EXPRESSION OF INTEREST

(Individual Consultant)

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

Financial Intermediation and Inclusion Division (PIFD1) Financial Sector Development Department (PIFD) Avenue Jean-Paul II, 01 B.P. 1387, Abidjan, Ivory Coast

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND DIGITAL FINANCIAL INCLUSION CONSULTANT

 

 

  1. The African Development Bank (AfDB or the Bank) seeks expressions of interest from suitably highly-qualified Individual Consultants to take part and assist in the implementation of a grant to the “Banque Centrale des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest” (BCEAO). This grant aims to support the implementation of the Digital Financial Services (DFS) interoperability platform across the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU), which is expected to have a significant impact on financial inclusion across the region. The grant from the AfDB to the BCEAO is funded with financial resources mobilized from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).
  1. Thanks to the Digital Financial Services (DFS) interoperability platform within the WAEMU zone, customers with electronic money account or bank account will no longer be limited to sending and receiving money from other customers of the same financial service provider. With the interoperability, they will be able to send and receive money from all other accounts both domestically and across borders. This interoperability feature in the subregional financial system is expected to be a game changer as far as financial inclusion in the region is concerned.
  1. As a project management and digital financial inclusion consultant, he/she will support the day-to-day implementation of the WAEMU DFS Interoperability project. Although the consultant will dedicate most of his/her working time (60%) to the grant’s implementation in the 8 WAEMU countries, he/she will also assist the Financial Inclusion and Intermediation Division of PIFD (PIFD1) in identifying new project and monitoring other ongoing projects up to 30% of his/her working time. Up to about 10% of his/her working time, the consultant will provide ad hoc support to the Division and Task Managers. In particular, he/she will be expected to:
  • Ensure the management, monitoring and implementation of the WAEMU DFS interoperability project and other digital financial inclusion projects within the PIFD1 division, including budget tracking and disbursement follow-up, procurement activities, project progress reports, evaluation, dissemination of results, etc.
  • Support AfDB on engaging in daily interactions with the BCEAO project team and participate in monthly check-in meetings in order to ensure the alignment of the WAEMU interoperability project with Level One Principles (L1P);
  • Monitor the work of consultants/technical service providers and actively participate in stakeholder consultations/workshops, etc.
  • Participate in projects supervision missions, mid-term evaluation and impact assessment study;
  • Work closely with other sectoral experts within AfDB to maximize the cross-learning and deliver impact;
  • Assist and support the Division (PIFD1) in identifying and originating any other financial inclusion projects;
  • Perform any other tasks required by the Task and the Division Manager.
  1. The Bank invites suitably highly-qualified consultants to submit their expression of interest in providing the consultancy services described above. The Bank is expected to recruit one (1) consultant to work alongside the project team. Interested consultants must provide information on their capacity and experience indicating that they are qualified to perform the services required (CV, references, etc.).
  1. The eligibility criteria, establishment of the shortlist and selection procedure shall be in conformity with the Bank’s Rules and Procedure for the Use of Consultants. The AfDB is under no obligation to shortlist any consultant who expresses interest.
  1. The duration of the consultancy is estimated at 12 months and can be renewed upon satisfactory performance. The Consultant will be based in the AfDB headquarters office in Abidjan (Ivory Coast).
  1. Interested Consultants may obtain further information on the nature and requirements of the consultancy at the below email address during office hours: 8AM to 5PM – Abidjan (Ivory Coast) local time.
  1. Expressions of interest must be emailed to the project team using the below email addresses no later than June 15, 2021 at 5PM GMT mentioning “Project Management and Digital Financial Inclusion Consultant” in the subject line of the email to: [email protected] copy to [email protected]

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SHORTLIST

  1. A shortlist of three (3) to five (5) individual Consultants will be established at the end of this request of expressions of interest. The Consultants on the shortlist will be judged on the following criteria on the basis of their resumes:
1. General qualifications and adequacy for the proposed assignment to be  
  undertaken (Hold at least a Master’s degree or its university equivalent in 30%
  economics, social sciences, engineering, business administration etc. and
   
  have knowledge of development issues).  
2. Similar experience in the area of expertise of the assignment (Have at least  
  six (6) years of relevant professional experience) as described in the Terms 40%
  of Reference  
3. Experience with the Bank and/or other Multilateral Development Institutions 10%
4. Language proficiency 5%
5. Experience in using standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, 5%
  Access, PowerPoint and).
   
6. Knowledge of the Region (environment of the assignment) 10%
TOTAL 100%