Islamic Aid
To apply: Email your CV to: [email protected], with Micro-finance Consultant in the subject line.
Position Summary:
Islamic Aid is a non-profit organization that works towards empowering marginalized communities and promoting sustainable development in developing countries. We have been running a pilot interest-free-loans project for micro-entrepreneurs for the last 3 years and now have 1,000 clients. We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Microfinance Consultant with a focus on technology to evaluate the project and its impact, identify strengths and weaknesses and opportunities, design project expansion and suggest available options and models and prepare a plan to expand the project at a larger scale that fully exploits modern and emerging technologies.
Responsibilities:
Evaluation of the pilot project: The consultant will be responsible for conducting an in-depth evaluation of the pilot project, including reviewing project documents and data, conducting interviews with project staff, project beneficiaries and clients, as well as gathering feedback from them. The consultant will identify the project’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as opportunities for improvement. The consultant will also analyze the impact of the project in terms of financial performance, social and economic impact, and sustainability. Additionally, the consultant will evaluate the current technology infrastructure and usage in the project, and identify areas for improvement.
Identification of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and technology gaps: Based on the evaluation, the consultant will identify key areas of strength, weakness, opportunities, and technology gaps in the pilot project and suggest options and models for addressing them. This may include changes to project design, implementation, or monitoring and evaluation, as well as the integration of modern and emerging technologies. The consultant will also analyze the challenges and constraints faced by the project, and provide recommendations for addressing them.
Design of a plan for expanding the project: The consultant will work with Islamic Aid staff to design a plan for expanding the pilot project at a larger scale. This will include identifying potential target communities, determining the appropriate project design and implementation strategies, and estimating the resources required for expansion. The consultant will also provide recommendations for scaling up the project in a sustainable and replicable way, and for the integration of modern and emerging technologies to improve efficiency, reach and impact of the project.
Suggestion of available options and models: The consultant will review the available options and models in the microfinance industry and suggest the most appropriate ones for the expansion of the pilot project based on the specific context and target community. The consultant will also provide recommendations for selecting the most appropriate financial products, services and delivery channels for the target community, and for the integration of modern and emerging technologies to improve the delivery and management of these services.
Preparation of a detailed report: The consultant will prepare a detailed report outlining the findings and recommendations from the evaluation and expansion plan, as well as any suggestions for addressing identified weaknesses and opportunities. The report will include a detailed implementation plan, budget, and timeline, as well as a technology roadmap for the integration of modern and emerging technologies. The report will be shared with Islamic Aid staff and used to guide the implementation of the expansion plan.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in finance, economics, or a related field
- 5+ years of experience in microfinance or a related field
- Strong knowledge of Islamic finance principles and practices
- Experience in evaluating and designing microfinance projects
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to work independently and in a team environment
- Strong understanding of modern and emerging technologies and their potential application in microfinance
The ideal candidate will be passionate about improving access to financial services for micro-entrepreneurs and have a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities facing microfinance in
How to apply
To apply: Email your CV to: [email protected], with Micro-finance Consultant in the subject line.