Deadline: 24 August 2018
UNDP is seeking request for proposals for its “Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund Program: Markets Development and Financial Inclusion” to contribute to increased capacities of communities to protect development gains and achieve improved well-being outcomes in the face of shocks and stresses.
ZRBF is seeking the services of an independent Contractor to carry out the assignment. The contractor will work closely with Ministry of Lands Agriculture and Rural Resettlement (MLAAR), the ZRBF implementing consortia partners, rural communities, private sectors, and relevant government stakeholders in all the 18 districts and ensure that interventions are strategically layered, sequenced and integrated with all other relevant interventions, with particular attention to sustainability of the proposed interventions. In addition, the Contractor will conduct a number of researches to inform interventions.
Objectives
The specific objectives of the call are:
- Facilitation and coordination of market linkages (output, input, financial services) and attract necessary investments to support inclusive partnerships;
- Promotion of federation of Internal Savings and Lending Associations (ISALs) and strengthening and upscaling of community-based, self-managed institutions for financial inclusion and risk sharing;
- Research and documentation to support the work under 1 and 2 above and contributing to the ZRBF Resilience Knowledge hub;
- Utilization of evidence for advocacy and policy influence.
Components
- Creating a body of evidence and building capacity for increased application of evidence-based policy making;
- Improving the absorptive, adaptive and transformative capacities of at-risk communities; and
- Setting up a crisis modifier mechanism which will provide appropriate, predictable, coordinated and timely response to risk and shocks from a resilience perspective.
Audience and Intended Uses
The main stakeholders that the Contractor will work with and support include ZRBF consortia partners, rural communities, private sectors, including SMEs, Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Rural Resettlement (MLAAR) as the implementing partner for ZRBF, as well as other relevant government technical departments critical and responsible for promoting the resilience agenda such as Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare; Ministry of Environment, Water and Climate ; Ministry of Local Government, Public works and National Housing; and Food and Nutrition Council ,including local level stakeholders.
Eligibility Criteria
- Team Leader Minimum 10 years’ experience in in resilient and sustainable agriculture, market and value chain development and financial inclusion, inclusive business and private sector engagement. Experience in rural institutions is also desirable. Masters degree in Agriculture, Economics, Marketing or Business. This individual will serve as team leader for the duration of the assignment. S/he will be the primary point of contact between UNDP and partners, which include Consortia Partners and other relevant stakeholders and have responsibility for the overall delivery of the assignment including reporting. S/he must have good facilitation skills.
- Financial Services and Inclusive Business Specialist –This person will be responsible for supporting the design and implementation of inclusive business partnership models and for liaising with and concluding the relevant collaboration agreements with Financial Services providers. In addition, S/he must have experience with social enterprises. S/he must have good facilitation skills– Minimum 4 years’ experience in facilitating relationships between rural communities and financial institutions, including experience in working with ISALs/ Micro finance. Masters degree in Banking, Agriculture, Economics, Business or Accounting.
- Research Specialist –Minimum of a Ph.D. and five years’ experience of action research in the areas relevant to this work, with significant experience in Zimbabwe. This person will be responsible for leading all the research work
- Finance and administration officer – will be responsible for supporting the implementation of the plan.
How to Apply
Applicants can apply via given website.
For more information, please visit UNDP.