Digital Financial Services Expert

INTERNAL/EXTERNAL VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

ZAMLU/VA/ 2019/06

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Zambia invites candidates to apply for the following position:

Job Title: Digital Financial Services expert

Position No: XXX
Duty Station: Lusaka
Contract Type/Level: Short term Consultant (20 working days from September 1 to December 31, 2019)
Issue Date: 14th August 2019
Closing Date: 18th August 2019
Applications Details: HOW TO APPLY

Applicants should clearly indicate the Title of the Position and Vacancy Notice Number: ZAMLU/VA/2019/006 Please note that applications that do not have the post title and/or vacancy number on top of the envelope shall not be CONSIDERED.

Due to the volume of applications, only short listed candidates will be invited for interview.

EXTERNAL CANDIDATES

External candidates should submit a letter of motivation along with a duly completed Personal History Form.

Applications after closing date will not be considered.

Organisational Context:

UNHCR is UN’s Humanitarian Aid Agency. UNHCR Zambia supports over 74,000 refugees across three settlements in zambia and in Lusaka. UNHCR amongst other support also provides cash to targeted persons of concern. In 2017, through a partnership with UNCDF, UNHCR moved from cash in hand support to digital money. UNHCR aims to improve the way cash is delivered and this project aims to address some of the gaps identified.
UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s 49 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, with a special commitment to countries emerging from conflict or crisis. Please refer to http://www.uncdf.org/ for more information.

Mobile Money for the Poor (MM4P) is a UNCDF programme that seeks to demonstrate how the correct mix of technical, financial, and policy support can assist in scaling up sustainable branchless and mobile financial services that reach the poor in very low-income countries. MM4P is currently present in Benin, Laos, Liberia, Malawi, Nepal, Senegal, Uganda and Zambia.
MM4P is interested in seeing Zambia become a leading digital financial services (DFS) market, including mobile phone and other means of branchless banking. For more background about the DFS Ecosystem in Zambia and the MM4P Zambia program, please see our report on the State of the Digital Financial Services Market in Zambia here:

project Background

UNHCR and UNCDF are working together to digitize cash based interventions (CBI) in Zambia. Since 2018, in two settlements UNHCR has been making payments using mobile money. As a way to further strengthen the implementation and support to Persons of Concern (PoC), UNHCR wants to set up a complaints and feedback mechanism for CBI in the field as well as set up permanent tellers/ sub-agents in the settlement.
Given this background, UNCDF and UNHCR is seeking the services of an Digital Financial Services expert to support in the implementation as well as monitor the CFM and sub agents/ tellers in the settlement.

Under the joint supervision of the UNHCR CBI Officer and the UNCDF Regional Technical Specialist, the Consultant will specifically undertake the following activities:

• Monitor functioning of agents in Meheba settlement after each payment cycle (2 visits)
• Interviews with 50 CBI PoCs (sample from all blocks) on CBI delivery including CFM
• Train agents and super agents on CBI requirements like ensuring end to end registration, update of SIM Card details, verification of identity, ensuring sufficient liquidity, customer service, financial education and any other areas of importance
• Develop a new or Tailor existing tools to help agents manage liquidity with Airtel
  Develop and document pain points and propose solutions for effective delivery of CBI

The consultant will be required to develop the following deliverables;

1. Due December 15 2019 Final Report: Key lessons learnt from implementation of CFM and permanent agents in the settlement

a. Challenges/ areas of improvements
b. Solutions for better implementation
c. Critical gaps

2. Three (3) days after each mission (August and November) Mission report from each visit including:

a. Summary of agents visited, their successes/challenges
b. Analysis of the training levels and measurement of training levels for agents and super-agents

3. August 31, 2019 – Hard and Soft copy of Liquidity management tools tailored for agents/super agents in Meheba

Competencies

Technical Competencies:

• Proven experience in setting up, training and managing agent network in rural areas
• Proven experience in setting up and managing customer complaints and feedback mechanism
• Experience managing or conducting data collection and primary research
• A broad knowledge of concepts in to digital financial inclusion. Good understanding of legal and regulatory issues related to DF;
• Experience working with the mass market, including rural or low-income communities, preferably related to financial services;

Core Competencies;

• Demonstrates ethics and integrity;
• Displays cultural and gender sensitivity and adaptability;
• Builds confidence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
• Conducts fair and transparent decision making;
• Creates and promotes open communication;

Functional Competencies:

• Learning and sharing knowledge and encourage the learning of others;
• Acting as a team player and facilitating team work;
• Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively;
• Excellent speaking and writing skills in English and additional local languages. Ability to translate complex technical ideas to a non-technical audience in both verbally and in writing;
• Understanding of need for confidentially of information associated with customer and partner data

Minimum Education and Experience:

Education:

• A bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Public/Business Administration, Economics or related discipline or the equivalent experience;

Experience:

• A minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in financial services industry at the national or international level is mandatory;
• A minimum of two (2) years dedicated experience (more desirable) in managing agent network and customer and complaints mechanism
• Understanding of Digital Financial Services concepts and issues related to financial inclusion is highly desirable;
• Ability to translate highly technical terms into language that is easily understood by the layperson;
• Excellent attention to detail, a proactive approach to achieving key results, and a high level of thoroughness in a complex multitasking and matrix management environment;

Language:

• Fluency in English

Timeline, duration of assignment, duty station and expected places of travel:

• Timeline: September to December 2019
• Location(s); The project will be carried out in Meheba, Kalumbila District
• Total Number of Working Days for Assignment: 20 days

Travel:

• The consultant will be expected to travel to Meheba at least 3 times during the assignment and would also have to meet with Airtel, UNHCR and UNCDF in Lusaka and Solwezi

Provision of Monitoring, Progress Controls & Payments:

• The consultant will work under the direct supervision of Regional Technical Specialist with UNCDF and with CBI Officer in UNHCR
• Payment will be made upon satisfactory completion of 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.