financial services;
• A minimum of one (1) years' experience working on government payments
• Substantive experience in project management.
• Experience in working with Government
• Excellent interpersonal skills or Experience in bringing coalitions together

UNDP 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.

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