BACKGROUND:
UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund is the lead UN agency for delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe and every young person's potential is fulfilled. UNFPA’s strategic plan (2022-2025), reaffirms the relevance of the current strategic direction of UNFPA and focuses on three transformative results: to end preventable maternal deaths; end unmet need for family planning; and end gender-based violence and harmful practices. In Namibia, UNFPA support to the Government is articulated in the current 6th Country Programme (CP), 2019-2023 extended to 2024 as aligned to the United Nations Partnership Framework, the Harambee Prosperity Plan, the Fifth National Development Plan 5.
The UNFPA Namibia Country Office has been awarded catalytic funding through UNFPA’s Strategic Investment Facility (SIF). The provision of this funding is intended to bring projects to scale by leveraging far greater sums of domestic government resources, International Financial Institutions (IFIs), aligned external financing, in-country donor contributions, and investments from the private sector.
Furthermore, UNFPA Namibia’s two Investment Cases on (a) ending unmet need for family planning and (b) ending gender-based violence (GBV) provide clear guidance on defining the scale and scope of investments needed to prioritize proven, high-impact and cost-effective interventions that are required to accelerate progress towards achievement of the transformative results committed to by UNFPA and partners.
Guided by the Investment cases, UNFPA Namibia will use the SIF to demonstrate the impact of investing in the high impact interventions within a multi-sectoral programme aimed at improving productive capacity of youth and achieving young women's empowerment with a special focus on marginalized young women and adolescent girls.
PURPOSE OF CONSULTANCY
The consultancy aims to contribute to the 6th country programme outputs and particularly for the overall coordination of implementation of the SIF funded interventions. The Project Coordinator will be responsible for the development, coordination, and overall implementation of the SIF and Investment case interventions including testing micro-credit prototype in identified regions in Namibia, towards the development of a fully-fledged project concept.
SCOPE OF WORK
- Oversee the day-to-day coordination and implementation of the programme components interventions, such as but not exclusive to, planning, budgeting, and general monitoring in close collaboration with the selected microfinance institution other relevant development actors and the Steering Committee;
- Support the development and implementation of a microfinance for cooperatives prototype and coordinate its execution throughout the pilot testing period.
- Support the development/selection of a training curriculum/modules on financial literacy and business skills training program
- Support the establishment of cooperatives as the conduit for financing, business skills education, capacity building and service provision.
- Coordinate SRHR and GBV information sharing and service provision activities to cooperatives
- Contribute towards the analysis of general socio-economic conditions of pilot regions. Identify and implement the economic /income-generating activities that could be promoted within the target groups of population;
- Oversee the appraisal and selection of the submitted business-plans.
- Ensure transparency, professionalism and fairness of the micro-lending process.
- Regularly liaise with the Microfinance institution and be the focal point for micro-finance related issues
- Follow appropriate reporting mechanism and accounting procedures in line with UNFPA policies and guidelines.
- Develop and maintain a knowledge database on supported cooperatives business initiatives.
- Conduct regular monitoring of the accredited micro-enterprises
- Facilitate the develop tracking tools and impact assessment methodologies to measure and gauge effectiveness and impact of micro-finance interventions.
- Coordinate stakeholder engagements and implementation of the Investment Cases recommendations with other UNFPA CO programme
- Produce monthly progress reports on activities and key results of the microfinance and investment cases components, which will lead to eventual incorporation of recommendations into the Strategic Investment Facility project concept proposal.
- Review and handle programme related correspondences, collect and prepare necessary information for reply/action, and draft responses to correspondences,
- Ensure organizational equipment and assets are maintained and used in accordance with UNFPA policies and business practice
- Perform any other duties as may be assigned.
DURATION AND WORKING SCHEDULE:
Expected to work for the period of 08 months - May 2023 – December 2023
Full Time with a total of 8 hours per day commencing from 08h00 – 17h00 for 5 working days
PLACE WHERE SERVICES ARE TO BE DELIVERED:
UNFPA, Namibia Office, with frequent travel to project regions and sites
Delivery dates and how work will be delivered (e.g. electronic, hard copy etc.) May 2023 – December 2023
MONITORING AND PROGRESS CONTROL, INCLUDING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS, PERIODICITY FORMAT AND DEADLINE:
Project Coordinator expected to provide monthly accomplishment report to the supervisor in a format to be provided
SUPERVISORY ARRANGEMENTS:
The Project Coordinator will be under the direct supervision of the Assistant Representative, with oversight support of the UNFPA ESA Regional Office Resource Mobilization unit and overall supervision of the UNFPA Representative, Namibia CO
-She/he is expected to work closely with the other programme and operation teams in UNFPA Namibia Country Office, other project staff, partners and stakeholders
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERTISE, AND COMPETENCIES
The incumbent must meet the following minimum criteria:
Education:
Master’s degree in Economics, Finance, Business Administration or in a business development and management related discipline or alternatively, a combination of relevant training and experience
Knowledge and Experience:
- A minimum of three (5) years of relevant, practical working experience within public sector, private sector and/or a development organization;
- Experience in project management, implementation and coordination;
- Professional experience in the micro-finance sector, gender mainstreaming in private or non-governmental sector will be an asset;
- Demonstrated knowledge of micro-credit and saving schemes, micro-finance institutions, business start-ups, micro-enterprise development concepts, accounting systems and micro-finance legal framework;
- Experience in work with diverse communities, training programmes and experience of work in international organizations are an advantage.
- Excellent communication skills, demonstrated ability to coordinate and work in a team
- An understanding of the UN system in general, and especially UNFPA mandate will be an added advantage
LANGUAGES:
Fluency in English (oral and written).
Ability to communicate in Namibia local languages an advantage
REQUIRED COMPETENCIES
Values:
- Exemplifying integrity,
- Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system,
- Embracing cultural diversity,
- Embracing change
Functional Competencies:
- Providing coordination support
- Managing data
- Managing documents and partners
- Managing information and workflow
- Planning, organizing and multitasking
Core Competencies:
- Achieving results,
- Being accountable,
- Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
- Thinking analytically and strategically,
- Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships,
- Communicating for impact
Managerial Competencies:
- Providing strategic focus,
- Engaging in internal/external partners and stakeholders,
- Coordinating, developing and empowering people, creating a culture of performance
- Making decisions and exercising judgment
HOW TO APPLY
i) The deadline for applications is Monday, 17 April 2023, 5pm CAT .
ii) Interested applicants should send a short letter of motivation and a detailed CV with the subject clearly stated "Application for the Local consultant: Project Coordinator –Strategic Investment Facility (SIF) " to recruitments.unfpa@gmail.com.
iii) UNFPA will only respond to those applicants in whom we have further interest.
The United Nations does not charge a fee at any stage of its recruitment process (application, interview, processing, training) or other fee, or request information on applicants’ bank accounts or HIV status.
