Short Term SME Finance Training Consultant

Job Description

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

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Short Term SME Finance Training Consultant

Background and Context

Financial Sector Deepening Zambia (FSDZ) was established by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) with the mandate to increase financial inclusion. Acting as a catalyst, FSDZ supports both public and private sector efforts to develop an efficient and vibrant financial sector that offers a wider range of financial services through diverse channels to significantly more households and micro, small and medium enterprises. FSDZ facilitates linkages and coordination among consumers, financial service providers, civil society organisations, government, and other key stakeholders to support the development of a financial market system that works better for poor urban and rural communities. FSDZ is not a market actor; it does not provide services directly, rather providing temporary and catalytic support to others to demonstrate markets, align incentives, develop support services, or develop better linkages between supply and demand.

The Zambia Business Survey 2010 suggests that demand for SME finance is largely unmet by the formal sector, especially in rural areas, with no more than 10% of the total population of MSMEs having any kind of access to formal financial services and less than 2% having a loan. On the demand side, some 20% of business perceived access to finance as a ‘very severe obstacle’ to their current business operations; and a further 29% rated access to finance as a ‘major obstacle’. Constraints on the demand side include a lack of awareness of and access to financial services; the high cost of banking; and the need for traditional collateral.

The SME Finance sector in Zambia is faced with several constraints on the supply side including inherent SME characteristics that discourage banks and NBFIs from serving SMEs: informality, lack of reliable financial information; inadequate business skills; family owned structures; and inability to pledge adequate collateral.

To address these constraints, FSDZ has established an SME Finance Thematic Area that comprises one project to increase the outreach and value of SME financial services: Improving Supply and Delivery of SME Finance. The project has several interventions and subsequent activities. A key activity has been the development of an Executive Diploma in SME Relationship Management programme. The programme comprises four 3 day modules delivered over a 4-month period and has been piloted in Zambia over the past 18 months [1]

FSDZ is now seeking to recruit Short Term Technical Assistance (STTA) to deliver and further develop this programme alongside a team of international and local trainers. This will be a short-term position working with FSDZ and its partner, the Zambian Institute of Banking and Financial Services (ZIBFS). The appointed STTA will be reporting to the Head of Supply, will work closely with the SME Project Management team at FSDZ and appointed Project Manager at ZIBFS

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Scope of Work

• Familiarise themselves with the programme, its purpose, structure, content and delivery process
• Embed themselves as a senior adviser within the programme training team which comprises of local and international trainers
• Prepare and co-deliver on series of units on modules 1 and 4 in collaboration with another international trainer and the local training team,
• Prepare and co-deliver on series of units on module 3 in collaboration with the local training team,
• Have primary responsibility for coaching, assessing performance and ensuring transfer of know-how to the local team of trainers working on Module 3
• Work alongside another international trainer to provide coaching, assessing performance and ensuring transfer of know-how to the local team of trainers working on Modules 1 and 4
• Contribute through review and feedback of materials and resources on modules 1,3 and 4 to the Programme Editor as part of producing final versions for the programme manuals, handouts, assessment procedures inclusive of model answers for respective modular assignments and other materials as required
• Provide input into the long-term sustainability of the Executive Diploma in SME Relationship Management through additional support as required by FSDZ and its local partner, ZIBFS, during the period of transfer

Conduct of the Work

The STTA will be contracted for the period January to September 2017 for 27 days. The Consultant shall report to the Head of Financial Services (HFS) – Supply. He/she shall:

• Deliver module 3 and co deliver modules 1 and 4 for 2 programmes during this period
• Provide coaching at a distance to the local training team prior to the delivery of programmes 4 and 5
• Have debrief meetings with the HFS at the end of every in-country visit

• Provide feedback to local trainers on their performance through a debrief session and written feedback
• Feedback to the Programme Editor on any updates needed for materials and slides
• Feedback to ZIBFS and FSDZ on programme management and other administration issues of the programme to ensure its sustainability
• Submit progress reports from the effective date of the implementation of the assignment

Outcomes and Deliverables

The deliverables include the following:

• Successfully co-delivered modules 1, 3 and 4 on programmes 4 and 5
• Effectively coach and transfer programme know-how to a local team of trainers for on-going delivery of the programme after prog 5
• Final versions of programme materials and resources on modules 1,3 and 4
• Team of competent trainers to continue delivery of the diploma post programme 5

Required qualifications, experience and attributes.

• Minimum Master Degree level with a detailed understanding of existing SME Finance landscape and of existing delivery channels for financially related products (savings, credit, payments, insurance etc.) in Zambia
• A minimum of fifteen years’ experience in the field of SME Finance, including prior experience in

an African context; and strong and up-to-date insight into international best practice.

• Experience of working with SMEs and the ability to empathise with the SME life world
• A minimum of 10 experience of training in this filed with proven credibility for senior banking professional
• Excellent training skills with a background of coaching and transferring training competence to others
• Experience of developing training materials in the context of SME Finance
• Strong capacity to develop skills of Zambian professionals.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Analytical thinking, personal gravitas and ability to inspire others.

Evaluation Criteria

Assessment criteria

Experience in developing SME Finance development strategies/plans and implementation experience* 30%

SME banking strategic planning, trainings and training material development experience 30%

Relevant experience of proposed consultant(s) 20%

Cost 20%

Total 100

Restrictions*In their proposals, respondents are required to provide clear evidence of positive outcomes in respect of their previous assignments in the subject area.

• The Consultant shall sign a statement of confidentiality that prevents it from disclosing any sensitive information it may be privy to in the course of undertaking this assignment. The terms of this agreement shall be made consistent with the relevant privacy laws of the Zambia.
• Materials designed for the purposes of implementing this project remains the sole property of FSDZ for use by local consultants and ZIBFS under the SME Executive Diploma and shall not be used without written approval.

Interested candidates may request detailed Terms of References by sending an email to bids@fsdzambia.org or from www.fsdzambia.org. Applicants must submit a proposal on how they will achieve the outcomes and deliverables and resume to bids@fsdzambia.org by close of business on 8^th January, 2017.

PLEASE NOTE Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted

[1] The Executive diploma programme is an internationally recognized programme that has been adapted to and piloted in the Zambian context. The programme comprises a set of training materials and resources that will be made available to the appointed consultants. Annex 1 outlines the nature of the programme.