Intervention Manager – Business Environment The Digital Economy (DE)

Job Title: Intervention Manager – Business Environment
Location: Kampala, Uganda
Reports to: Digital Economy Lead
Supervises: Consultants engaged to deliver interventions
Application Deadline: 04 November, 2024

About this role

The Digital Economy (DE) pillar at FSD Uganda works with the public and private sector financial services providers to support and promote the development of a conducive policy, legal and regulatory environment, institutional development and efficient and effective financial markets infrastructure critical to the delivery of financial services that facilitate inclusive growth. The scope of work includes an integrated approach targeted at delivering not only efficient and affordable financial services but financial services that will have a lasting impact on the social and economic livelihoods of the poor.

The work within the DE pillar ranges from inputs into policy drafts, supporting the development of regulation, facilitating industry actors to design and build shared financial market infrastructure, to nudging the public sector to think through next generation of financial product and services regulation and supervision.

The Intervention Manager, Business Environment will support the DE Pillar Lead in identifying and delivering policy, legal, regulatory and supervisory reform interventions in the areas of financial inclusion, financial stability and financial consumer protection in digital financial services.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Strategy and Programming: Participate in the development of strategy and program plans for the Digital Economy Pillar; seeking to develop an enabling environment for the provision of digital financial services, and an efficient digital market infrastructure, that will deliver digital financial services to the marginalised at an affordable cost:

• Act as FSD Uganda’s expert in the Business Environment space (appropriate policies, laws, and regulations as well as functioning policy making and regulatory bodies and industry associations), and a leading source of expertise for FSD Uganda’s staff and partners; take responsibility for developing the sector in a meaningful and intentional manner.
• Undertake market environment scoping and analysis in relation to provision of financial services for the identified market segments; seeking to understand how digital development of the financial sector may be most effectively utilised to support the growth and inclusiveness of Uganda’s finance sector
• Support the Digital Economy Lead in thinking through the business climate and regulatory bottlenecks, as well as capacity building initiatives and design effective multi-year program interventions that meaningfully:
  • Enhance the current business climate that lead to the development of next generation inclusive digital financial products and solutions without compromising on consumer protection
  • Allow for the development of inclusive innovations without compromising the stability of the financial sector esp. keeping in mind FSDU’s sectors of focus in its new strategy
  • Shape next generation licensing, supervisory regimes
  • Strengthen the capacity of macro and meso institutions in the country (e.g., all financial sector associations).
• Use a market systems lens to explore innovative policy, legal and regulatory approaches that are inclusive, increase the adoption of relevant and affordable digital financial services; leverage market intelligence to identify gaps and related intervention opportunities
• Develop a portfolio of initiatives in this space that can lead to a conducive business environment for greater uptake of digital financial services (savings, credit, insurance, payments) by the excluded and underserved market segments.

1. Relationship Management & Communications: Strategically manage relationships with stakeholders who can influence change in the Business Environment space, in particular with identified Implementing Partners; implement aspects of the communications plan that are relevant to the Business Environment portfolio:

• Ensure a good understanding of how achievement of FSD Uganda’s goals in the Business Environment space are dependent upon effective influencing and communication; participate in the development of impactful strategies and plans
• Manage, coordinate, and build effective working relationships with all stakeholders involved in assigned interventions, including consultants; swiftly escalate any problems to the Pillar Head
• Build relationships with key actors; use a variety of influencing strategies to gain traction, in particular by negotiating a win:win between stakeholder interests and FSD Uganda’s strategic agenda; establish formal partnerships and MOUs as possible & appropriate
• Contribute to the implementation of both FSD Uganda and Pillar Communication & Influencing plans. Including, but not limited to:
  • Organising influencing forums and events – workshops, conferences, webinars – may include developing workshops, webinars, educational materials, etc.
  • Networking & bringing stakeholders together for collaboration & collective action (convening)
  • Producing knowledge products and other communication outputs (publications, blogs, digital or media materials, etc.)
  • Contributing to the development of annual and quarterly reports/ newsletters

1. Portfolio Management: Lead the development of the Business Environment portfolio; ensure that well written and conceptualised Program Appraisal Reports (PARs) are submitted to, and approved by, the Investment Committee:

• In collaboration with the Digital Economy Lead, design a portfolio of interventions to support FSD Uganda’s partners in the development of a conducive business environment
• Once an intervention is approved, confirm, or develop the strategy for attracting potentially impactful implementing partners (IPs):
  • Proactively approach influential stakeholders who have been identified via market systems analysis, ensuring a good understanding of their needs & determining fit with FSDU’s strategic objectives
  • Follow procurement procedures to develop Expressions of Interest (EOIs) and or Requests for Proposals (RfPs) and identify suitable implementing partners
  • Communicate to partners concerning the ‘yes’, ‘no’ and ‘maybe’ decision
• Ensure that partners are supported in developing concept notes and proposals that meet Investment Committee standards, including but not limited to theories of change, learning and results measurement plans, risk management frameworks and budgets for resources (financial, HR, Comms)
• Provide business development and impact management advice and support to partner; support them in processing feedback on their drafted proposals
• Liaise with the designated Project Accountant to ensure that due diligence and contracting processes are carried out efficiently, and that partners are provided with a quality briefing concerning FSD Uganda’s procedures for project/ grant management

4. Managing Results & Learning: Manage the delivery of portfolios by Partners and Consultants, so that results are achieved and quality program interventions are delivered; ensuring that learning from program interventions is fully utilised to maximise impact and innovation:

• Provide technical advisory services to IPs &/or engage with them to check their satisfaction with any services or capacity building that have been delivered
• Provide business advisory services in case of Implementing Partners (IPs) experiencing difficulties, including adjusting project plans as necessary
• Manage and coordinate the entire schedule of reviews and visits (program, M&E and financial accountability) as necessary to adaptively manage the performance of interventions and achieve targeted outcomes and impact
• Review accountability reports provided by the IP; produce accompanying reports as per results measurement plan (up to and including 1 year after project closure).
• Collaborate closely with the MRM team to ensure collection of data, analysis of results and identification of opportunities for improvement in a blame-free spirit of academic enquiry:
  • If desired results have been achieved, initiate strategies for widespread awareness-raising.
  • If desired results have not been achieved, either manage performance of the implementation team(s) (both FSDU’s and the IP’s), or take corrective measures such as adjusting the strategy/approach.
  • Periodically review theories of change, revising as appropriate.

5: Risk and Resource Management: Manage the resources associated with the portfolio; ensuring that each intervention achieves optimal financial efficiency, value for money, and impact, all the while ensuring compliance with FSD Uganda and donor policies:

• Ensure the development of detailed implementation plans, budgets and cash-flow forecasts that will, achieve fund utilisation targets, ensure intervention success, and address capacity gaps of partners
• Ensure that each project is resourced with the expertise necessary for success; liaise with the Operations Manager to support the processes associated with procurement of the goods and services that are required for each intervention being managed; ensure compliance with relevant policies and procedures
• Hold consultants and vendors to a high standard of quality methodology and work outputs; proactively address performance issues through timely constructive feedback, coaching and appropriate corrective action
• Liaise with the Operations Manager to support the processes associated with procurement of the goods and services that are required for each intervention being managed; ensure compliance with relevant policies and procedures
• Manage the risks associated with all portfolio activities; ensuring that a comprehensive understanding of risks has been developed and that strategies are in place and implemented for effective risk management:
  • Ensure that the Pillar Lead (and Director of Programmes where applicable) is updated on a regular basis and alerted of any risks
  • Ensure that key policies e.g., