Summary
Date Posted: Tuesday, January 19, 2021 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
About UNCDF
The United Nations 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.
ACCESS TO FINANCE IN TANZANIA
In line with the UNCDF global strategy of Leaving No-One Behind in the Digital Era and countries’ UN Development Assistance Plan, UNCDF is supporting inclusive economies to help smallholder farmers and other vulnerable populations thrive. This includes contributing to refugee response initiatives and considering the consequences of the COVID-19 health pandemic in terms of food security, food systems, livelihoods, financial inclusion and last but not least, social cohesion. This programme uses a market development approach that is rooted on five decades of fostering financial inclusion and local development, digital economies and partnerships for the SDGs, digital and financial literacy, as well as reaching the most underserved populations by promoting community-based frugal innovation as well as strengthening savings and production groups.
KIGOMA JOINT PROGRAMME
The Kigoma Joint Programme (KJP) involves 16 different UN Agencies and is being implemented in cooperation with the regional and district authorities based on the development needs of the region and the capacities of the UN in Tanzania. By expanding and increasing the support to host communities the programme contributes to enhancement of co-existence between the refugee/migrant population and the host population. Through supporting stability and prosperity in Kigoma the programme contributes to the stability of the Great Lakes region.
The 16 participating UN agencies are cooperating across seven themes which are Sustainable energy and environment; Youth and women’s economic empowerment; Ending violence against women and children; Education with a focus on adolescent girls and young women; WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene); Agriculture with a focus on developing local markets; and an Integrated Programme on Health, HIV and Nutrition.
UNCDF contributes to two themes, namely Youth and women’s economic empowerment and Agriculture, in partnerships with the Kigoma Youth Agricultural Development Organization, Danish Refugee Council, Norwegian Church Aid and Digital Mobile Africa to facilitate access to finance; as well as Arifu, Fundacion Kapital and Khangarue Media for edutainment material on digital and financial education.
Duties and Responsibilities
The objective of the assignment is to conduct an evaluation(s) of selected KJP projects in terms of their successes, challenges, lessons learned, and way forward. The evaluation should consider the degree to which UNCDF KJP projects met their impact objectives and contributed to empowering beneficiaries and enabling access to finance as well as skill development. Other considerations will be determined in consultation with the UNCDF Country Lead for Rwanda and Tanzania. The consultant will produce at least two publications and create communications materials (e.g. blog posts, conference presentations) as necessary.
The consultant should have demonstrated expertise in the design and implementation of research projects focused on access to finance, gender, and/or youth in Tanzania, as well as relevant experience working on financial inclusion interventions and/or in the financial services industry. (S)He is expected to work under the supervision and guidance of the UNCDF Country Lead for Rwanda & Tanzania or her assignee, and in close collaboration with in-country partners. .

More specific objectives follow:
• Conduct a comprehensive desk review of relevant project-related documents and draft and submit an inception report. The inception report will be a research plan that includes the overall approach and methodology; key lines of inquiry and any interview protocols; data collection tools and mechanisms; proposed list of interviewees; and a proposed work plan and timelines.
• Gain good understanding of UNCDF approaches, tools (access to finance and digital-financial education), partners (implementing, UN and government) and target beneficiaries to evaluate comparative efficiency and effectiveness.
• The consultant may employ any relevant and appropriate quantitative or qualitative methods (s)he deems appropriate to conduct the project final evaluation. Methods could include: desk review of documents; interviews with stakeholders, partners, and beneficiaries; (virtual) field visits; data analysis, etc. However, a combination of primary and secondary, as well as qualitative and quantitative data should be used. The consultant is expected to revise the methodological approach in consultation with key stakeholders as necessary and should present both quantitative data and qualitative findings and data.
• Prepare a draft evaluation report to be submitted to the Country Lead for Rwanda and Tanzania. Key elements of the report will be determined in the inception phase and agreed with the Country Lead for Rwanda and Tanzania but may include:
o Evaluation criteria: e.g. relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, impact, gender;
o The main programming factors of success and challenges;
o The main implementation factors of success and challenges;
o The main gaps and challenges and ways to address them;
o The key actors to whom the recommendation is targeted.
• Produce a final report based on comments from the Country Lead for Rwanda and Tanzania and any other relevant reviewers.
• Draft documents, communications and knowledge-sharing materials as necessary (at least two publications).
Some of the activities outlined above require alignment with partners or may lead to conceptualization of new activities. Such activities in these areas will be agreed upon in writing between the consultant and UNCDF as they arise.
SCOPE OF WORK
At the end of the contract period, the consultant will be expected to attain the following results
• An inception report and research protocol and plan
• At least one progress report and participation in team calls biweekly
• Draft final evaluation(s)
• Final evaluation(s) including two publications and a to-be-determined number of knowledge-sharing products that will contribute to UNCDF visibility in the wider stakeholder community.

Qualifications and Level of Consultants QUALIFICATIONS AND LEVEL OF CONSULTANTS
The consultant must provide evidence of the technical capacity to undertake this assignment. This includes capacity to deliver the results in the timeframe provided as well as indication of prior experience (relevant research and financial inclusion/capabilities and experience, training, program development and evaluation).
Competencies
Core Competencies:
• Demonstrates ethics and integrity;
• Team player;
• Demonstrates political acumen and calculated risk taking;
• Builds own and staff competence, creating an environment of creativity and innovation;
• Builds and promotes effective teams and partnerships;
• Creates and promotes open communication;
• Remains calm, in control and good humoured even under pressure;
• Conducts fair and transparent decision making;
• Displays cultural and gender sensitivity and adaptability;
• Shows strong corporate commitment.
Functional Competencies:
• Proven ability to manage and effectively lead a global research agenda and research team;
• Articulate ideas clearly and coherently and ability to translate technical terms for non-technical audiences. i.e. policy makers
• Quick learner with the ability to act quickly to develop new research and initiatives;
• Conceptualizes more effective approaches to research and knowledge, development and implementation;
• Anticipates constraints in the delivery of services and identifies solutions or alternatives;
• Makes effective use of UNCDF resources and comparative advantage to strengthen knowledge partnerships;
• Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking;
• Creates networks and promotes knowledge exchange initiatives between member organizations;
• Promotes knowledge and research as critical to the success of moving towards digital remittance channels and migrant-centric product development;
• Proactively identifies, develops and discusses solutions for internal and external clients, and persuades management to undertake new projects or services.
Technical:
• Understanding of key issues and international good practice relating to savings groups, smallholder farmers, gender, youth, refugees, digital services and digital financial inclusion;
• Excellent presentation and representation skills in multicultural contexts;
• Ability to translate complex technical ideas to a non-technical audience in both verbally and in writing.

Education:
• Master’s degree in economics, finance, public/business administration, social sciences, international relations or related fields is mandatory.

Experience:
• Minimum of 2 years of professional experience in designing and implementing research on financial inclusion/women’s and youth empowerment is mandatory;
• Professional experience in international development, financial inclusion, or the banking/financial services industry is highly desired;
• Demonstrated relevant field experience in Tanzania and/or East Africa is highly desired;
• Experience in donor projects, developing proposals, corresponding budgets, and monitoring and evaluation plans is preferred;
• Familiarity with the development, modification and roll out of financial services for low-income communities is preferred;
Familiarity working in refugee settlement camps is a plus.

Language:
Demonstrated written and oral communication skills in English is mandatory.

Work Hours: 8

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