Digital Finance Project Manager

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Job Description

General Assembly Resolution 2186 (XXI) decided to “bring into operations the United Nations Capital Development Fund as an organ of the General Assembly which shall function as an autonomous organization of the United Nations. The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) assists developing countries, especially least developing countries, in the development of their economies by supplementing existing sources of capital assistance by means of grants, loans, and guarantees. UNCDFs vision is to help mobilize and catalyze an increase of capital flows for SDG impactful investments to Member States to address the most pressing development challenges facing vulnerable communities in these countries and thereby contribute to sustainable economic growth and equitable prosperity.

UNCDF utilizes its unique capability in the UN system to deploy grants, loans and guarantees to crowd-in finance for the scaling of development impact. UNCDF focuses on where the needs are greatest, a deliberate focus and capability rooted in UNCDF’s unique investment mandate to support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the realization of the Doha Programme of Action for the least developed countries, 2022–2031.
As per its Strategic Framework, UNCDF works to deploy its functions as a hybrid development organization and development finance institution. UNCDF responds to Member States requests for assistance by providing targeted technical and financial advisory services on investments for development outcomes, designing bespoke financial structuring solutions, undertaking financial derisking of investments, and enhancing investment readiness of SDG aligned projects in partnership with private sector, UNOs, International and Local Finance Institutions,
Development Finance Institutions as well as Foundations and Philanthropy, among others. UNCDF works to develop local financial systems, new markets and mobilize and crowd in capital from public and private sources.
UNCDF is driven by a partnership mindset which enables it to deploy its different capital capabilities in highly tailored and responsive ways in order to mobilize investments flows from other sources, in particular from the private sector. By structuring transactions which are highly impactful, but also recognize the need for multiplying the impact of its own capital, UNCDF seeks to position itself as a preferred partner for different stakeholders.

UNCDF’s work is focused on six priority areas, including:

Sub-national and local infrastructure financing
Women owned enterprise financing
Nature and climate financing
Energy and decarbonization finance
Sustainable food systems financing

Inclusive digital finance

Following a recent restructuring, UNCDF’s organizational set up includes an Investment and Implementation Division (IID), Investment and Finance Oversight Division (IFOD), Operations and Oversight Division (OOD) and a Directorate of the Executive Office. UNCDF staff and personnel are located in regional hubs based in Dakar (Senegal), Nairobi (Kenya) and Bangkok (Thailand) with sub-regional presence in a number of locations in the Caribbean and Pacific Regions. UNCDF is led by an Executive Secretary based out of New York. Pursuant to General Assembly resolution 2321(XXII, para 1.a), the Administrator of the UNDP performs the function of the Managing Director of UNCDF. UNCDF is overseen by the Executive Board of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and performs the function of the Executive Board of UNCDF.

UNCDF’s Inclusive Digital Economies in Asia:

Since 2012, UNCDF has been supporting digital finance in Asia with significant success, with digital finance currently the largest part of its inclusive finance portfolio. This includes digital innovations linked to on an off-grid energy, agriculture, employment, health, and transport. Through its current “Leaving no one behind in the digital era” strategy, UNCDF is supporting, the emergence of Inclusive Digital Economies in Asia as well as globally. The strategy recognizes that reaching the full potential of Digital Financial Inclusion (DFS) in support of the SDGs aligns with the vision of promoting digital economies for the following reasons:
The value of DFS is not obvious, especially to poor and vulnerable populations, as it is not closely linked to their ability to respond to their specific constraints and needs around agriculture, education, health, energy, and other key aspects of their daily lives.
New innovative services should be developed to address these unmet needs. Innovation will not come from traditional providers but mainly from a range of new players (entrepreneurs, start-ups in various sectors, and digital platforms).
The ‘Leaving no one behind in the digital era’ strategy, to move from digital finance to digital economies builds upon and constitutes a logical integration of UNCDF interventions in financial inclusion and digital, developed over many years.

UNCDF in Afghanistan

UNCDF, in collaboration with UNDP, has been supporting the deployment of financial instruments and approaches in the Afghan banking and financial system to avoid its collapse since 2022. One of the activities aims to support digitization of aid disbursements.

Up to 2023, this project successfully completed pilots with International non-governmental organizations (INGOs), tested 6 different digital payment solutions from 6 different financial services providers. Building on the success of this collaboration, UNDP and UNCDF are launching a new collaboration to achieve the following results:

Increased access to client-centric digital payment solutions in the last mile, targeting in particular women and cash transfer beneficiaries
Enhanced knowledge, skills attitudes and agency of beneficiaries of cash-based interventions, in particular women and those in the last mile, so that they can fully and safely access and use digital payments to increase resilience and economic opportunities
Increased uptake and usage of digital payment solutions by key development partners for their interventions to enable solid demand for services

Duties and Responsibilities

The Digital Finance Project Manager will be reporting to the UNCDF Regional Investment Officer for Asia and Pacific and will be based in Afghanistan. S/he will be responsible for activities, outputs and outcomes of UNCDF in Afghanistan.
Under the supervision of the UNCDF´s Regional Investment Officer for Asia and the Pacific, the Project Manager will be the key person on the ground to structure the UNCDF engagement in the country and will undertake the following tasks:

Project Management and Implementation:

Coordinate the implementation of UNCDF activities in the country, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and strategies.
Develop detailed project plans, including timelines, budgets, and resource allocation.
Monitor progress against project objectives, identifying and addressing any deviations or obstacles.
Liaise with relevant stakeholders, including UNDP, INGOs, and financial institutions, to ensure buy-in and support for project activities.
Oversee the delivery of technical assistance and capacity-building initiatives to local partners.
Ensure compliance with donor requirements and UNCDF policies and procedures.
Identify potential risks and challenges that may impact project implementation and develop strategies to mitigate them.
Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, contractual obligations, and UNCDF policies and procedures.

Resources Mobilization:

Identify opportunities for innovative projects and initiatives that align with UNCDF’s mandate and priorities.
Conduct feasibility studies and risk assessments to evaluate the viability and potential impact of proposed projects.
Develop comprehensive concept notes, proposals, including detailed budgets and financing plans.
Leverage UNCDF’s Technical Assistance facilities and blended finance instruments to attract funding and investment for projects.
Engage with donors, investors, and other stakeholders to mobilize financial resources and support for project implementation.
Explore innovative financing mechanisms, such as public-private partnerships and impact investing, to maximize project impact and sustainability.
Prepare and submit timely and accurate reports on project progress, including financial, operational, and impact metrics.

Partnership and Relationship Management

Cultivate and maintain strategic partnerships with UN Agencies, INGOs, Financial Institutions, and other key stakeholders.
Identify and capitalize on opportunities for collaboration and partnership to advance UNCDF’s goals and objectives.
Facilitate dialogue and collaboration between partners to address common challenges and achieve shared objectives.
Provide technical and advisory support to financial service providers, including commercial banks, insurance companies, payment institutions, fintechs, and mobile money operators, to strengthen their capacity and expand access to financial services.
Assist to UNCDF forums, including workshops, conferences, and events, to showcase project achievements, share best practices, and build relationships with stakeholders.
Communicate project achievements, challenges, and lessons learned to internal and external stakeholders through various channels, such as written reports, presentations, and meetings.
Contribute to knowledge management and communication efforts by writing blog posts, focus notes, case studies, and other knowledge products.
Facilitate knowledge sharing and learning exchanges among project partners and stakeholders to promote innovation and best practices.

Personnel Management

Supervise volunteers, interns, other team members and consultants as needed to support project activities.
Provide leadership, guidance, and mentorship to project team members, fostering a collaborative and high-performing work environment.
Conduct regular performance evaluations and provide constructive feedback to team members to support their professional development.
Foster a culture of learning and continuous improvement within the project team, encouraging knowledge sharing and skills development.

Required Skills and Experience

Education:

Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Economics, Finance, Accounting, Development Studies, Management is required. OR
A first-level university degree (bachelor’s degree) in the areas mentioned above in combination with an additional two years of qualifying experience will be given due consideration in lieu of the advanced university degree

Experience:

Minimum 7 years (with Master’s degree) or 9 years (with Bachelor’s degree) in financial services or digital economy related areas, such as with commercial banks, development banks, payments service providers, eCommerce, FinTech, insurance or any other type of financial institution.
Solid experience in financial services and/or digital economy sector (e.g. Digital Finance, FinTech, InsurTech, eCommerce, Telco, etc) in Afghanistan;
Demonstrate experience with relevant technologies, platforms, and tools used in financial services and the digital economy, including but not limited to digital banking systems, payment gateways, mobile applications, NFC, SMS and USSD etc.
Computer and IT skills in Microsoft applications
Expertise in Digital Payments, Financial Inclusion and Access to finance is considered an advantage.
Experience working with development partners, such as UN organizations or other multilateral organizations (e.g. WorldBank, IFC, ADB) or donor agencies is considered an advantage.
Experience in coordinating with internal and external stakeholders on projects.
Deep understanding of the Afghan market landscape, including consumer behaviours, market trends, competitive landscape, and potential challenges, is essential ensuring the candidate can effectively navigate the market and identify opportunities for growth and innovation.
Strong understanding of the regulatory environment governing financial services and digital economy activities in Afghanistan. This includes laws related to banking, digital payments, data protection, and telecommunications.

Required languages: