Programme Management Specialist (Rural Finance)

UNOPS Myanmar is one of UNOPS’ leading offices in Asia, acting as the fund manager for some of the largest development programmes in the country. In addition, UNOPS is the Principal Recipient for the Global Fund in Myanmar and for the Global Fund’s regional artemisinin-resistance initiative towards the elimination of Malaria, which works to accelerate progress toward malaria elimination in the Greater Mekong sub-region. UNOPS also provides procurement, infrastructure, and project management services to a wide range of organizations in the country, including international development partners, other UN agencies, NGOs, and INGOs. UNOPS plays a critical role in ensuring that the quality of services provided to its partners meets stringent requirements of speed, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.

Project Information

The Livelihoods and Food Security (LIFT) Fund is a multi-donor fund established in 2009 to address food insecurity and income poverty in Myanmar. LIFT 2019-2023 is funded by eight donors – the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia, Switzerland, the United States, Canada, Norway, and New Zealand. Post 2023, LIFT plans to implement a new strategy for 2024-2028. The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) is the Fund Manager for LIFT, administrating the funds and providing monitoring and oversight services. 

The overall goal of the LIFT Fund is to achieve a sustained reduction in the number of people living in hunger and poverty in Myanmar. LIFT strengthens the resilience and livelihoods of poor and vulnerable populations through interventions to raise income, decrease vulnerability, improve nutrition, and support food security.

LIFT works with a broad range of implementing partners, including non-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies, the private sector, civil society, and academic and research institutions. The Fund is active in the four main agro-ecological zones of Myanmar. For more details visit www.lift-fund.org.

Job-Specific Information

Under the direct supervision of the Senior Programme Manager - Technical corodinator, the National Rural Finance specialist will lead on the development of a high quality financial inclusion and rural finance strategy that supports LIFT’s overall goals on resilience and livelihoods’ strengthening by providing access to affordable finance to the poor and vulnerable groups in Myanmar. The position is also responsible for supporting the quality of rural finance and financial inclusion programming implemented by partners in various geographies and for providing technical capacity building of partners that focus or include rural finance and financial inclusion related programmatic areas.

LIFT will also engage international or national rural finance specialists as consultants on ad-hoc needs to provide advisory service on strategic and technical issues related to rural finance. The international or national consultants and the National rural finance specialist will work closely together to progress on the strategy and goals in affordable rural finance and financial inclusion. 

The National Rural Finance Specialist will address the following objectives: 

• Lead on the development, implementation and monitoring of the LIFT rural finance strategy and partnerships approaches with various development partners, UN agencies, NGOs, CSOs, public and private service providers and any other relevant stakeholders.

• Provide technical support for a coordinated and strategic approach to rural finance policy and advocacy with donors, development partners, UN agencies, NGOs, CSOs, private service providers and other stakeholders, including community organizations and ethnic service providers where relevant. 

• Provide technical support to LIFT programme teams and partners for the successful and coordinated design and implementation of LIFT projects that include rural finance or financial inclusion related programming. 

• Operationalise and share best practices and lessons learned for corporate development planning and knowledge building.

Summary of Key Functions  

1. Development, implementation and review of LIFT rural finance strategy and advocacy agenda 

2. Quality and effectiveness of LIFT-supported programme interventions 

3. Coordination

1. Development, implementation and review of LIFT Rural Finance strategy

• Lead on the development, implementation and monitoring of the LIFT rural finance and financial inclusion strategy and advocacy agenda and partnerships approaches with various development partners, UN agencies, NGOs, CSOs, public and private service providers and any other relevant stakeholders, including community organizations and ethnic service providers where relevant.

• Draft LIFT briefs and position papers on rural finance, financial inclusion, poverty, indebtedness, coping strategies

• Work with MEAL and knowledge management teams to ensure evidence of LIFT-supported interventions is rigorously maintained, documented, and disseminated internally and externally as appropriate to contribute to improvements in programming quality and advocacy efforts.

• Provide inputs for the preparation of LIFT’s annual and semi-annual reports as well as other reports or updates as required.

• Support LIFT-supported research (formative, operational, etc.) on rural finance and financial inclusion.

• Provide inputs into the design of call for proposals and proactively and regularly communicate planned requirements for program design and implementation to others within the LIFT Programme Management Office. 

2. Quality and effectiveness of LIFT-supported programme interventions

• Support LIFT’s programme team to manage the rural finance and financial inclusion aspects of their respective portfolios and ensure that approaches are harmonized whether at community, household or individual levels.

• Ensure mainstreaming of effective and affordable approaches to the poorest and most vulnerable groups LIFT is supporting

• Contribute to the appraisal of rural finance and financial inclusion related proposals.

• Work with LIFT implementing partners to address rural finance and financial inclusion in the preparation, implementation and monitoring and evaluation (M & E) phases of projects.

• Help identify key learning opportunities from LIFT’s portfolio of projects and organize opportunities to share key lessons liaising with MEAL and knowledge management teams

• Managing direct initiatives and projects (training, technical assistance) aiming at supporting implementing partners in rural finance and financial inclusion programming.

• When required, prepare Terms of References for and manage the work of retainers on rural finance. This may apply to strategy design, learning, technical assistance or any other ad-hoc need

3. Coordination

• Participate in relevant national and sub-national networks and build understanding of LIFT’s work in rural and financial inclusion.

• Support communication efforts on rural finance and financial inclusion related priorities with partners and colleagues. This will entail working closely with communications and knowledge management colleagues in the LIFT Fund Management Office (FMO).

• Ensure coordination with relevant stakeholders working on rural finance and financial inclusion to collaborate on joint learning, analysis, and advocacy initiatives. This will entail working closely with communications and knowledge management colleagues in the LIFT Fund Management Office (FMO)

• Work closely with other LIFT technical teams to design and implement programmes that are integrated, coordinated, effective and coherent.

• Ensure coordination with other UNOPS funds and/or projects working on rural finance and financial inclusion and collaborate on possible joint programming, learning, analysis and advocacy initiative

• Coordinate with and inform the LIFT Fund Board on rural finance and financial inclusion issues.

• Participate in all relevant internal meetings.

a.  Education

• An advanced university degree (e.g. Masters) in agronomy, agriculture economics, finance or other relevant discipline is required. 

• A first-level university degree (e.g. Bachelor) in combination with 2 additional years of progressively relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree

b. Work Experience 

• At least five years of professional experience in the field of rural finance and financial inclusion, particularly in the formulation of technical guidance and input to the design and implementation of projects promoting improved access to finance for small producers, rural poor and conflict affected individuals as well as rural SMEs involved in food systems.

• Demonstrated knowledge and experience of rural finance programme development and implementation in a developing context is required.

• Experience working with the major stakeholders such as local and international partners, donor agencies, academic and research entities and coordination bodies is required. 

• Familiarity with the dynamics of coordination forums and mechanisms is desired. 

• Strong policy analysis and advocacy experience, in rural finance, value chains, financial inclusion and/or experience in operational and formative research would be an asset. 

• Computer literacy is required. Experience with Google Suite is highly preferred.

c.  Languages

• Fluency in both written and spoken Myanmar language and English is required.

Contract type: Local Individual Contractor Agreement
Contract level: LICA - 10
Contract duration: Open-ended, subject to organizational requirements, availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

• Please note that UNOPS does not accept unsolicited resumes.

• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.

• Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process, which involves various assessments.

• UNOPS embraces diversity and is committed to equal employment opportunity. Our workforce consists of many diverse nationalities, cultures,  languages, races, gender identities, sexual orientations, and abilities. UNOPS seeks to sustain and strengthen this diversity to ensure equal opportunities as well as an inclusive working environment for its entire workforce. 

• Qualified women and candidates from groups which are underrepresented in the UNOPS workforce are encouraged to apply. These include in particular candidates from racialized and/or indigenous groups, members of minority gender identities and sexual orientations, and people with disabilities.

• We would like to ensure all candidates perform at their best during the assessment process.  If you are shortlisted and require additional assistance to complete any assessment, including reasonable accommodation, please inform our human resources team when you receive an invitation.

Terms and Conditions 

• For staff positions only, UNOPS reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a lower level than the advertised level of the post. 

• For retainer contracts, you must complete a few Mandatory Courses (they take around 4 hours to complete) in your own time, before providing services to UNOPS. For more information on a retainer contract here.

• All UNOPS personnel are responsible for performing their duties in accordance with the UN Charter and UNOPS Policies and Instructions, as well as other relevant accountability frameworks. In addition, all personnel must demonstrate an understanding of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in a manner consistent with UN core values and the UN Common Agenda.

• It is the policy of UNOPS to conduct background checks on all potential personnel. Recruitment in UNOPS is contingent on the results of such checks.