DIGITAL FINANCIAL SERVICES (DFS) SPECIALIST

About the Organisation

Established in 2004, the Financial Sector Deepening Tanzania (FSDT) is a donor-funded financial sector market facilitator that aims to achieve poverty reduction through a transformative financial sector that offers inclusive and sustainable financial solutions to improve the livelihood, wellbeing, and empowerment of underserved Tanzanians. FSDT’s work is guided by the Market Systems Development (MSD) approach, which aims to develop market systems that benefit the poor, offering them capacities and opportunities to improve their lives.

Currently, our main target markets are women and youth, who have been identified as the most financially excluded market segments in the country. FSDT is dedicated to supporting the financial sector in delivering inclusive, quality financial solutions that meet the financial needs of women and youth.

Through FSDT facilitation, we hope to achieve the following changes in the market:

• Improved policies, legal and regulatory frameworks that promote gender equality, as well as economic and financial opportunities for women and youth.
• Improved availability of relevant financial sector infrastructures that will equip the financial sector players and other stakeholders with the ability to meet the needs and aspirations of women and youth.
• Financial service providers developing and scaling innovative and responsive financial solutions/tools for women and youth to promote equality, empowerment, and wellbeing.
• Improved confidence and capability of women and youth to demand and use financial solutions.

About the Job

JOB TITLE: DFS Specialist
DEPARTMENT: Programs
REPORTING TO: Lead, Digital Finance Services & Infrastructure Development

The DFS Specialist will be responsible for supporting FSDT’s DFS & Infrastructure Development interventions. S/he will contribute to designing, implementing, monitoring and reporting on interventions cutting across the financial and real sectors. The individual will be instrumental in managing DFS, health technology and digital public infrastructure projects, working closely with public, private and development stakeholders; keep abreast of global DFS, health technology and digital public infrastructure for provision of affordable and fit for purpose digital finance services.

Key Responsibilities

KRA 1: Intervention Design and Impactful Implementation

• Support in designing, implementing, monitoring and reporting of DFS and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) interventions.
• Understand the global evolution/innovation trends in DFS & DPI and ensure insights contribute to FSDT’s financial sector interventions.
• Work closely with implementing partners (IPs) by providing technical support and advise so that they are equipped to contribute effectively towards financial markets development, inclusiveness, and job creation.
• Contribute to designing interventions and adaptive management during implementation to ensure execution of impactful projects for a transformative financial sector in the country.
• Carry out effective project management for ongoing DFS & DPI interventions to drive results, mitigate risks, ensure accurate reporting and adaptive oversight.
• Contribute to program reviews, visits, and research as necessary to adaptively manage the performance of projects and achieve targeted outcomes and impact.
• Contribute to building and maintaining key relationships with public, private and development partners, including central bank, government agencies, other complementary development agencies and financial service providers to ensure smooth and holistic operations.
• Collaborate closely with the Monitoring Results and Measurement (MRM) team to ensure collection of data, analysis of results and identification of opportunities for improvement.
• Contribute to strategies for widespread awareness-raising if desired results have been achieved, or to corrective measures such as adjustment of the approach and periodically support review of the theory of change as appropriate if desired results have not been achieved.
• Participate and contribute to designing interventions as coordinated by the lead DFS and Infrastructure development. Specifically contribute to business plans development, strategy formulation, drafting of Project Approval Requests (PAR), contribute to implementation of strategies to attract potential impactful implementing partners and support identification of instruments that can stimulate inclusive financial markets development, principally where these are likely to promote targeted real sector benefits.
• Support onboarding of IPs for the approved interventions through capacity assessment and Liaising with the designated Project Accountant to ensure that due diligence and contracting processes are carried out efficiently, and that partners are provided with a quality briefing concerning FSDT’s procedures for project/grant management.
• Contribute to development of budgets and cash-flow forecasts that will achieve fund utilization targets, ensure project success and address capacity gaps of partners.

