Inclusive Digital Financial Literacy Field Support Officer (Voluntary) – Cambodia

ABOUT GOOD RETURN

Good Return’s mission is to enable those living in poverty to achieve economic empowerment through responsible financial inclusion and capability development. We do this by engaging with partners across the Asia Pacific, where two-thirds of the world’s poor live. We help them deliver better financial services and economic opportunities to those living in poverty.

Our work focuses on promoting responsible inclusive finance, building financial capability & consumer empowerment, and providing access to credit through our micro lending platform and impact investment programming to support SMEs in the agricultural sector.

Good Return is the registered business name of World Education Australia, an Australian Aid accredited agency and member of the Australian Council for International Development (ACFID). We hold Australia Financial Services License granted by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission. Visit www.goodreturn.org.au for more information.

ABOUT OUR PARTNERS

We have been working in partnership with various Financial Service Providers across the Asia Pacific Region since 2010. Our current partners are located in Cambodia, Indonesia, PNG, Nepal, Philippines, Myanmar, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Tonga, and Australia.

Our partnerships are based on a shared mission to provide responsible and inclusive financial services to people living in poverty as well as build the financial capability of consumers.

Our microfinance partners are committed to improving their social performance management systems, which include implementing the seven client protection principles.

Please visit our website (www.goodreturn.org.au) for further information on our partners.

ABOUT WING BANK

Wing Bank Cambodia is a commercial bank, driven by the vision to provide every Cambodian with convenient and secure access to financial services to improve their daily lives. Wing Bank has revolutionised the way Cambodians access financial services allowing customers to conveniently transfer, store and withdraw their money using a mobile phone at a low cost.

Wing Bank is committed to providing financial, gender and digital inclusion to the unbanked and the under-banked, bridging the rural and urban divide by providing the same services to both populations. It now has 100% coverage, servicing some of the most rural districts in Cambodia. Wing bank has an innovative Wing Bank App used by millions, over 10,000 agents, over 55,000 merchants. Wing Bank is committed to providing financial, gender and digital inclusion to the unbanked and the under-banked, allowing every Cambodian to enjoy convenience and security when it comes to financial services.

FSO PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

The objectives of the Field Support Officer (FSO) Volunteer Program are for FSOs to:

• Gain valuable experience living and working in a developing country as part of a professional team
• Assist with the implementation of Good Return and partner programs to meet overarching objectives
• Strengthen relationships with partners by enhancing communication and coordination
• Support Good Return’s communications and marketing activities

The FSO Program has enabled previous volunteers to build their careers in the international development sector, with a number now working in paid roles both in Australia and overseas.

ASSIGNMENT OBJECTIVES

Good Return’s flagship CAFE program has successfully delivered face-to-face (F2F) financial literacy and small business training to over 65,000 low-income individuals. We are now transforming our curriculum into a digital model to increase the digital and financial literacy of vulnerable populations, particularly women micro and small entrepreneurs in the Philippines, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Thailand. This three-year initiative aims to equip these individuals with the skills needed to effectively access and use digital financial services (DFS).

The assignment objectives of the Financial Education FSO role are to support Wing Bank (a Cambodian financial institution committed to providing financial, gender and digital inclusion to the unbanked and under-banked) in our work to increase rates of digital financial literacy. As an FSO in Cambodia, you will work closely with Wing Bank and the Good Return project team to play a critical role in developing, piloting, and disseminating the digital financial literacy curriculum. Your efforts will directly contribute to enhancing the digital and financial skills of marginalised communities, promoting economic independence and financial inclusion.

RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Curriculum Development Support (40%)

• Conduct desk and market research to identify the most urgent digital financial literacy (DFL) gaps and needs in Cambodia and identify priority delivery platforms.
• Collaborate with the cross expertise team and local partners to support the design and development of engaging, innovative bite-sized learning resources and curriculum for the Cambodian context.
• Provide insights and feedback from the field to ensure the curriculum meets the needs of the target communities.
• Assist in contextualising the curriculum to fit the local context.

