Financial Inclusion International Consultant

Hardship Level (not applicable for home-based)A (least hardship)

Family Type (not applicable for home-based)

Family

Staff Member / Affiliate TypeCONS International

Target Start Date2025-09-01

Deadline for ApplicationsAugust 26, 2025

Terms of ReferenceTerms of Reference for Financial Inclusion International Consultant (Homebased)

1. Requesting Office (hiring entity): Kigali, Rwanda
2. Project details (or ABOD details):
Title of project: Financial Inclusion Roadmap for Rwanda 2026-2028
Purpose of project: To develop a financial inclusion roadmap and corresponding action plan for Rwanda, informed by market segmentation and a supply-side assessment of financial service providers.

Chart Field (budget) details: cleared with (NAME):
Budget Year: 2025

3. Duration and dates of the assignment:
From: asap To: 31/12/2025
Work 100% (fulltime) during above-mentioned period: Yes 0 1Working Hours [check one]: ( ) Applicable ( x ) Not Applicable
Total amount of days/weeks/months to be worked: the estimate to complete the assignment is 2 months of work
4. Location(s) (specify if working from home): home-based, with mission to Rwanda, or based in Rwanda
5. Assignment and/or Mission travel applicable Yes 1 No 0
If yes, specify destination(s) and period(s): 1 or 2 missions to Rwanda – to be determined once the consultancy starts.
6. Suggested fee (daily/weekly/monthly/lump sum) and currency: lumpsum of USD 20,000-
And travel to be arranged directly by the consultant.

Payment schedule:

Initial payment on start date 20% of the payment on the first day of the consultancy
Draft Report mapping supply of financial services to FDPs and Toolkit on client segmentation 40% of the payment upon submission of first draft and subsequent review upon CO and FI
Financial Inclusion Roadmap Report and Presentation Materials 40% of the payment to upon s submissions of the of the final report art and subsequent review by CO and FI

7. General Background of Project or Assignment:
Access to financial services in host countries is essential for the economic survival and self-reliance of refugees. Without such access, forcibly displaced persons (FDPs) are unable to open bank accounts to receive wages and safeguard savings, send or receive remittances securely, or access credit to start businesses. For those seeking to return to their countries of origin or resettle elsewhere, transferable credit histories are also critical. However, in many countries, several barriers prevent FDPs from opening bank accounts or accessing mobile or digital financial services, thereby limiting their economic inclusion and integration into host communities.

As part of its broader efforts to promote the economic inclusion of FDPs in Rwanda, UNHCR aims to accelerate access to and effective use of financial services by these populations. To support this objective, UNHCR seeks to engage a short-term consultant to identify critical barriers preventing FDPs from accessing adequate financial services and financial service providers (FSPs) from engaging with these populations, and to recommend a plan of action for UNHCR Rwanda Country Office in collaboration with other UN agencies, investors, financial institutions and other stakeholders to promote access to and effective use of formal financial services by FDPs.

Under the supervision of the Senior Development Officer based in Rwanda, and the Senior Financial Inclusion Officer based in Geneva HQ, the financial inclusion consultant is expected to work closely together with the UNHCR country team.
The Consultant will be responsible for the following activities:
• Mapping the existing supply of financial services for FDPs, identifying current and potential financial service providers (FSPs) interested in serving these populations, as well as the challenges they face and potential solutions for the main barriers. The identification of relevant actors will build upon previous studies and projects in the sector, including FinScope 2024, which included a survey to refugee populations. The consultant is expected to conduct in-depth interviews with financial institutions and key stakeholders, such as Access to Finance Rwanda, the Association of Microfinance Institutions in Rwanda (AMIR) and the Rwanda Bankers’ Association, to assess the willingness and readiness of financial institutions to serve refugees. The linkages between informal and formal financial services should also be considered in this analysis. This mapping exercise will inform the invitations addressed by UNHCR to FSPs to participate in ILO’s training ‘Making Finance Work for Refugees’. The 1-week training course is expected to happen during the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2025.

• Developing a market segmentation of financial service demand among FDPs in collaboration with selected FSPs, identifying client groups, their specific characteristics, and financial needs in order to design or adapt financial products and delivery processes to include FDPs. As with the supply-side analysis, the consultant should consider the findings from FinScope 2024.