KRA 2: Advocacy, Communications, Knowledge Management & Relationship Building

• Contribute to the development, and support implementation of innovative Knowledge, Communications & Influencing plan for digital innovation and digital infrastructure development.
• Support the lead DFS and Infrastructure Development by building on the ecosystem analysis and stakeholder mapping to set clear goals for stakeholder mindset or behaviour change; work collaboratively with the Communications Manager to convert this understanding into a concrete action plan.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of influencing strategies and interventions that drive mindset change and widespread uptake of pro-poor and pro-development financial practices.
• Contribute to the implementation of the Communication Strategy (e.g. by developing content for written materials/website, participating in campaigns etc.).
• Contribute to the development of annual and quarterly reports/newsletters and knowledge management materials.
• Contribute to knowledge management initiatives by working collaboratively with the Knowledge Specialist.

KRA 3: Risk and Resource Management

• Contribute to securing, managing and safeguarding programme resources through guidance from the lead DFS and Infrastructure Development, Project Accountant and MRM.
• Contribute to the development of programme/project budgets and adhere to FSDT’s procedures to manage project finances effectively and achieve value-for-money targets.
• Support the processes associated with sub-granting and liaise with IPs to ensure their compliance with FSDT’s financial procedures and funders accountability requirements.
• Support the processes associated with procurement of goods and services that are required for each intervention being implemented by liaising with the HR & Corporate Services Manager and ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
• Develop and execute comprehensive risk management strategies for DFS and DPI projects under implementation to drive successful interventions.

Role Requirements

Specifications for the Role

Qualifications:

• Minimum of bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• Additional professional qualification and relevant accreditations are an advantage.
• Certification in Project Management (e.g., PMP/PRINCE2) is an added advantage.

Relevant Experience:

• Minimum 5 years working experience, including in DFS, Health Technology, digital public infrastructure and market infrastructure environment (e.g. Mobile Network Operator, Financial Service Provider with DFS focus, Fintech).
• Experience working with and influencing key external stakeholders i.e., Implementing Partners and provide experience-based advice and project management support.
• Evidence of past success in managing digital innovation or digital infrastructure development interventions.
• Familiarity with major players in financial sector development in Tanzania (desired).

Critical Technical Skills & Knowledge:

• Clear understanding of how digital finance, health technology and infrastructure development can contribute towards improved livelihoods, wellbeing, resilience and empowerment of Tanzanian women and youth.
• Deep and extensive technical knowledge in relevant fields (Digital Finance, Health Technology and Products, Digital Technologies and Applications, Process Mapping & Analytics, Digital Infrastructure & Payments etc.).
• Knowledge of national payment systems including instant interoperable payment systems and other related payment systems.
• Understanding of monitoring and results management concepts and processes; track record of carrying out quality assurance of projects implementation and milestone tracking.
• Very good written and spoken English and Swahili.

Behavioural Competencies or Character:

• Has a strong sense of engagement that leads to self-starting, taking initiative and acting decisively.
• Generates value-adding innovation through continuous improvement, idea generation and creativity.
• Thinks clearly and intentionally, analysing information objectively, understanding issues, solving problems, and forming expert opinion.
• Is strongly motivated to achieve goals and act with accountability to deliver quality results.
• Initiates and maintains positive relationships with others, discerning and appreciating the values, concerns, or feelings of others.
• Deliberately adjusts behaviour in order to address the feelings, needs or concerns of others. Communicates clearly, confidently, and appropriately to influence others and foster team spirit.

Personal Characteristics

Commitment & Drive for Results: You have values and personal ambitions that are aligned with FSDT’s goals to support the financial sector to offer inclusive and sustainable financial solutions.

Initiative & Decisiveness You have a strong sense of ownership: taking personal responsibility for work, the impact we are seeking, and the achievement of critical higher-level goals. You are proactive in seeking out information or resources necessary for success, and you’re able to overcome problems or obstacles with a ‘can-do’ attitude.

Learning & Innovation You continually improve your skills and knowledge and role-model a personal commitment to professional development. You are quick to recognise opportunities or new ideas and make use of them in your own work; and you respond to a new situation, or tough feedback, by learning, adapting and improving.

Application Deadline: 15th August 2024

How to Apply:

Please submit your application comprising a cover detailing your suitability for the position, a detailed CV and three references, with at least two pertaining to prior employment. Applications should be sent via email to vacancy@fsdt.or.tz

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

FSDT provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment.