Financi Inclusion Prog Manager

The United Nations Capital Development Fund (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 and the Pacific, with a special commitment to countries emerging from conflict or crisis.

UNCDF also has expertise in forming partnerships to spur innovation and convening stakeholders to coordinate activities, exchange insights, and scale impact. UNCDF is thus well positioned to complement existing livelihood programming and improve refugees’ situation and the local economy by supporting the expansion of savings groups and digital and financial literacy. In the long-term, data gathered through these activities can also be used to influence policy changes that create a more enabling environment for financial inclusion.

UNCDF is developing two programmes which will combine financial and digital literacy programmes along with financial inclusion interventions in Tanzania: 1) A country-wide programme focusing on the economic empowerment of women and youth; and 2) A pilot programme to accelerate refugee’s linkage to the financial sector in Nyarugusu Camp, with long-term goals of expanding to additional camps in Tanzania as well as the wider community in Kigoma District. 

Under the direct supervision of Programme Specialist, Financial Inclusion, the National UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:

1.    Project Management and Coordination:

•  Provides project management, quality control and supervision for the savings group pilot project in Nyarugusu Refugee Camp, Kasulu, Tanzania
• Leads project delivery and achievement of objectives by working with and supporting implementing partners’ project-related activities;
• Identifies weak performance and works with the partners to find a solution;
• Ensures effective programme coordination between the implementing NGOs and other development partners, and ensures that all stakeholders are communicating with each other to enhance synergies;
• Supports sub-contracted consultants in their work and ensures they have access to required resources and data;
• Manages and ensures effective transfer of knowledge from consultants to partners;
• Contributes to the creation and sharing of lessons learned and good practices gleaned from the implementation of the project;
• Participates actively in meetings and reviews;
• Supports the Programme Specialist with program-related tasks and missions related to financial inclusion.

2.    Technical Support and Capacity Building:

• Provides technical assistance to savings group trainers and implementing partner staff;
• Evaluates progress and identifies gaps in training and capacity through regular monitoring as well as feedback from client focus group sessions;
• Designs capacity building and refresher program for trainers;
• Identifies other opportunities for integrating saving group approach in existing partner programming;
• Provides informational sessions on savings groups and financial education to UN agencies, implementing organizations and local government authorities;
• Drafts case studies and briefs on project highlights.

3.    Monitoring & Evaluation

• Collects and analyzes data from implementing partners on key performance indicators;
• Measures project targets and activity progress, including social and gender dimensions and indicators of progress on a quarterly basis;
• Produces regular quarterly reports summarizing project progress and analysis of data.

4.    Partnership and Program Development

• Builds relationships with local and international NGOs and other stakeholders who will act as implementing and development partners;
• Identifies common areas of interest, leveraging tools and intelligence of the pilot project, to build and maintain technical and strategic partnerships;
• Develops and maintains effective relationships with local government authorities;

5.     Resource Mobilization:

• Capitalizes on local opportunities and domestic mobilization resources for the project;
• Develops and negotiates funding proposals for project expansion and builds partnerships with the locally based donors and other development actors;
• Works closely and liaises with the internal UN system to explore operational and implementation synergies

6.    Policy Advocacy on access to finance, women’s economic empowerment and local economic development in Tanzania;

• Supports policy development in the area of access to finance, savings groups, and women’s economic empowerment, drawing on the latest research and substantive dialogue with key practitioners and major international institutions. Focuses on the distinct needs of refugees and host communities, and how policies can be adapted and applied to support inclusive economic development;
•  Contributes to regional debates and consultation processes related to UNCDF (and other UN agencies where applicable) on women’s economic empowerment and financial inclusion;
• Organizes regional workshop for sharing of lessons and experiences.

Furthermore, UN Volunteers are required to:

• Strengthen their knowledge and understanding of the concept of volunteerism by reading relevant UNV and external publications and take active part in UNV activities (for instance in events that mark International Volunteer Day);
• Contribute articles/write-ups on field experiences and submit them for UNV publications/websites, newsletters, press releases, etc.;
• Assist with the UNV Buddy Programme for newly-arrived UN Youth Volunteers;
• Promote or advise local groups in the use of online volunteering, or encourage relevant local individuals and organizations to use the UNV Online Volunteering service whenever technically possible.
• Serve and promote the vision, mission, values, and strategic goals of the UNCDF and its expansion programmes in Tanzania;
• Plan, prioritize, and deliver tasks on time;
• Respond flexibly & positively to change through active involvement

• Bachelor’s degree in international relations, international development, economics or related field is required;
• 5 years of experience
• Extensive training experience with saving groups and/or rural communities;
•  Expertise in adapting financial education to target clients and training clients;
•  Ability to collect, organize and analyse data in excel;
•  Ability to oversee timely project implementation and to provide necessary trouble shooting to keep project implementation on schedule;
• Strong communication and writing skills with fluency in powerpoint;
• Understanding of political environment, reform issues and policy formulation;
• Capacity to organize and lead workshops;
• Ability to undertake results-based management and reporting;
• Self-motivated team player;
• Consultative and empowering working style and willingness to learn from others;
• Ability to plan own work, set priorities and complete tasks while facing competing demands; A strong commitment to gender sensitive, inclusive and pro-poor development works;
• Demonstrated interest in financial inclusion and financial/digital capability for vulnerable and rural populations;
• Knowledge of latest developments in the field regarding application of technology packages to innovate in products and services – including digital financial services;
• Interest and some prior experience working with refugees and/or in a post-conflict or relief context is a plus;
• Strong analytical, organizational and communication skills;
• Familiarity with UN/UNCDF systems, rules and procedures is an advantage;
• Prepared to travel widely in Tanzania and to spend a large percentage of time in and near the Nyarugusu Refugee Camp (Kasulu, Kigoma Region);
• Good interpersonal, networking and communication skills;
• Willingness to contribute and work as part of a team;
• Respect for diversity and adaptability to other cultures, environments and living conditions;
• Computer skills (i.e. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, social media, and others).
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral);
• Sensitivity to and responsiveness to all partners;
• Respectful and helpful relations with all UN partner agencies and staff;

Language: Fluency in spoken and written Swahili and English is required, and knowledge of Kirundi and/or French is an asset.

United Nations Volunteers is an equal opportunity programme which welcomes applications from qualified professionals. We are committed to achieving diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture.