E-Commerce and Digital Innovations Consultant

Consultant

Contract

This is a National Consultant contract. More about National Consultant contracts.

Background

INTRODUCING UNCDF

UNCDF is the UN’s capital investment agency for the world’s 47 Least Developed Countries (LDC). UNCDF uses its capital mandate to support LDCs pursue inclusive growth. UNCDF promotes financial inclusion, also through digital financial services (DFS), as a key enabler of poverty reduction and inclusive growth; and it demonstrates how localizing finance outside the capital cities can accelerate growth in local economies, promote sustainable and climate-resilient infrastructure development, and empower local communities. Using capital grants, loans and credit enhancements, UNCDF tests financial models in inclusive finance and local development finance; ‘de-risks’ the local investment space; and provides proofs of concept, paving the way for larger and more risk-averse investors.

With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” financing models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local development. UNCDF targets low-income and underserved populations and areas in the LDCs where resources for development are the scarcest; where market failures are most pronounced; and where increased national economic prosperity does not reach a large part of the population. UNCDF focusses on local development finance and inclusive finance, using its capital mandate paired with strong technical and policy support to help communities and individuals save, borrow and invest.

UNCDF’s objective is to develop inclusive financial systems in which a range of financial products are available to all segments of society, at a reasonable cost, and on a sustainable basis. UNCDF supports a wide range of providers (e.g. microfinance institutions, banks, cooperatives, money transfer companies) and a variety of financial products and services (e.g. savings, credit, insurance, payments, and remittances).

INTRODUCING DIgital Finance and FINANCIAL HEALTH In UNCDF

UNCDF manages several initiatives in LDCs in Asia and Africa, to develop an inclusive digital finance eco-system that offers a wide range of financial services specially for low income vulnerable communities. Specifically, UNCDF provides a mix of policy, technical and financial support to a range of government and private sector actors in each country, as well as invests in research and other public goods that benefit all market actors. By supporting the development of digital finance eco-system in these countries, UNCDF aims to increase the financial security of low income and rural households through access to appropriate, affordable and secure means to receive, manage and save money.

Financial health is a term used to describe the state of one's personal financial situation and assessed through four financial activities: spend, save, borrow, and plan. With support from MetLife Foundation, UNCDF is working with fintech, micro finance institutions, banks and think tanks to implement digital innovations focused on building financial health of low-income population in Malaysia and China. UNCDF plans to further this intervention in other emerging countries.

Under its strategy for leaving no one behind, UNCDF’s innovation team has been leading interventions designed to enhance financial health and wellbeing of low income and underserved segment both in emerging markets and LDCs. UNCDF has established Innovation Lab in Malaysia that support digital innovations (both financial and non-financial) in different markets and focused on multiple sectors including agriculture, health, financial services, micro small enterprises and others. Innovation Lab’s support includes technical assistance and grant investment.

In Malaysia, the lab is supporting start-ups that serve the B40 population. One such initiative is supporting a pilot on e-commerce for rural producers and artisans in two locations in Sabah. The intervention is focused on enhancing these rural entrepreneurs’ income by enhancing their access to new markets using e-commerce and digital payments. UNCDF is implementing this project with support from UNDP Malaysia. UNCDF plans to hire a short-term E-Commerce and Digital Innovations Consultant to manage the project.

Duties and Responsibilities

Description of Responsibilities:

The E-Commerce and Digital Innovations Consultant will report to the Regional Technical Specialist - Asia and work under the guidance of the Agri Lead with coordination with the in-country team. The consultant will be responsible to manage projects with partner(s) and provide technical assistance for effective implementation of the project. S/he will also be responsible to coordinate with on-ground Booster Team Leaders for effective roll out of pilots.

The Consultant will be responsible to carry out the following activities with specific deliverables:

Activity

Output/Deliverables

Number of workdays

Timeline

Analysis of data as received through primary research

• Research Report

• Business Case

20

Sep 2020

Drive eco-system partnerships with MNOs, e-commerce companies, Digital Financial Services (DFS) providers, logistic companies

• MoU/Agreement signed with stakeholders

10

Sep-Oct 2020

Draft Pilot plan in consultation with UNDP and local counterparts

• Pilot Plan with KPIs

10

Oct 2020

On-board booster team

• Hiring of Booster team members/ their contracts

• Training Report

20

Nov 2020

Pilot implementation as per the plan

• Pilot review report

• Deliverables as per the pilot plan

20

Dec 2020

Project closure

• Scale up plan

40

Jan-Mar 2021

Conduct advocacy with local government for scale up

• At least 1 event organized for learning sharing

• MoU Signed with government to scale up

30

Mar-May 2021

TOTAL

150

Competencies

• Open to work with challenging projects that require in-depth support to partners largely on operations levels
• Experience in managing clients and partners—from early stage companies to mature organizations
• Solution-focused and medium-agnostic, willing to step out of your core skill set or discipline to find the correct solution to a challenge
• Open to work in multi-cultural and diverse team of professionals
• Results-driven, problem-solver with structuring and analytic capabilities.
• Strong ability to think and act strategically, even in situations of ambiguity, to develop both short- and long-term visions.
• Strategic thinking for planning country strategy and resource mobilisation plan for same
• Inspires others, influences and builds trust
• Strong communicator that can serve multiple functions as needed

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

• Bachelor’s or Masters’ Degree in either economics, social or international development, finance, business administration, public policy or related field.

Experience:

• 3+ years of professional experience in digital finance, social development, banking, microfinance, telecom or agriculture sector
• Experience of managing field implementation of financial inclusion, economic development, digital finance or e-commerce projects
• Proven experience of independently managing projects/tasks with defined KPIs and timelines
• Experience in developing and managing business relationships with private sector, government agencies/regulators and civil society organizations
• Experience working on government supported project and coordinating with government counterparts is a plus
• Experience in designing and managing qualitative or quantitative research is a plus
• Previous experience of working with UNDP or UNCDF or UNDP/UNCDF-funded projects is a plus
• Exceptional written and oral communications skills

Language:

• Excellent written and oral English and Malay

Timeline, total number of working days, duty station:

• Timeline: September 2020 to May 2021
• Total Number of Working Days for Assignment: up to 150 working days within 9 months
• Duty station: Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

For unforeseeable travel, payment of travel costs including tickets, lodging and terminal expenses should be agreed upon, between the respective business unit and Individual Consultant, prior to travel and will be reimbursed. UNCDF would cover the cost of stay for the selected person.

Please note that UNCDF cannot guarantee residence permits or visas for consultants. Consultants are responsible for securing their work documentation. In the case of national consultants, applicants that are not nationals of the duty station requested will have to prove their residence status.

Please note that consultants residing in the duty station will not be compensated for living expenses.

Progress Controls & Payments:

Payment will be made against each satisfactorily achieved deliverables. All payments are subject to the clearance and approval of the Regional Technical Specialist – Asia. Final payment shall require a signed performance evaluation of the consultant.

Output/Deliverables

Percentage

Timeline

• Research Report

• Business Case

14%

Sep 2020

• MoU/Agreement signed with stakeholders

6%

Sep-Oct 2020

• Pilot Plan with KPIs

6%

Oct 2020

• Hiring of Booster team members/ their contracts

• Training Report

14%

Nov 2020

• Pilot review report

• Deliverables as per the pilot plan

14%

Dec 2020

• Scale up plan

26%

Jan-Mar 2021

• At least 1 event organized for learning sharing

• MoU Signed with government to scale up

20%

Mar-May 2021

TOTAL

100%

Application process:

Interested individuals must submit the documents mentioned below as proposals in order to demonstrate their qualifications (Note: the system does not allow multiple uploads of documents. Applicants must make sure to upload all documents in one PDF file).

All applications must contain the following information:

• Cover letter with a summary statement of competencies in relation to the Terms of Reference (TOR);
• Earliest availability and proposed schedule for consultancy;
• Curriculum Vitae;
• Complete and signed P11-Personal History Form with names and current contacts of 3 referees (available from http://sas.undp.org/documents/p11_personal_history_form.doc);
• Signed financial proposal for the assignment outlining: All-inclusive fee including professional fees and other professional expenses, such as insurance, taxes, etc (Available at: http://procurement-notices.undp.org/view_file.cfm?doc_id=29916).

Incomplete applications may not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested materials.

Evaluation:

Step I: Longlisting

Applications will be screened and only applicants meeting the following minimum criteria will progress to the pool for shortlisting:

• Bachelor’s or Masters’ Degree in either economics, social or international development, finance, business administration, public policy or related field.
• Excellent written and oral English and Malay.

Step II: Shortlisting/Desk review

UNCDF will produce a shortlist of candidates and technically evaluate candidates as per experience requirements in this Terms of Reference.

Shortlisting scoring (100 points):

• More than 3 years of professional experience in digital finance, social development, banking, microfinance, telecom or agriculture sector. – 30 points
• At least 2 years of experience managing field implementation of financial inclusion, economic development, digital finance or e-commerce projects. – 20 points
• At least 1 year of experience developing and managing business relationships with private sector, government agencies/regulators and civil society organizations. – 15 points
• Experience working on government supported project and coordinating with government counterparts is a plus. – 10 points
• Experience in designing and managing qualitative or quantitative research is a plus. – 10 points
• Previous experience of working with a UN agency or UN agency-funded projects is a plus. – 15 points

Step III: Financial Evaluation

Only candidates obtaining a minimum of 70 points on Step II shall be considered as technically-qualified and be reviewed further for financial evaluation.

The following formula will be used to evaluate the financial proposal:

Lowest priced proposal / Price of the proposal being evaluated x 30

Award Criteria

The contact shall be awarded to the applicant whose offer have been evaluated and determined as:

• Responsive/compliant/acceptable; and
• Having received the highest combined score: Technical weight 70% + Financial weight 30%

Both individual consultants and individuals employed by a company or institution are welcome to apply.

Any individual employed by a company or institution who would like to submit an offer in response to a Procurement Notice for IC must do so in their individual capacity (providing a CV so that their qualifications may be judged accordingly). Women candidates or women-owned businesses are strongly encouraged to apply.

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Added 3 years ago - Updated 3 years ago - Source: jobs.undp.org