Financial Inclusion National Consultant 130 days based in Addis Ababa (For Ethiopian Nationals only)

The National Consultant is expected to work with FSPs, to support adaptation and development of financial products for the host communities, Internally Displaced Peoples (IDPs) and Forcibly Displaced Populations (FDPs), to closely monitor the roll-out and implementation of the financial inclusion interventions and to help UNICEF re-design the financial products in line with the needs of the target communities. The assignment also requires close collaboration with the International Consultant that will be hired for management of contracts with FSPs to design and deliver financial inclusion services, including linkage of cash transfer and other program beneficiaries to uncollateralized microloans through a revolving fund for livelihood support/restoration and resilience-building. It is expected from the National Consultant to facilitate the dialogues between FSPs and UNICEF and to understand the structure of the FSPs and operations that would allow for designing/re-designing and rolling-out products.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, Inclusion

How can you make a difference? 

UNICEF Ethiopia Social Policy Section piloted the Humanitarian Cash Transfer (HCT) plus financial inclusion intervention in Oromia in November 2023. The financial inclusion plus intervention of both emergency/humanitarian and development cash transfers is one of the key strategic interventions of humanitarian-development nexus programing at Ethiopia Country Office aiming to enhance resilience of households against ongoing and future shocks. The intervention includes training of cash transfer beneficiaries on financial literacy, life skills, savings and investment options, and linkages to financial products among FSPs. Additionally, as part of UNICEF Ethiopia Social Policy Section’s agreement and commitment outlined as part of PROSPECTS Phase II and the SIDA-funded economic inclusion and empowerment program component, a pilot partnership with private banks will be initiated to facilitate provision of uncollateralized loans for Forcibly Displaced Populations (FDPs), Internally Displaced Populations (IDPs), and Host Communities (HCs). This partnership is driven by private bank expertise in providing loans and implementing programmes for vulnerable populations. Given the private sector and banking expertise needed in order to work with the banks for the design of the loans, revolving funds, which necessitates expertise in the finance and banking sectors, the Section has very limited capacity to undertake these tasks. The international consultant, who is in the process of being recruited, needs to be engaged with a national consultant for better contextualization of the interventions and facilitation of the dialogues with the FSPs. The national consultant will carry out the work under the supervision of UNICEF staff. Country Office has established a direct programmatic engagement with private banks across different regions of the country. Following the establishment of LTAs with assessed and vetted financial service providers (FSPs), UNICEF will be working with the FSPs to develop revolving/loanable funds with support from other stakeholders, including regional bureaus of women and social affairs as needed. These funds will in turn be made available for the most vulnerable households, including IDPs and refugees, as uncollateralized microloans with favorable payment conditions to facilitate their access to financing to kick-start livelihood activities that help them build resilience against ongoing and future shocks. 

• Conduct market research enabling an understanding of the context in the target regions
• Design/re-design financial products, develop SOPs with the selected FSPs
• Work with the selected implementing partner for producing training packages on financial literary and business development
• Monitor the roll-out and the implementation, report on the status

• A minimum of five (5) years in banking, engagement with financial service providers in the development context, payment mechanisms for social protection or related fields. Work experience and knowledge of the Humanitarian Cash Transfer programing, youth employment, and resilience-building is an asset.
• Master’s in economics, finance/financial markets, banking, public policy, business administration, or any other relevant social science field.
• Developing country work experience and/or familiarity with emergency is considered an asset.
• Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of another official UN language (Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian or Spanish) or a local language is an asset.

For every Child, you demonstrate. LOVE

UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

• Demonstrates Self Awareness and Ethical Awareness (1)
• Works Collaboratively with others (1)
• Builds and Maintains Partnerships (1)
• Thinks and Acts Strategically (1)
• Drives to achieve impactful results (1)
• Manages ambiguity and complexity (1)

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. ty, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check. 

Remarks:  

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts.