Consultant (3 months, home-based): Digital Payments Specialist, CODAS, Division of Private Fundraising and Partnerships (PFP)

The UNICEF Country Office Development and Support (CODAS) section within Private Fundraising and Partnerships Division (PFP) in Geneva, Switzerland, is seeking a Digital Payments Specialist to conduct business cases for ESA and ECA for submission to DFAM for the purposes of contracting payment service providers. This role will be critical for Country Offices and Clusters to deliver their 2024 and 2025 Private Sector Plan (PSP) targets in addition to developing high growth targets as part of their future strategic plans. The incumbent of this consultancy assignment will work directly with the Cluster Managers, Regional PSFR teams and CODAS as well as the providers themselves to provide the correct information. In addition, this role will work internally with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that the business cases have all of the required information.

UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential. 

Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone. 

And we never give up. 

For every child, hope 

The UNICEF Country Office Development and Support (CODAS) section within Private Fundraising and Partnerships Division (PFP) in Geneva, Switzerland, is seeking a Digital Payments Specialist to conduct business cases for ESA and ECA for submission to DFAM for the purposes of contracting payment service providers.

This role will be critical for Country Offices and Clusters to deliver their 2024 and 2025 Private Sector Plan (PSP) targets in addition to developing high growth targets as part of their future strategic plans.

The incumbent of this consultancy assignment will work directly with the Cluster Managers, Regional PSFR teams and CODAS as well as the providers themselves to provide the correct information.

In addition, this role will work internally with the relevant stakeholders to ensure that the business cases have all of the required information.

How can you make a difference? 

Scope of Work:

Reporting to PFP Market Development Manager, CODAS and working closely with the wider team as well as PFP teams, the Cluster Managers, CO PSFR teams, the consultant will:

- Gather all of the mandatory information from both the provider including:

1. Financial entities to be approved (including destination banks): Related counterparties and process for financial entity selection.
2. Maximum projected financial exposure including estimated volumes of money to be transacted (day, month, etc.); Services rendered by financial entity.
3. Diagram showing processes and flow of funds and data. 
4. Initial risk and potential mitigation measures.  
5. Detailed cost and financial information required for ROI calculations.
6. Evaluation of fundraising operational needs versus core features offered by vendors, including the comparison between providers, as needed.

- Work with ICT and local offices and Cluster to develop business case.

- Provide training to local offices and Cluster on key  business information.

- Initiate the procurement process working with local/regional procurement teams.

- Where necessary facilitate the negotiation of terms in conjunction with the UNICEF Legal team.

Work Assignment Overview

Facilitate Payment Service Provider Contracting

Deliverables

- Deliver 1 x business case for ESA 

End of Oct 2024

- Deliver 1 x business case for ESA

End of Nov 2024

- Deliver 1 x business case for ECA

End of Dec 2024

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have… 

Education:

- An advanced university degree (Master’s degree or higher) in one of the following fields is required: Business Administration, Marketing, Computer Science, IT or another relevant technical field.  

- Alternatively, a first-level university degree in combination with two (2) additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.  

Experience:

- Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in the following fields is required: in Digital Payments, IT or Financial technology sector (Fintech) or banking sector.

- Experience working with systems and processes that enable digital transactions is required.

- Proven experience of working with payment systems, alternative payment methods and digital payments is required.

- Proven experience working in a multi-cultural environment and with cross-functional teams to deliver on common goals is an asset.  

- A strong understanding of UNICEF systems, processes, and operations of UNICEF regional and country offices is an asset.  

Language:

- Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of other UN official language is considered a plus.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, Accountability, and Sustainability (CRITAS). 

To view our competency framework, please visit  here. 

Remarks:  

Please indicate your all-inclusive (lump sum) fees in USD against the deliverables listed above, including all associated administrative and travel costs (if applicable), in the cover letter. The office selects the individual based on best value for money.

Payment of professional fees will be based on submission of agreed deliverables. UNICEF reserves the right to withhold payment in case the deliverables submitted are not up to the required standard or in case of delays in submitting the deliverables on the part of the consultant. 

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process. 

Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws. 

The selected candidate is solely responsible to ensure that the visa (applicable) and health insurance required to perform the duties of the contract are valid for the entire period of the contract. Selected candidates are subject to confirmation of fully-vaccinated status against SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) with a World Health Organization (WHO)-endorsed vaccine, which must be met prior to taking up the assignment. It does not apply to consultants who will work remotely and are not expected to work on or visit UNICEF premises, programme delivery locations or directly interact with communities UNICEF works with, nor to travel to perform functions for UNICEF for the duration of their consultancy contracts. 

UNICEF is here to serve the world’s most disadvantaged children and our global workforce must reflect the diversity of those children. The UNICEF family is committed to include everyone, irrespective of their race/ethnicity, age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, nationality, socio-economic background, or any other personal characteristic.

UNICEF offers reasonable accommodation for consultants/individual contractors with disabilities. This may include, for example, accessible software, travel assistance for missions or personal attendants. We encourage you to disclose your disability during your application in case you need reasonable accommodation during the selection process and afterwards in your assignment. 

UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.