PROGRAMME MANAGER, BTCA UNCDF

UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s least developed countries (LDCs). 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.  It provides seed capital – grants and loans – and technical support to help microfinance institutions reach more poor households and small businesses, and local governments finance the capital investments – water systems, feeder roads, schools, irrigation schemes – that will improve poor peoples’ lives. UNCDF works to enlarge peoples’ choices: it believes that poor people and communities should take decisions about their own development.  Its programmes help to empower women – over 50% of the clients of UNCDF-supported microfinance institutions are women – and its expertise in microfinance and local development is shaping new responses to food insecurity, climate change and other challenges.  UNCDF works in challenging environments – remote rural areas, countries emerging from conflict – and paves the way for others to follow. Its programmes are designed to catalyze larger investment flows from the private sector, development partners and national governments, for significant impact on the Millennium Development Goals, especially Goal 1: Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger, Goal 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women, and Goal 7: Ensure Environmental Sustainability. Established by the General Assembly in 1966 and with headquarters in New York, UNCDF is an autonomous UN organization affiliated with UNDP. The Better Than Cash Alliance is an alliance of governments, private sector and development organizations committed to replacing the use of cash payments with electronic payments, where appropriate and to promoting a `cash-light’ economy. Billions of dollars in cash payments are made daily in emerging and developing economies, including payment of salaries, social welfare and relief, payments to suppliers, remittances, etc. The problems with these cash payments include a lack of transparency, accountability and security, as well as inefficiency.  Furthermore, the individuals who receive the cash payments are often part of the 2.5 billion excluded from the formal financial sector.  This means they are excluded from access to a range of appropriate and affordable financial services to help them save safely, take advantage of economic opportunities and reduce their vulnerability to risk. Shifting these payments from cash to electronic has the potential to improve the lives of low-income people, particularly women, while giving governments, the development community and the private sector a more transparent, time and cost efficient, and often safer means of disbursing payments. The Better Than Cash Alliance: Advocates for the use of all forms of electronic payments where they provide a preferable payment option to cash; collaborates with program partners to mobilize available technical expertise and resources to identify and implement the most effective approach to make the transition from cash to electronic payments;  and conducts research, documents good practices and produces knowledge products to address the barriers to adoption and drive the effective shift from cash to electronic payments globally. The Better Than Cash Alliance (BTCA) is looking to hire a Programme Specialist for the Technical Assistance Facility as well as to act as a backstop to the Project Manager. For more information on BTCA, please visit the website: http://www.betterthancash.org/ This is a Development Project funded position.

Duties and Responsibilities

Summary of key functions Strategy: Provide the direction, implementation and management of the Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) of the Better Than Cash Alliance resulting in an efficiently-implemented, managed, monitored and evaluated fund, meeting or exceeding all targets; Operations: Manage the application process, assessment and ranking of applications, presentation to the TAF Sub-Committee for approval, recording of the decision and disbursement of funds according to Better Than Cash Alliance goals and UNCDF protocols; Knowledge Management: In collaboration with the Communications Specialist integrate knowledge sharing into all aspects of the TAF; Advocacy, Fundraising and Reporting: Together with the Managing Director, ensure programme is adequately funded and has support of other funders, policy makers; Backstopping Project Manager: Backstops all duties to the Project Manager of the Better Than Cash Alliance as needed. Strategic Advice: Provide the strategic direction for the Technical Assistance Facility (TAF) of the Better Than Cash Alliance (BTCA) to deliver demand-driven technical assistance to governments, NGOs or private companies that increases their capacity to deliver end user-focused payment technologies. Develop the strategic direction provided by the BTCA programme management committee (PMC) into a Strategy and Workplan for the TAF; Develop the policies and procedures for the TAF in accordance with the strategy agreed by the BTCA PMC; Prepare annual work plans with performance targets and budgets for PMC approval; Develop Terms of Reference, organize, coordinate, supervise and administer the resources of the programme in order to catalyze effective action by all the BTCA members; Prepare mid-year and annual progress reports, narrative as well as financial reports and progress and results achieved for the PMC. Operations Management: Manage the TAF to ensure the application process, assessment of applications and disbursement of funds to achieve BTCA goals and comply with UNCDF protocols. Establish an efficiently operated, monitored and evaluated fund, meeting or exceeding all targets: Work with the Project Manager of the BTCA to develop a pipeline of potential projects that help the BTCA achieve its outcomes; Determine the approach to using TAF resources that is appropriate for the BTCA strategy and the size of the facility; With the Project Manager, develop and implement Requests for Applications, determine criteria and vet potential applicants to identify the strongest projects; With the Project Manager, develop the process for selection of grantees, including managing consultants hired to review applications, undertaking due diligence missions, and ensuring applicants are eligible and capable of performing; With the Project Manager, prepare and present recommendations to appropriate PMC Sub-Committee for award of grants and/or technical assistance to successful applicants; With the Project Manager, prepare, negotiate and finalize performance-based agreements (PBAs) with recipient institutions; Seek opportunities for coordinating and co-funding projects with other funders, ensure the programme’s efforts complete those of other initiatives with shared focus; As part of the BTCA team develop and manage quantitative and qualitative monitoring, evaluation and reporting requirements for partners. Knowledge Management: In collaboration with the Better Than Cash Alliance team and particularly the Communication Specialist, manage the TAF to contribute to the knowledge hub about the shift from cash to electronic payments: Develop and roll out processes and tools to support the collection and consolidation of grantees performance, including indicators and lessons learned; Design and implement a Peer learning agenda and a knowledge sharing strategy among grantees and other Alliance members; Maximize the development of knowledge products generated through Alliance members to support the capacity building of the Alliance and the wider sector; Ensure the knowledge products generated from the TAF that demonstrate how to implement electronic-payment solutions are easily accessible in terms of language, style and medium. Key knowledge areas will include: a) electronic payments to the mass market can be offered on a profitable and thus sustained basis by financial service providers; b)electronic payments are an affordable means for governments, development agencies, and other mass payment providers to distribute funds; c)poor recipients benefit from increased options for financial inclusion afforded by the transition from cash to e-payment solution and e-payment solutions should follow client protection principles. Advocacy, Fund Raising and Reporting: Together with the Project Manager, ensure programme is adequately funded and has support of other funders, policy makers; Develop strategies to mobilize additional resources to fully implement the TAF strategy and annual work plans; Proactively manage relations with current and potential funders, ensuring the funders are informed and supportive of the BTCA; Co-Lead fundraising and relationship management for non-core resources (i.e. non-UNCDF) to the BTCA; Build effective and efficient partnerships at the operational level with major donor agencies to coordinate BTCA related activities globally and in host countries; Support coordinated and co-funded efforts and track funds mobilized as a result of BTCA efforts; Ensure financial and performance reports are issued to development partners on time as per Cost-Sharing Agreement requirements with funding partners; Assure, track and analyze quarterly portfolio reporting; Report project achievements, delivery and other areas of accountability to FIPA, for input to regular UNCDF performance monitoring and reporting; Ensure effective and efficient use of Atlas in line with project cycle with Atlas approval authority of Project Manager and in compliance with UNCDF Internal Control Framework. Act as a backstop to the Project Manager, and other duties and tasks as assigned: Undertake duties while backstopping the Project Manager of the Better Than Cash Alliance as needed and as directed by the Project Manager and/or UNCDF FIPA. Impact of Results The key result expected is the successful implementation and attainment of targets of the Better Than Cash Alliance programme, including coordination with/reporting to all stakeholders, the Financial Inclusion Practice Area (FIPA) in UNCDF and the funders of the programme.  The Advisor will pursue the following key results of the programme: Broad acceptance by governments, development agencies, NGOs and private sector that electronic-payment solutions are superior to cash; Commitments from these actors to implement electronic-payment solutions instead of cash; Delivery of demand-driven technical assistance to governments, NGOs or private companies that increases their capacity to deliver end user-focused payment technologies; BTCA members make a significant improvement globally in the number of low-income and poor people served by innovative payment technologies, including those that were previously unbanked; Easily accessible knowledge products generated from BTC and other actors’ activities that demonstrate how to implement electronic-payment solutions so that: a) electronic payments to the mass market can be offered on a profitable and thus sustained basis by financial service providers b) electronic payments are an affordable means for governments, development agencies, and other mass payment providers to distribute funds c) poor recipients benefit from increased options for financial inclusion afforded by the transition from cash to e-payment solutions

