Gender, Rural Finance and Financial Inclusion Specialist

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device • FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture • Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply • Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values • FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination • All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks • All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality FAO’s commitment to environmental sustainability is integral to our strategic objectives and operations. Organizational Setting FAO has been actively supporting the Government of Sierra Leone in strengthening inclusive rural development, working in close partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security (MAFFS), the Bank of Sierra Leone (BoSL), and the Ministry of Gender and Children's Affairs (MoGCA). Rural women in Sierra Leone remain systematically excluded from formal financial services. Only 25 percent of women hold an account versus 33 percent of men, and just 5 percent of women aged 15 and above reported borrowing from a formal financial institution in 2021. Gender-specific barriers, including women's limited access to and control over land, low levels of financial literacy, and the limited availability of suitable financial products, continue to restrict women farmers' access to finance and social protection. System-level constraints compound the problem: the Collateral Registry is underutilised, and implementation of the NSFI 2022 to 2026 and the GEWE Act 2022 with 2024 Regulations remains nascent in rural markets. Based on the above, FAO has developed a project component, endorsed by MAFFS, to be implemented in Sierra Leone under the project titled “Pathways for Inclusive and Gender Responsive National Policy Instruments to Eradicate Hunger and Poverty,” funded by the FAO's Flexible Voluntary Contributions (FVC) Programme. The project is implemented in two countries, the Dominican Republic and Sierra Leone, each addressing distinct but complementary policy priorities under the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty (GAAHP) framework. The Sierra Leone component responds to the GoSL priorities to accelerate gender-responsive and inclusive access to finance for smallholder farmers and rural communities. It will focus on three outputs: (1) strengthening the evidence and knowledge base and co-designing an intervention framework to promote gender-responsive finance; (2) piloting a gender-responsive financial service model for rural women organised in Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) in a selected area; and (3) developing a national scale-up strategy and facilitating a GAAHP matchmaking exercise. Reporting Line Under the general supervision of the FAO Representative in Sierra Leone, the National Consultant will be technically supervised by the Lead Technical Officer, FAO ESP Division, and relevant ESP teams and in close collaboration with the National Technical Project Coordinator. Technical Focus The candidate delivers the Plan phase of the Sierra Leone component (Component 1 of the project chronogram, July–December 2026): the diagnostic study, the VSLA maturity and autonomy assessment tool, the targeting of the value chain and pilot district, and the pilot package co-designed with rural women and financial institutions and validated by government. The Plan phase outputs feed directly into the Implementation phase delivered by the Service Provider in 2027. Tasks and responsibilities The candidate will deliver the activities of Component 1 of the project chronogram, grouped under three work streams: Diagnostic study • Develop the diagnostic study, methodology and instruments in collaboration with ESP Team HQ. • Conduct the desk review, policy mapping and stakeholder mapping • Lead the field data collection through key informant interviews, focus group discussions and surveys, in the post-rains window (October–November 2026). • Develop the VSLA maturity and autonomy assessment tool, to be tested in 2027 during the pilot. • Analyse the data and produce the draft diagnostic report. • Organise the validation workshop and finalise the diagnostic report. Targeting (value chain and geography) • Develop the value chain and geography selection criteria. • Conduct the rapid screening and propose the value chain and pilot district. • Facilitate Government and FAO sign-off on the value chain, area and target group. • Develop the target group and beneficiary selection protocol. Co-design • Convene consultations with women, financial institutions and government to establish the working group. • Develop the exploratory pathways to link women to financial institutions, through participatory processes. • Produce the co-designed pilot package — capacity development package and exploratory pathways to promote linkages with financial institutions — together with the rollout plan and lean MEL plan. Handover and continuity • Support the Service Provider during the inception and early implementation of Component 2 (January–March 2027) to ensure full handover of the Plan-phase deliverables, and provide technical clarifications on the diagnostic findings, the VSLA maturity tool and the rollout plan. CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING Minimum Requirements • Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Economics, Agricultural Economics, Finance, Development Studies, Gender and Development, Social Sciences or a related field. • At least five (5) years of relevant professional experience in rural finance with additional expertise in financial inclusion, gender-responsive programming and/or applied research on rural development. o Demonstrated experience in carrying out assessments of needs and markets for rural finance products and services with focus on rural women's financial inclusion using qualitative (KII, FGD) and (where possible) quantitative (mini-survey) methods, with sex- and age-disaggregated analysis. o Demonstrated experience working with VSLAs, cooperatives or community-based financial institutions in Sierra Leone or the West Africa region. o Sound knowledge of Sierra Leone’s financial sector landscape, including the NSFI 2022–2026, the GEWE Act 2022 with 2024 Regulations and the Feed Salone Programme. • Working knowledge of English (level C). • National of Sierra Leone FAO Core Competencies • Results Focus • Teamwork • Communication • Building Effective Relationships • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement Technical/Functional Skills • Technical knowledge of gender-responsive financial inclusion in rural agrifood contexts. • Experience in the design of maturity or capacity assessment tools for community-based organisations. • Ability to facilitate multi-stakeholder consultations and co-design processes. • Knowledge of socio-cultural and gender dynamics in rural Sierra Leone. • Familiarity with FAO’s strategic priorities on gender equality and rural transformation is an asset. • Experience in Results-Based Management (RBM). ADDITIONAL INFORMATION • FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing) • Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted • Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/ • For additional employment opportunities visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/ • Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances. HOW TO APPLY • To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills • Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile • Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application • Please note that FAO only considers higher educational qualifications obtained from an institution accredited/recognized in the World Higher Education Database (WHED), a list updated by the International Association of Universities (IAU) / United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The list can be accessed at http://www.whed.net/. These qualifications should be in alignment with the International Standard Classification of Education (ISCED) mappings. • Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications • Incomplete applications will not be considered • Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application • Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered • Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile • We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date. If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT