Financial Services Deepening Ethiopia (FSD Ethiopia) Vacancy Announcement

Job Summary

Background:
Financial Services Deepening (FSD) Ethiopia, established in 2021, aims to support the development of accessible, inclusive, and sustainable financial markets for economic growth. FSD Ethiopia identifies constraints within the financial system and facilitates solutions, working to build a functional financial sector that benefits all Ethiopians.

For more information, visit the FSD Ethiopia website.

Project Description:
The National Financial Inclusion Strategy II (NFIS-II) (2021-2025) aims to increase access to and usage of basic financial services and deepen financial inclusion. FSD Ethiopia is establishing a project management office (PMO) embedded within the National Bank under the Financial Inclusion Secretariat to implement NFIS-II initiatives.

Position: Regional Financial Inclusion Coordinator

Key Tasks:

• Provide project management support to the Regional Financial Inclusion Task Force.
• Collaborate with the Regional Council for Financial Inclusion to secure policy support.
• Identify strategy enablers, barriers, and solutions.
• Develop implementation parameters.
• Establish a regional financial inclusion database.
• Serve as a regional financial inclusion knowledge expert.
• Integrate gender across program implementation.
• Provide progress reports to the FIS and PMO.
• Document lessons learned.

The coordinator will lead regional NFIS framework implementation, ensuring effective programming, stakeholder coordination, and providing contextual understanding.

Institutional Arrangement:
The coordinator will be hired by FSD Ethiopia and based in the regional implementation unit housed at the respective region’s president’s office, supervised by the PMO housed under the FIS of the NBE in close consultation with the FIS.

Duty Station: Afar, Amhara, Benshangul, Gambella, Sidama, Somali, Southwest Ethiopia

Positions Needed: 1 Regional Coordinator per region

Job Grade: 5

Employment Type: Full-time

Reports to: Project Management Office – Project Manager

Employment Period: One year (1-year) with a possibility of extension

Job Requirements

Qualifications:

Academic Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in economics, public/business administration, social sciences, or a related discipline.
• Additional training related to digital financial services & project management is highly desirable.

Experience:

• A minimum of ten (10) years of experience in financial inclusion, digital finance, financial education, digital payments, or related fields.
• Practical experience in formulating and implementing national financial inclusion strategies.
• Experience coordinating public and private sector stakeholders and development partners.
• Knowledge of innovative financial services issues (e.g., mobile financial services, agent networks, digital currency).
• Familiarity with Ethiopia’s financial services landscape, including sector reforms.
• Experience with central banks, government ministries, and private sector players, preferably in emerging markets.
• Experience with programs/projects related to financial inclusion, especially for underserved populations, including women.
• Understanding of the respective region’s working culture and bureaucracy.

Desirable:

• Experience working in a multicultural environment.
• Knowledge of donor policies and procedures.
• Previous experience on FCDO- and BMGF-funded projects.
• Fluency in additional regional languages.
• Ability to multitask.
• A good understanding of the financial sector in Ethiopia.

Competencies:

Core Competencies:

• Demonstrates ethics and integrity.
• Writes and edits clear, concise, and error-free documents.
• Encourages open, honest, and respectful communication.
• Stays composed and focused in stressful situations.
• Makes fair, just, and transparent decisions.
• Displays cultural and gender sensitivity.

Functional Competencies:

Professional:

• Project management lifecycle.
• Conceptualizes effective approaches to program development.
• Anticipates constraints and identifies solutions.
• Creates networks and promotes initiatives with partners.
• Fosters innovation and innovative thinking.

Technical:

• Solid skills in strategy development, digital transformation, and stakeholder engagement.
• Knowledge of financial inclusion and digital financial services.
• Ability to translate complex technical ideas to a non-technical audience.

Languages:

• Fluency in English (written and spoken).
• Fluency in the working language of the region.
• Skills in other regional languages are desirable.

How to Apply

Application Process:
Interested individuals must first read the detailed job description on FSD Ethiopia’s website. Applicants must submit their application with a cover letter and detailed description of their experience to jobs@fsdethiopia.org by August 10, 2024, with the subject line “[The region you are applying for]_Regional Coordinator for Financial Inclusion Strategy Implementation”.

For questions about the roles, application process, or FSD Ethiopia, contact jobs@fsdethiopia.org.

Note: FSD Ethiopia is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applications from all backgrounds.