Digital Payments Specialist (Open to Tier 1 & 2 Applicants)

Tiered Approach

In line with the commitment to safeguard capacity and support personnel already in the Organization, a majority of UNDP UNCDF/UNV vacancies are advertised using a tiered application process whereby:

• Tier 0: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV IP staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments, whose posts will be abolished, or contracts will be terminated or not renewed during 2026.
• Tier 1: Other UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding permanent (PA) and fixed-term (FTA) appointments
• Tier 2: UNDP/UNCDF/UNV staff holding temporary appointments (TA), personnel on regular PSA contracts, and Expert and Specialist UN Volunteers
• Tier 3 or no tier indicated: All other contract types from UNDP/UNCDF/UNV and other agencies, and other external candidates

Please make note of the Tier(s) indicated in the vacancy title, if any, and ensure that you satisfy the eligibility to apply.

Background

The East African Community (EAC) is one of Africa’s most advanced regional economic blocs, recognized for its strong track record of cooperation in trade, finance, and digital transformation. Cross-border trade plays a pivotal role in the region’s economic fabric, particularly for women and youth-led micro and small enterprises (MSMEs). These enterprises are central to livelihoods, food security, and job creation, and they sustain regional supply chains through the movement of agricultural goods, textiles, foodstuffs, and household items across borders. In doing so, they serve as both economic engines and social safety nets, driving inclusive growth and resilience across East Africa.

To unlock the full potential of cross-border trade, the EAC has embarked on ambitious initiatives to modernize payment systems and accelerate digital integration that is inclusive and responsible, serving women-led enterprises and youth. The EAC Cross-Border Payments Masterplan provides a regional roadmap for harmonized, fast, and low-cost payment systems, while the World Bank–supported East Africa Regional Digital Integration Project (EARDIP) is investing in digital public infrastructure to make trade more inclusive, interoperable, and efficient. Both initiatives emphasize the critical importance of regulatory harmonization and coordination, particularly in areas such as licensing regimes, Know-Your-Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) frameworks, and interoperability standards. Together, these efforts are directly aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Protocol on Digital Trade, which seeks to build a unified African digital economy by lowering transaction costs, boosting competitiveness, and expanding access to inclusive finance. 

Despite these advances, cash continues to dominate transactions in informal cross-border trade, which remains a lifeline for millions of traders, particularly those living and operating around border areas. Heavy reliance on cash is particularly pronounced at strategic border crossings such as Namanga (Kenya - Tanzania), Gatuna (Rwanda - Uganda), and Rusumo (Rwanda -Tanzania), among others, where traders engage in daily exchanges with limited access to secure, affordable, and interoperable digital payment solutions. Here, traders face persistent challenges — including limited access to fit-for-purpose financial products, low levels of trust in digital systems, and lack of awareness of available products and redress mechanisms. Regulatory bottlenecks, along with concerns around fraud, hidden charges, and dispute resolution, further discourage the transition from cash to digital transactions. The reliance on cash exposes traders, especially women and youth to heightened security risks, limited access to capital, and exclusion from formal financial ecosystems. Without digital transaction histories, traders are locked out of affordable credit opportunities, limiting their ability to expand operations, manage risks, or build resilience. This undermines the inclusivity and competitiveness of regional trade and perpetuates cycles of financial exclusion, ultimately hampering economic development within these communities and the region at large. 

It is against this backdrop that the Better Than Cash Alliance (BTCA), which has supported the successful development and implementation of the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade, is spearheading an innovative initiative to pilot responsible, interoperable digital merchant payment solutions at selected EAC border points in order to delivering digital solutions to entrepreneurs in cross-border trade at key border posts in the region. This initiative is grounded in the understanding that digital payments are not just a technological advancement but a strategic driver of financial inclusion, economic opportunity, and greater participation of women and youth in the digital economy. By reducing dependency on cash, digital merchant payments can generate transaction histories that unlock credit, improve transparency, reduce costs, and expand market opportunities for MSMEs. Additionally, digital payments have proven to be safer, and a linkage into greater participation in the digital economy. In doing so, they strengthen productivity and resilience while contributing directly to SDG targets on poverty reduction, gender equality, decent work, and reduced inequalities.

The initiative is designed to be catalytic in several ways. First, it aligns with UNDP’s strategic priorities on inclusive digitalization, financial innovation, and sustainable development, and with BTCA’s mandate to accelerate the responsible transition to inclusive digital payments. Second, it leverages a pilot approach to mobilize key stakeholders and players, test scalable, fit-for-purpose solutions that can be replicated across multiple EAC border points and other regions including ECOWAS and SADC. Third, it provides a regional convening platform, through the planned conference “Making Digital Payments Work for East Africa” to share evidence, disseminate lessons, and mobilize commitments from governments, regulators, financial service providers, fintechs, traders’ associations, and regional economic communities.

BTCA has partnered with UNDP Tanzania Country office to activate pilots for responsible digital payments serving traders in border communities transacting within the EAC. Given Tanzania’s strategic position within both EAC and SADC, there is an opportunity to scale and leverage the COMESA-EAC-SADC tripartite agreement. These activations demonstrate leadership in building interoperable digital ecosystems that reduce cash dependency, expand pathways to credit for MSMEs, and foster resilient and inclusive economies across East Africa. Ultimately, this work contributes to the broader regional and continental agenda of leveraging digital transformation as a driver of inclusive trade, sustainable finance, and gender-responsive economic growth.

Scope of Work

To support BTCA in articulating the Theory of Change and accelerate the adoption of cross-border digital payments solutions across different regions in Africa, BTCA is seeking to hire an IPSAS to work alongside the UNDP Tanzania Country to perform the following:

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Theory of Change: Cash to Digital Payments

• Develop a robust theory of change articulating pathways through which shifts from cash to digital payments drive impact;
• Map the contribution of digital payments to advancing financial inclusion, gender equality, and the SDGs;
• Align theory of change with UNDP strategic priorities and relevant national/regional frameworks.

2. Impact Assessment and Knowledge Products

• Assess socio-economic impact of digital payments, particularly for women, youth, and rural communities;
• Provide a comprehensive legal and regulatory landscape highlighting opportunities and challenges within the existing frameworks, and providing comparative analyses with other regions;
• Co-produce knowledge products with local/regional academic and research institutions to serve as blueprints for replication in other regions across Africa;
• Provide evidence-based insights on how digital and financial inclusion is changing lives and advancing the SDGs.

3. Partnerships with Higher Learning Institutions

• Engage universities and research institutions to manage learning and sustain documentation;
• Build capacity of academic partners to conduct research and produce policy-relevant evidence and embed learnings into future or current curricula;
• Facilitate collaboration with the SDG Academy and other knowledge platforms for wider dissemination.

4. Knowledge Documentation and Dissemination

• Document lessons learned, best practices, challenges and opportunities from pilot initiatives;
• Develop case studies showcasing how responsible and inclusive digital finance is transforming livelihoods with real life scenarios;
• Ensure gender-responsive and inclusive approaches in all initiatives and engagements.

5. Policy Advocacy and Regional/Government Engagement

• Generate policy recommendations to influence national financial inclusion strategies and regulatory frameworks;
• Support advocacy with relevant policymakers and regulators on sustainable digital transitions;
• Facilitate knowledge exchange with COMESA, SADC, and ECOWAS to support regional scaling under the AfCFTA umbrella.

6. Capacity Development

• Strengthen internal UNDP staff capacity on digital financial services and financial inclusion;
• Organize trainings, workshops, and peer learning sessions with various partners;
• Develop policy briefs, guidance materials and toolkits for replication at country and regional levels.

7. Other functions

• Support BTCA and UNDP Tanzania Co to develop large, related program with a diverse funding base including program aimed at creating significant impact on digital trade in the region and coordinate the implementation with respective UNDP Country Offices to ensure donor requirements are met;
• Any other related administrative responsibilities contributing to the successful implementation of responsible digital payments under the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade.

The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization

Institutional arrangement

• Dar es Salaam, Tanzania: The Digital Payments Specialist will work under the direct supervision of the UNDP Tanzania Country Office Program Specialist running the EAC community cross-border pilot and with the UNDP Tanzania Country Office DRR on diversifying the funding base; 
• The Digital Payments Specialist will work closely with the BTCA Advocacy and Partnerships Specialist based in Nairobi to help apply the lessons learned from the Tanzania Pilot to other regions across Africa;
• The candidate will liaise with other UNDP Country Offices, Regional Hubs, higher learning institutions, and regional economic communities as necessary;
• Regular updates and progress reviews will be conducted through virtual meetings and written reports.

Competencies

Cross-Functional/Technical competencies

Business Development

• Knowledge Generation

  • Ability to research information and to turn it into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need;

  • Ability to apply existing concepts to new situations, and to develop new concepts to generate workable solutions and new approaches.

• Communication

  • Communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience.

• Partnership Management

  • Build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies.

2030 Agenda/Prosperity

• Recovery Solutions and Human Mobility

  • Cash Based Livelihoods;

  • Cash Based Transfers;

  • Digital innovations in adapting employment, livelihoods (incl. cash handouts) and provision of basic services.

Business Direction and Strategy

• Systems Thinking

  • Ability to use objective problem analysis.

Required Skills and Experience

Minimum Education Requirements

• Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Economics, Public Policy, Development Studies, Finance, Digital Innovation, or related field is required or:
• A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above, in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree.

Minimum years of relevant work experience

• A minimum of 5 years (with master’s degree) or 7 years (with bachelor’s degree) of experience in digital finance, financial inclusion, or related areas is required.

Required Skills

• Proven experience in developing theories of change, knowledge products, and policy briefs.

Desired skills in addition to the competencies covered in the competencies section

• Previous experience with the UN and/or international organization, familiarity with its mandate and work is an asset;
• Experience in Communication is desired Experience working with academic institutions, regional bodies (COMESA, SADC, ECOWAS), or UN/International organizations;
• Strong background in gender-responsive and inclusive development approaches.

Required Language(s) 

• Fluency in English.
• Knowledge of Kiswahili language is desirable.

Professional Certificates

• Finance professional certificates will be an added advantage.

Equal opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, UNDP values diversity as an expression of the multiplicity of nations and cultures where we operate and, as such, we encourage qualified applicants from all backgrounds to apply for roles in the organization. Our employment decisions are based on merit and suitability for the role, without discrimination. 

UNDP is also committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all personnel are empowered to contribute to our mission, are valued, can thrive, and benefit from career opportunities that are open to all.

Sexual harassment, exploitation, and abuse of authority

UNDP does not tolerate harassment, sexual harassment, exploitation, discrimination and abuse of authority. All selected candidates, therefore, undergo relevant checks and are expected to adhere to the respective standards and principles. 

Right to select multiple candidates

UNDP reserves the right to select one or more candidates from this vacancy announcement.  We may also retain applications and consider candidates applying to this post for other similar positions with UNDP at the same grade level and with similar job description, experience and educational requirements.

Use of AI by candidates

Applicants are invited to read UNDP’s guidance for candidates on using AI responsibly in UNDP recruitment and selection

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