STC - FCI MENA Region - IQ Talent Marketplace

Application Closing Date: 2/15/2022

To Submit Your Application:

Interested candidates should send their resumes and a one-page motivation letter to [email protected]

The subject line of the email should be “STC – FCI MENA Region”. Only successful candidates will be contacted.

BACKGROUND

The Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) aims to launch an ambitious National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) which will provide (i) an assessment of the current state of financial inclusion in Iraq; (ii) a financial sector overview including delivery channels, services, and products; (iii) a vision for financial inclusion in Iraq; (iv) priority areas and a framework for action; (v) key national, time-bound targets for financial inclusion; (vi) coordination and implementation mechanisms; and (vi) a monitoring & evaluation framework. Achieving financial inclusion goals through a NFIS requires the support and cooperation of multiple external stakeholders that influence the financial sector and touch the financial lives of households, individuals, and firms.

The World Bank’s Finance, Competitiveness, and Innovation (FCI) Global Practice has been mandated with supporting the CBI in the NFIS development process. The WB team is looking to hire a financial sector consultant to support the on-ground NFIS development process.

SCOPE OF WORK

The scope of the proposed assignment is to facilitate the project team by managing the in-country client relationship with the CBI and other key stakeholders (in person and or virtually as required).

The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Conduct regular in-person bilateral meetings with the CBI Financial Inclusion team to advise on the NFIS development process.
2. Support the WB project team in identification of key stakeholders to be part of the NFIS governance structure and assist the TTL(s) in preparing and sending invitations to the shortlisted entities.
3. Support the WB project team in managing engagement and communications with internal and external stakeholders involved in the NFIS development process.
4. Conduct background research on programs involving financial inclusion activities by the CBI as well as other key stakeholders.
5. Conduct capacity building sessions for the CBI officials as well as external stakeholder entities as directed by the WB project team.
6. Support the WB project team in developing the key NFIS outputs (including but not limited to NFIS governance structure, NFIS mission, pillars and objectives, M&E framework etc) in collaboration with the CBI’s financial inclusion unit and the CBI drafting committee.
7. Participate in relevant conference calls and meetings, regarding the project, as indicated by the WB team.
8. Support the WB project team in getting the CBI and relevant stakeholders’ approval for key NFIS outputs.
9. Assess the potential for private sector support to the NFIS, and coordinate consultation meetings as necessary.
10. Carry out additional tasks related to the scope of this assignment as requested by the Team Leader.

The abovementioned tasks can be conducted with support from the local World Bank office, and will mostly be conducted in Arabic.

DELIVERABLES

The following deliverables are expected to be produced during the duration of the assignment:

1. A comprehensive National Financial Inclusion Strategy (NFIS) draft, including a proposed national coordination structure, a time-bound and assigned workplan for implementation, and M&E framework, as approved by the authorities.
2. Secondary reports documenting the stakeholder workshops and consultation meetings.

REPORTING

The consultant will directly report to the NFIS Iraq program Task Team Leader, Syed Mehdi Hassan, and technically report to Senior Financial Sector Specialist Sergio Jose de Mesquita Gomes. Check-ins on outlining progress and planned tasks, including relevant outputs, will be required.

TIMEFRAME

The assignment is expected to take up to 30 days, starting in February/March 2023 and concluding on October 2023, in Iraq.

PAYMENT AND BUDGET

The consultant will be paid a daily fee based on World Bank guidelines for international short-term consultants. In addition, the consultant will be reimbursed for travel expenses, following World Bank procedures and guidelines.

QUALIFICATIONS

The consultant shall be required to have, at a minimum, the following qualifications:

• Extensive international work experience in financial sector policy, regulation, and supervision, particularly in the institutional arrangements applicable to financial inclusion reforms;
• Experience in financial inclusion measurement and data;
• Experience in presenting technical findings and recommendations to senior government officials;
• Knowledge of and/or relationships with financial inclusion stakeholders in Iraq;
• Fluency in English and Arabic, both spoken and written;
• Availability to continuously work in-person in Bagdad;
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and negotiation skills;
• Excellent technical writing skills and precise drafting capabilities.

In addition, the following qualifications are desirable:

• Experience leading similar exercises in other countries.
• Knowledge of World Bank operations.