Programme for Sustainable Economic Development

Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) form the backbone of the Ghanaian economy. They make up about 85% of the enterprises nonetheless more than half of them consider the lack of access to finance as the biggest obstacle to their business growth.

In view of this hampered development, AFC started implementing three new projects in fall this year that aim to promote financial sector soundness and access to financial services by individuals.

In October 2020, a consortium led by AFC together with GOPA GED and CDC  started the implementation of the 2-year GIZ Programme for Sustainable Economic Development focusing on Financial Inclusion. The project aims at developing the capacity of MSMEs to access and benefit from the supply of financial and insurance services. The national and international experts will provide technical assistance to financial service providers (FSPs), including microfinance institutions (MFIs), savings and loans companies, rural and community banks (RCBs), universal banks, insurance companies and FinTechs. AFC’s strategic advice, market research and product design will particularly focus on the potential of harnessing digital channels and technologies. Further, the team will support MSMEs in strengthening their financial and insurance competence, improving their bankability and increasing their information on and exposure to FSPs. 

Responsibilities

The job holder is responsible for supporting technical assistance (TA) activities to financial services providers (FSPs) to improve their offer of financial services to micro and small enterprises.

Tasks

1. Collaborate with the Team Leader, Key Expert 1 and other members of the project team in the overall delivery of the advisory package of the contractor

1. 2. Development of selection criteria and short-listing of FSPs

• Identify potential partner FSPs for the project to support, to include microfinance institutions, savings and loans companies, rural and community banks, universal banks, insurance companies and financial technology companies (fintechs)
• Develop a methodology and criteria for the short-listing of potential partner FSPs
• Interview senior management of potential partner FSPs to support the selection process and make initial assessment of potential TA requirements
• Short-list potential partner FSPS and present recommendations to GIZ for final selection
• List ‘Tier 2’ FSPs for the project to work with in providing training inputs during the course of the project

3. Analysis of partner FSPs’ TA requirements

• Analysis of selected partner FSPs to determine priority institutional development, product development and other TA requirements
• Implement initial TA inputs related to strategy, market research, client segmentation and targeting, etc.
• Consider future TA support related to product design, testing and roll-out, with a particular emphasis on digital channels and technologies
• Draft terms of reference for the engagement of short-term experts to provide specialist TA inputs to selected partner FSPs

4. Product development

• Identify product development priorities of partner FSPs to serve the micro and small enterprise segments targeted by the project
• evelop new products, adapt and scale up existing products and bundle products to meet identified micro and small enterprise needs
• Particular focus on products targeted at micro and small enterprises, including informal enterprises, currently excluded from financial services
• Emphasis on innovative financial services, including the use of new technologies and digital channels that contribute to improved efficiency, accessibility and utilization
• Coordinate short-term TA inputs for product design, testing, adaptation and rollout over the course of the project

5. Coordination with key stakeholders

• Liaise with the Bank of Ghana, National Insurance Commission and other financial regulatory authorities as required
• Coordinate with microfinance industry associations to ensure alignment of project activities with industry and regulatory developments
• Liaise with team members of other modules of the GIZ Programme for Sustainable Economic Development and other partner financial sector development activities to identify and develop synergies
• Collaborate with MSME expert and other project team members to ensure alignment of TA support to FSPs with wider project activities and objectives
• Contribute to periodic project reporting