2. Pilot Implementation (25%)

• Assist the partner and technology team to ensure effective integration of the digital learning content into partner’s App and other digital platforms, as needed
• Coordination of activities, including: meetings, reporting, consultation & brainstorming workshops, development of champion facilitation guides etc.
• Work with partners to pilot the digital training programs, ensuring smooth implementation and addressing any issues that arise.
• Assist in the data collection and analysis of feedback from participants and partners to refine and improve the learning resources.
• Monitor on the progress of the pilot implementation, ensuring milestones are met.

3. Dissemination and Outreach (15%)

• Support partners in disseminating the CAFE digital training programs through various channels, including social media, partner platforms, and community outreach.
• Organise and support the cross expertise team with training sessions for partner champions to ensure effective delivery of the curriculum.
• Promote awareness and participation in DFL programs within the target communities.

4. Marketing & Fundraising (10%)

• Assist the marketing and fundraising team with developing case studies and stories

5. Other activities (10%)

• Other activities may arise with the partner organisation during the course of the FSO assignment. Responsibilities will be agreed in accordance with the needs of the partnership.

CITIZENSHIP

You must be an Australian citizen or have permanent residency to apply for this position. Applicants not meeting this requirement will not be considered.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• A degree in Design and Information Technology, International Development, Education, Arts/Communications, Economics, Finance/Business or similar
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Strong research, analysis and report writing skills
• Experience in learning, curriculum design, training, campaigns/marketing
• Strong commitment to Good Return’s vision of a world without poverty.
• Knowledge of digital learning and financial literacy for marginalised communities
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills
• Ability to work independently and in a team
• Cultural sensitivity and the ability to work effectively in diverse environments
• Fluency in local languages is highly desirable

DESIRABLE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Experience working in a cross-cultural context (i.e. have cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity, patience, tolerance and open-minded)
• Independent living or travel experience, preferably in the Asia Pacific region
• Social media experience and digital learning experience,
• Experience in developing training and assessment programs
• Experience in monitoring and evaluation
• Interest in gender equality and women’s economic empowerment
• Initiative and ability to adapt to limited resources
• Responsible (for own actions, upholding integrity)
• A sense of humour!

ALLOWANCES AND SUPPORT

Pre-departure:

• Induction training
• Health check and vaccination expenses
• Visa expenses
• International airfares at the commencement and conclusion of the assignment

Settling in:

• Support to find and book initial accommodation; it is the responsibility of the FSO to secure long-term accommodation
• First 2 monthly allowance payments paid in advance to assist with set-up costs in-country
• Orientation support (negotiating lease agreements, shopping options, etc.)

During assignment:

• Support, monitoring and security guidance from supervisor and Good Return regional & Sydney offices
• Monthly allowance (to cover living and accommodation expenses)
• Language allowance
• Travel insurance
• Professional development opportunities
• Debrief following conclusion of placement

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The placement will commence in-country from September 2024 to March 2026 (18 months from the date of arrival in-country). Periods of less than 18 months will not be considered. A later commencement date of September 2024 may be considered, although September 2024 is preferred.

Good Return will provide international airfares at the commencement and conclusion of the assignment, certain pre-departure medical costs, visa expenses, insurance, and a monthly living allowance (intended to cover accommodation and other daily expenses).

How to apply:

Applications can be submitted by selecting the ‘I’m interested’ link below.

Applicants should provide a CV and a cover letter that addresses the selection criteria listed in the full position description, along with your phone and Skype contact details. Cover letters can be included in the messages section or uploaded together with a CV file.

We would love to hear how you heard about the position.

Enquiries can be directed via the Good Return website https://www.goodreturn.org.au/contact

Please apply as soon as possible. Applications will be reviewed continually.

Length of assignment: 18 months

Level of effort: Full-time, 38 hours per week plus occasional weekend activities

ADDITIONAL NOTES

• Good Return is an inclusive organisation. We strive to build a team that truly represents our diverse society and those of the Asia-Pacific communities we operate in. We actively encourage all applicants, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, disability, and sexuality, to apply. If you require adjustments to the recruitment or interview process to accommodate your specific needs, let us know and we will try to provide them.
• Good Return is a child-safe organisation. Our recruitment processes reflect our commitment to the protection of children from abuse; successful candidates will need to comply with our Child Protection Policy and undergo pre-employment checks.