Background
Instructions to Applicants: Click on the "Apply now" button. Input your information in the appropriate Sections: personal information, language proficiency, education, resume and motivation. Upon completion of the first page, please hit "submit application" tab at the end of the page. Please ensure that CV or P11 and the Cover letter are combined in one file.
The following documents shall be required from the applicants:
Personal CV or P11, indicating all past positions held and their main underlying functions, their durations (month/year), the qualifications, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate, and at least three (3) the most recent professional references of previous supervisors. References may also include peers.
A cover letter (maximum length: 1 page) indicating why the candidate considers him-/herself to be suitable for the position.
Managers may ask (ad hoc) for any other materials relevant to pre-assessing the relevance of their experience, such as reports, presentations, publications, campaigns or other materials.
Office/Unit/Project Description
a) The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development. UNCDF’s financing models work through two channels: financial inclusion that expands the opportunities for individuals, households, and small businesses to participate in the local economy, providing them with the tools they need to climb out of poverty and manage their financial lives; and by showing how localized investments—through fiscal decentralization, innovative municipal finance, and structured project finance—can drive public and private funding that underpins local economic expansion and sustainable development.
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 aligns with the vision of promoting digital economies that leave no one behind.
UNCDF is bringing its expertise in promoting green and climate-resilient communities and in financial inclusion, in support of job creation, under the “Jobs, skills and finance (JSF) for women and youth in The Gambia 2018 - 2023” programme funded by the 11th European Development Fund. This programme will contribute to stabilizing the economic, social, and security situation of the country during the democratic transition by facilitating social inclusion and employment of youth and women, with a specific emphasis on promoting gender equality and addressing climate change. It will do so through two components:
- Component 1: Job creation for the youth, women, and local communities and equal access to employable skills development.
- Component 2: Improved access to finance
The Senior DFS Expert will be responsible for the component 2 of the programme. UNCDF strategy is based on a market system development approach and implementation of activities at the micro, meso, and macro levels. At micro level, seven partnerships have already been signed with financial service providers and fintechs. The final objective is to reach 100,000 beneficiaries, giving them access to formal financial services and financial literacy. At meso level, UNCDF is supposed to organize a working group to gather stakeholders from the ecosystem and share best practices. At macro level, the Central Bank of Gambia has been supported to launch its National Financial Inclusion Strategy and UNCDF will keep supporting to implement it. UNCDF is also supporting the Ministry of Women Children and Social Welfare to digitize some activities and support women in the country with access finance.
Other activities at the micro-level are focused on helping de-risk both Cash for Work Beneficiaries and other vulnerable groups through the identification of other investments such as the development of crowdfunding platforms, integration of digital financial services such psychometric testing application, and the development of financial services and products for women. Other activities for the meso and macro level sector include diagnostics, training, and data availability such as Finscope studies and supporting the Central Bank of the Gambia with the development of the National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS).
Institutional Arrangement
The Expert will work under the supervision of the Youth Empowerment Lead based in Dakar, Senegal, and with reporting lines to the Programme Management Specialist in the Gambia. The expert will work in collaboration with the JSF Programme team in the Gambia.
Duties and Responsibilities
Scope of Work
The Senior DFS Expert will be responsible for managing the JSF Programme in the Gambia, implementing programme activities, providing technical assistance to partners including regulators, Financial Service Providers, and Fintechs; identify peer to peer learning opportunities; and lead the development and dissemination of lessons learned and best practices in DFS and financial services for youth and women.
Summary of essential functions:
a) Lead the JSF Programme implementation in the Gambia for IDE (50%):
The Expert will be tasked to ensure the implementation of the activities under the JSF Programme. He will be providing technical assistance to the 7 partners, including FSPs, Fintechs and Ministry of Women Children and Social Welfare. He will be responsible for following-up on PBAs and ensuring delivery. He will be in charge of the relationship with the Central Bank of Gambia and support joint activities.
He will be working closely with the JSF Programme team to ensure results are achieved. He will also have to coordinate with the Programme Management Specialist in the Gambia and represent UNCDF IDE in the country with donors, government, and all relevant stakeholders.
Implement Macro level activities:
- Support Central Bank of Gambia for NFIS implementation and recruit a consultant on regulation issues
- Provide technical assistance to the Ministry of Women Children and Social Welfare and support innovative finance. Ensure development of database and deployment of a gender application.
Implement Meso-level activities:
- Provide technical assistance to Reliance to develop and deploy women products
- Ensure recruitment to refresh the FinScope as a follow-up to FinScope Gambia 2019
Implement Micro level activities:
- Provide technical assistance to Reliance and QMoney to ensure CFW activities
- Support ThundaFund as pioneer in crowdfunding in Gambia
- Ensure InSIST digital solution is tailored to entrepreneurs, facilitate access to credit and promote training
- Support MaTontine in saving groups digitization scale up
- Provide technical assistance to Pay365 to ensure their wallet services are deployed in the country
b) Lead IDES implementation in The Gambia (10%):
Lead IDES 22 data collection, draft report and engage with the key government officials (Ministry of Finance, Office of the President, etc.) to ensure buy in and ownership of the tool.
c) Contribute to Knowledge Management and results measurement activities (20%):
The Expert will be in charge of implementing the KM plan to make sure lessons learned and best practices are adequately documented and shared. He will also have to comply with obligations vis à vis of donors in terms of communication and visibility. This includes but is not limited to: organization of workshops, webinar and other sharing events; blog articles, case studies and other publications; social media management. He will work closely with the Communications analyst in Gambia and the Media and Communication Specialist in Dakar.
The Expert will be in charge of supporting partners reporting and ensure quality of the data. He will be in charge of reporting to the donor for annual and final report.
d) Support Fund raising initiatives (20%):
The Expert will support the team efforts to raise funds in The Gambia, including conducting desk review research, drafting concept notes and proposals and engaging with key stakeholders and donors. In the context of conducting the IDES exercise and encouraging the government buy in and ownership of the tool, the Expert will explore opportunities for partnering with the government in seeking funding to cover specific gaps.
Competencies
Core | |
| Achieve Results: | LEVEL 3: Prioritize team workflow, mobilize resources, drive scalable results/strategic impact |
| Think Innovatively: | LEVEL 3: Easily navigate complexity, encourage/enable radical innovation, has foresight |
| Learn Continuously: | LEVEL 3: Create and act on opportunities to expand horizons, diversify experiences |
| Adapt with Agility: | LEVEL 3: Proactively initiate and champion change, manage multiple competing demands |
| Act with Determination: | LEVEL 3: Think beyond immediate task/barriers and take action to achieve greater results |
| Engage and Partner: | LEVEL 3: Construct strategic multi- partner alliances in high stake situations, foster co-creation |
| Enable Diversity and Inclusion: | LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity | |
| People Management (Insert below standard sentence if the position has direct reports.) Not applicable. UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site. Cross-Functional & Technical competencies | ||
Thematic Area | Name | Definition |
Business development | Knowledge generation | Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated need |
| Business management | Project management | Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals |
Business management | Communication | Ability to 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 Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other appropriate channels |
Business management | Monitoring | Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results |
Digital & innovation | Digital ecosystems | Knowledge of how they work, understanding of the opportunities and challenges for governments and society |
Required Skills and Experience
Minimum education requirements |
|
Min. years of relevant Work experience |
|
Required skills |
|
Desired additional skills |
|
Required Language(s) (at working level) |
|
| Min. Education requirements | For some functions where academic qualifications are not required, these may be compensated by additional years of work experience |
Enable Diversity and Inclusion:
LEVEL 3: Appreciate benefits of diverse workforce and champion inclusivity
People Management (Insert below standard sentence if the position has direct reports.)
Not applicable.
UNDP People Management Competencies can be found in the dedicated site.
Cross-Functional & Technical competencies
Thematic Area
Name
Definition
Business development
Knowledge generation
Ability to research and turn information into useful knowledge, relevant for context, or responsive to a stated
need
Business
management
Project
management
Ability to plan, organize, prioritize and control resources,
procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
Business management
Communication
Ability to 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 Ability to manage communications internally and externally, through media, social media and other
appropriate channels
Business management
Monitoring
Ability to provide managers and key stakeholders with regular feedback on the consistency or discrepancy
between planned and actual activities and programme performance and results
Digital & innovation
Digital ecosystems
Knowledge of how they work, understanding of the opportunities and challenges for governments and society
Desired additional skills
- Familiarity with human-centred design and intersectional gender analysis
- Prior experience in Africa, Asia or the Pacific is preferred
- Experience building and maintaining relationships with a variety of stakeholders
Required Language(s) (at working level)
- Excellent speaking and writing skills in English is mandatory
- Communication skills in French is considered a distinct advantage
Min. Education
requirements
For some functions where academic qualifications are not required,
these may be compensated by additional years of work experience