• Analyzing the gaps between FDPs’ financial needs and the existing supply of services, as well as other forms of support such as business development services and technical assistance. The consultant’s final report should include an action plan for the UNHCR country team, outlining priority actions and key actors to engage over the coming years to ensure sustainable partnerships and the continuous delivery of financial services tailored to FDPs’ needs. In some cases, this will imply supporting the launch of FSP operations in refugee settlements or scaling up pilots or on-going operations. Whenever possible, collaboration with other UN agencies, multilateral development banks (MDBs) and development finance institutions (DFIs) should be promoted to ensure complementarity and reinforcement, and to avoid duplication of efforts.

8. Occupational Safety and Health Considerations
To view occupational safety and health considerations for specific duty stations, please visit this link: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel
Specific Occupational Safety and Health Considerations to this assignment (if applicable): n/a

9. Overall Purpose and Scope of Assignment:
The expected deliverables of the consultant are:

1) Initial draft report mapping current and potential supply of financial services for FDPs: identifying the relevant formal and informal financial actors and the specific challenges they face to serve and scale their operations with FDPs; assess funding and technical assistance requirements and develop (as need) value chain analysis.

2) Toolkit on client segmentation: development of a tool targeting FSPs presenting an actionable segmentation of FDP clients and host communities with similar characteristics and guiding the adoption of a client-centric approach to the design or adaptation of financial services to serve different segments. The toolkit shall identify also non-financial services required to ensure effective and responsible usage of financial services, as well as the profiles of partners best qualified and positioned to provide these non-financial services. This should be a short tool prepared by the consultant to guide any financial institution looking into working with refugees.

3) Report presenting the Financial Inclusion Roadmap 2026-2028 and its Action Plan: define goals and targets and recommend activities to be implemented by UNHCR and partners on financial inclusion of FDPs.

4) Presentation Materials: A slide deck (10–15 slides, in PowerPoint or similar format) summarizing key findings and the action plan. This will be used to share the work internally and/or to local partners in a meeting, workshop or any other form agreed.

10. Required level, qualifications and work experience:
Level of responsibilities required (mark as appropriate) for individual contractors and fellows:
0000001 The assignment is for an Individual Consultant
Qualification and experience required (degree required, years of work experience, field of expertise, language required):
- Advanced university degree in international development, economics, finance or a related field;
- Solid knowledge of the financial inclusion sector, demonstrated by at least 10 years of experience working with and leading dialogue with financial institutions and agencies to develop and implement financial inclusion strategies, policies and reforms for underserved populations;
- Significant technical experience in providing capacity support to development and humanitarian actors in the area of financial inclusion, through training, policy papers, data analysis and field research;
- A solid understanding of the financial and socio-economic inclusion needs of refugees;
- Strong research, analytical and writing skills, and previous publications on financial inclusion;
- Excellent communication and writing skills in English.
Additional desirable qualification and experience:
- Experience working with UNHCR or other United Nations agencies on issues related to access to financial services;
- Prior experience working in Rwanda or on projects related to Rwanda.
11. Monitoring and Progress Controls (report requirements, periodicity, format, deadlines):
a. The final products (e.g. survey completed, data collected, workshop conducted, research documents produced specify): see session c. hereunder for specific products to be delivered and format. Timeline to be agreed with the consultant.

b. Work on the basis of time employed: Yes 0 No 1

c. If it is to result in a written product specify:
a. Number of pages:
b. Language(s):
c. Number of copies:

- Short internal report mapping supply of financial services:
a. Number of pages: up to 10 pages
b. Language(s): English
c. Number of copies:

- Toolkit on client segmentation for FSPs:
a. Number of pages: up to 10 pages (links to other resources when appropriated)
a. Language(s): English
b. Number of copies:

- Roadmap and Action Plan Final Report:
a. Number of pages: up to 25 pages (excluding annexes)
b. Language(s): English
c. Number of copies:

- Presentation Materials:
c. Number of pages: up to 15 slides (ppt, pdf or similar)
d. Language(s): English
e. Number of copies:

12. Supervisor of Project/Individual Contract:
Senior Development Officer and Senior Financial Inclusion Officer

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Other informationThis position doesn't require a functional clearance

RemoteYes