Rural Finance Expansion Programme
REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
RURAL FINANCE EXPANSION PROGRAMME
IFAD Loan No. 2000000429-ZM
Spanish Fund Loan No. 2000000430-ZM
EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
BACKGROUND
The Rural Finance Expansion Programme (RUFEP) is a follow up of the Rural Finance Programme (RFP) that completed its implementation on 30th September 2013. The Financing Agreement for the Rural Finance Expansion Programme (RUFEP) between the Government of the Republic of Zambia, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Spanish Food Security Facility Trust Fund (SFSFTF) was signed on 22nd July 2014. The Programme was declared effective on 22nd July 2014 upon signing of the Financing Agreement. RUFEP is working under the National Financial Sector Development Policy (FSD Policy) and National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) which are broad plans and strategies but is more specifically guided by the Rural Finance Policy and Strategy (RFPS).
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) through the Investment and Debt Management Department is the Lead Programme Agency and has overall responsibility for the implementation of the Programme. In line with the Financing Agreement the MoF established the Programme Coordination Office (PCO) and invites applications to fill the vacant position of Programme Support Officer.
PURPOSE
RUFEP is a programme funded by GRZ, IFAD and the participating communities and financial institutions. The Programme’s development objective is to ‘increase access to and use of sustainable financial services by poor rural men, women and youth’. It is estimated that about 140,000 rural persons in Zambia over an eight-year period, commencing from 2014, will benefit from Programme activities. The Programme makes investments under two components: (i) Strategic Partnerships – by strengthening the capacity of policy, apex and Financial Service Providers (FSPs) in the financial sector to address challenges that affect delivery of financial services in the rural areas; (ii) Innovation and Outreach Facility – by supporting institutions to pilot and roll out innovative, demand-driven rural and agricultural financial products and services.
The Programme is in its fifth year and is being implemented through a wide range of institutions including; Ministry of Finance (MoF), Bank of Zambia (BoZ), Development Bank of Zambia (DBZ), Financial Sector Deepening Zambia ( FSDZ), Apex institutions, banks, microfinance institutions, FinTechs, other Financial Service Providers (FSPs) including insurance and asset leasing companies, value chain developers, farmer organizations and Community Based Financial Institutions (groups, cooperatives, associations, clubs, Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILCs) etc.). The Programme interacts and collaborates with government ministries and departments (MoF, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry, Ministry of Livestock & Fisheries, Ministry of Community Development and Social Services and others), other programmes within Zambia including other IFAD supported programmes (Enhanced-Smallholder Livestock Investment Project (E-SLIP), Enhanced Smallholder Agribusiness Promotion Programme (ESAPP), Smallholder Productivity Promotion Programme (S3P)), and various Non-Government Organizations (NGOs) and Community Based Organizations (CBOs). The Rural Finance Unit (RFU) established within the Ministry of Finance is benefiting from technical advisory support in order to speed their appreciation of rural finance in general and RUFEP in particular.
The Programme is proposing to hire a Programme Support Officer for a period of two and half years. The location will be Lusaka, Zambia.
Job Description
Job Title: Programme Support Officer
Duration: 2.5 years
Contract: Two and half – year contract, with six months’ probation period, renewable based on agreed performance targets and deliverables
Reports to: Programme Coordinator (PC)
Purpose
Support the Programme to manage the progress being made by Strategic Partners (SPs) and Implementing Partners (IPs) and reporting against targets laid out in financing and partnership agreements. S/he will identify gaps in project implementation and adherence to terms and conditions of respective agreements, propose and implement timely and technical interventions to strengthen project implementation and compliance-where applicable-so that agreed project activities and outputs are achieved. The overarching goal is that envisaged outcomes and impacts of the Projects are not compromised. Ultimately, RUFEP should achieve increased outreach of rural financial services offered by Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) and other Financial Service Providers (FSPs), improved performance of MFIs and other FSPs, improved service delivery by Community Based Financial Institutions (CBFIs) or Savings Groups and adoption of new financial products and/or services and usage of new delivery platforms by the rural poor.
Key Responsibilities and Duties
- Review and understand Matching Grants, Partnership Agreements and MOUs signed between RUFEP and the respective Strategic Partners (IPs) and Implementing Partner’s (IPs) and ensure that the terms and conditions of the grant are complied with fully at all times;
- Review and understand respective SPs and IP’s approved Detailed Implementation Plans, budgets, Gantt charts and related project performance indicators;
- Communicate regularly with SPs and IPs to ensure that RUFEP is up to date with developments at the SP and IP level;
- Track project implementation against agreed milestones and performance indicators as contained in the detailed plans, budgets, Gantt charts, partnership and grant agreements;
- Support in monitoring SP and IP project activities during their implementation to ensure on-time and high-quality delivery and reporting using Word and Excel, the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation System (PlaMES) and the Client Management System (CMS);
- Conduct regular site visits to IP projects and present timely back-to-office reports documenting project strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats and recommending timely and appropriate remedial actions where applicable;
- Identify capacity building needs of different implementers and advise on how these needs can be addressed to ensure effectiveness in terms of project outcomes;
- Identify and contribute to lessons learnt and knowledge sharing, working closely with the Knowledge Management and Communication Specialist, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist and National Technical Advisor;
- Ensure that all electronic databases and document files are well maintained and are up to date;
- Attend weekly management meetings and ensure that all Programme Implementation matters are up to date; and
- Perform any other tasks as may be assigned by the Programme Coordinator.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts in Economics, Banking and Finance, Social Sciences, Agricultural Economics, Rural Development, Development Studies, or similar discipline
Skills and Experience
- 3 to 5 years of practical experience in banking, microfinance, agricultural finance, and/or rural development, and NGO project and grant management;
- Experience with capacity building and strengthening private sector and/or non governmental organisations, financial sector experience preferred;
- Experience with NGO grants, project implementation and/or matching grant facilities;
- Experience with NGO grants, project monitoring and evaluation
- Mature, team oriented professional with good analytical and communication skills;
- A strong, self-motivated individual working with no or minimum supervision;
- Able to travel to the rural areas and meet tight deadlines; and
- Excellent skills in written and spoken English and be conversant with Microsoft Office applications.
How to Apply
Applicants must submit their application letters, CVs, copies of academic & professional qualifications (certificates) in English and including contact details and current references to the address below. The envelopes should be sealed and deposited in the Tender box at the Ministry of Finance HQ, Chimanga Road, located on ground floor reception area or could be emailed to [email protected],copied to [email protected] on or before Monday, 28th October 2019, Time: 10:00 hours local time.
LATE APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
Friday C. Mumba
Head – Procurement and Supplies Unit For/Permanent Secretary – EMF MINISTRY OF FINANCE