Competencies

Functional Competencies: Results-Based Programme Development and Management Starts up new programmes, able to act quickly to create necessary structures; Ensures the full implementation of a project and the financial resources to obtain results; Conceptualizes more effective approaches to programme development and implementation and to mobilizing and using resources; Proven ability to manage projects, teams and global policy efforts. Building Strategic Partnerships: Makes effective use of UNCDF’s and other BTCA member resources and comparative advantage to strengthen partnerships; Creates networks and promotes initiatives with partner organizations. Innovation and Marketing New Approaches: Creates an environment that fosters innovation and innovative thinking;  Conceptualizes more effective approaches to programme development and implementation, and to mobilizing and using resources. Promoting Organizational Learning and Knowledge Sharing: Promotes the TAF as a learning/knowledge sharing programme. Job Knowledge/Technical Expertise: Working knowledge of current developments in payment technologies, including innovative payment methods (e.g., mobile financial services, pre-paid cards, etc.);  Working knowledge in policy, legal and regulatory issues related to inclusive payment technologies; Experience in managing large projects, corresponding budgets, and RFP processes as well as monitoring and evaluation plans required – experience within the UN system desirable;  Working knowledge of international donor organizations - experience in preparing proposals for funding desirable;  Understanding of key issues and international best practice relating to financial inclusion; Experience in analysis of gender disaggregated data and using the analysis for programme planning and implementation; Strong IT skills, including ability to work regularly with MS Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint. Advocacy/Advancing A Policy-Oriented Agenda: Dialogues with counterparts and other stakeholders to strengthen advocacy efforts, incorporating various perspectives. Advocates for and advances a policy agenda related to BTCA objectives; Effective spokesperson, engaging stakeholders and groupings, both government ministers and private sector senior corporate leaders, to advance the development of non-cash payments. Client Orientation: Anticipates constraints in the delivery of services and identifies solutions or alternatives; Proactively identifies, develops and discusses solutions for internal and external clients, and persuades management to undertake new projects or services; Advises and develops strategic and operational solutions with clients that add value to UNCDF and UNDP programmes and operations. Core Competencies: Promoting ethics and integrity, creating organizational precedents; Building support and political acumen; Building staff competence,  creating an environment of creativity and innovation; Building and promoting effective teams; Creating and promoting enabling environment for open communication; Creating an emotionally intelligent organization; Sharing knowledge across the organization and building a culture of knowledge sharing and learning; Fair and transparent decision making; calculated risk-taking; Ability to mainstream Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women into the programme cycle.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Masters degree in economics, public/business administration, social sciences, or related fields. Experience:  Minimum of 7 years of experience in progressively responsible positions in the development field, including financial services for the poor; Experience working in or with support projects on financial services for the poor; Experience in managing a technical assistance fund or equivalent with evidence of goals achieved. Working knowledge of current developments in payment technologies, including innovative payment methods (e.g., mobile financial services, pre-paid cards, etc.);  Working knowledge in policy, legal and regulatory issues related to inclusive payment technologies; Experience in managing large projects, corresponding budgets, and RFP processes as well as monitoring and evaluation plans required – experience within the UN system desirable;  Working knowledge of international donor organizations - experience in preparing proposals for funding desirable;  Understanding of key issues and international best practice relating to financial inclusion; Experience in analysis of gender disaggregated data and using the analysis for programme planning and implementation; Strong IT skills, including ability to work regularly with MS Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint. Language Requirements:  Fluency in spoken and written English is required. Professional competency in French desirable.

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UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

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