EOI - Individual Consultant to Support the Implementation of a Technical Assistance Project at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

African Development Bank Group (AfDB) - Established in 1964, the African Development Bank is the premier pan-African development institution, promoting economic growth and social progress across the continent. There are 80 member states, including 54 in Africa (Regional Member Countries). The Bank’s development agenda is delivering the financial and technical support for transformative projects that will significantly reduce poverty through inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Expressions of Interest: Individual Consultant to Support the Implementation of a Technical Assistance Project For a Financial Institution in Zimbabwe - AHGC

Location: Remotely Work
Consultant Type: Individual Consultant
Job Family: Gender

Description

• The African Development Bank herby invites individual consultantsto express their interest in the following assignment: Individual Consultant to support the implementationof a technical assistance project for a financial institution in Zimbabwe.
• Under the supervision of the Project Coordinator of the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa, (AFAWA), an initiativewithin the Gender, Women and Civil Society Department(AHGC),the main task/objective of the proposed assignment is to support theimproving access to finance for Women SMEs in Zimbabweproject (“the project”)funded bytheWomen EntrepreneurshipFinance Initiative (We-Fi) donor trust fund.
• The project is aimed at diversification and growth of a sustainable and profitable women SME portfolio at a partner financial institution in Zimbabwe, through enhanced product adjustment, staff capacity building and developing a broader basket of non-financial servicesto serve women SMEs.
• The Gender, Women and Civil Society Departmentnow invites eligible individual consultants to express their interest in providing these services. Interested candidates must provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (qualification documents, CV with detailed description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills among staff relevant to the assignment, etc.). 

The Bank

• Established in 1964, the African Development Bank (the “Bank”) is the premier Pan-African development institution promoting economic growth and social progress across the continent.
• There are 81 member states, including 54 in Africa (Regional Member Countries).
• The Bank’s development agenda is delivering the financial and technical support for transformative projects that will significantly reduce poverty through inclusive and sustainable economic growth. 
• In order to sharply focus the objectives of the Ten-Year Strategy (2013 –2022) and ensure greater developmental impact, five major areas (High 5s) have been identified for scaling up, namely, light up and power Africa, feed Africa, industrialize Africa, integrate Africa and improve the quality of life for Africans.

The complex

• The Vice-Presidency for ‘Agriculture, Human, and Social Development’ is a Sector Complex focusing on two of the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy High 5s priority of “Feed Africa” and “Improve Quality of Life for the People of Africa”.
•  The complex objectives are (i) to develop, policy and strategy; (ii) provide deep sector expertise to the Regions by gathering pools of experienced individuals who can be consulted to provide sector expertise on complex transactions; (iii) develop new financing instruments; (iv) the Vice President will act as the spokesperson to represent the Bank with external stakeholders on aspects of “Feed Africa” and Improve Quality of Life for the People of Africa”.

Background of the AFAWA initiative

• The AfDB started the implementation of the AFAWA initiative in 2021.
• Through this initiative, the Bank plans to unlock US$5 billion in new financing for women led and women-owned businesses across Africa by 2026.
• The Bank is doing this through the AFAWA guarantee for growth program in partnership with the Africa Guarantee Fund, where the African Development Bank is helping to de-risk women-led small and medium sized enterprises and incentivize financial institutions to increase lending to women. 
• The Bank isalso utilizing its traditional instruments of Lines of Credit, Trade Finance and Equity to ensure a carve out of 30% is allocated to women SMEs with partnering financial institutions on the continent.
• The AFAWA initiatives also offering technical assistance/advisory to partner financial institutions to build their capacities to support women SME markets and tailor products and services more suitably to the types of businesses women run; and offer capacity building services for the women SMEs.
• The African Development Bank is an implementing agency of grant funds provided by donors under the Women Entrepreneurs Finance Initiative (We-Fi). As part of its efforts to successfully roll out the implementation of projects related to access to finance and technical assistance in partnership with a financial institution and Women Entrepreneurs.
• AFAWA seeks to recruit the services of a medium-term individual consultant to support improving access to finance for women SME sin Zimbabwe project(“the project”). 
• The project is aimed at diversification and growth of a sustainable and profitable women SME portfolio at a partner financial institution in Zimbabwe, through enhanced product adjustment, staff capacity building and developing a broader basket of non-financial services

The Hiring Department

• Within the Complex, the Gender, Women and Civil Society Department is designed to improve coherence and coordination across Complexes on Gender and Civil Society Organization issues.
• The Department ensures strategic priorities are reflected in resources allocation, enhances monitoring and management of performance, and strengthens the focus on results.
• The Department also houses a number of special initiatives including the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) a flagship initiative of the Bank that aims to bridge the gender gap in access to finance and unleash women’s entrepreneurial capacity across the continent. 
• AFAWA’s holistic approach focuses on 3 pillars: (a) access to finance, leveraging AfDB’s various instruments such as lines of credit, equity investment sand risk sharing mechanisms, (b) technical assistance, to financial institutions as well as women entrepreneurs, and (c) policy dialogue to reform the legal and regulatory frameworks affecting women businesses

Scope of Work

• Under the overall guidance of the AFAWA Manager, and the direct supervision of the AFAWA Task Manager (TM)in the southern African region, the consultant shall undertake the following tasks: 
• Support the financial institution in setting up a project management unit that will manage the coordination, project implementation and delivery of the project activities and outcomes.
• Support the financial institution in the recruitment of consultancy services for the assignment under the project in accordance with the AfDB’s Procurement procedure.
• Establish consistent M&E tools for tracking trends on goals, objectives, and specific activities of the We-Fi, reporting and communicating progress on results.
• Support project progress reporting, project mid-term review and final evaluation.
• Lead regular project reviews and reporting of results, particularly quarterly, semi-annual, and annual reviews.
• Support follow up activities regarding implementation of audit and evaluation recommendations and ensure the use of evaluation findings by providing technical guidance in preparation of timely management response to all mandatory evaluations and by developing a communication/ dissemination plan
• Support the Project Implementation Unitsin addressing any capacity related challenges including adherence to project implementation timeframe.
• Review the status of recommendations and action plans made in Bank’s supervision missions.
• Organize and facilitate cross learning workshops, networking and pitching events in partnership with relevant stakeholders.
• Support communication strategy and tools to disseminate project results (compendium, lessons learnt, best practice via partners/AfDB Channels internet, social media etc.)
• Discuss challenges and constraints in project implementation. 
• Review and address the procurement plans and pending issues.
• Review all contracts in the projects in terms of their disbursement levels, delivery of their targets, and any issues relating to quality and timeliness in completion. 
• Contribute to the development of knowledge products and publications and participate in the team’s efforts to develop a repository of data on women’s access to finance and women economic empowerment in Africa.
• Provide market intelligence on the women’s market and business case for investing in women; recommend innovative and operational products/toolkits with the aim of addressing adequately the challenges women entrepreneurs face in accessing finance and markets and achieve the objective of AFAWA.
• Perform other duties as assigned by supervisor.

Qualifications and Experience

• The consultant should have a minimum of a Master’s Degree in a Development field, Business, Gender, Economics, SME Access to Finance, Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation, Development Economics or related fields.
• Have a minimum of five(5) years of relevant experience, (including in multilateral development institutions) in project cycle management, as Technical Assistance Expert in sustainable finance, women’s empowerment programs, enterprise development programs and value chains
• Proven successful experience working with women’s financial inclusion projects.key value chains and facilitating training in business and financial management skills for women SMEs
• Ability to work in a team spirit to achieve defined objectives in international multicultural
• Portfolio management experience working in Africa is a must. 
• Excellent communication skills with good knowledge of English language. 
• Competences in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint). 
• A national of the Bank’s Member Country.
• The consultants will be home based with occasional travels to the projects in different regions.

Duration

• The duration of the assignment is five(5) months renewables depending on the needs and implementation performance.
•  The AHGC/AFAWA unit invites Individual Consultants to indicate their interest in providing the above-described services. The assignment period is expected for 6 months from the date of signing the contract renewable depending on individual’s performance and budget. The commencement date is expected for May 15th, 2023. 
• The work will be carried out remotely .
• The consultant will report to the AFAWA Coordinator. At the conclusion of the assignment, the Consultant’s performance will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
  • Professional competence
  • Analytical, reasoning, organizational and communication skills
  • Reliability and organization 
  • Deliverables and Output
  • Quality of work produced.

Confidentiality:

• Any information provided by AfDB, project proponents or executing entities, or by any other source concerning any AfDB project or activity or the bidding and appointment of the Consultant will be considered confidential and proprietary in nature and should not (except as required by law) be disclosed by the Consultant to any third party.

Remuneration
The consultant’s remuneration will be based on the Consultant experience and the Bank’s Guidelines on Individual Consultants Remuneration

Application Closing Date
21st April, 2023 (Bank’s working hours: 09:00 to 17:00 hours).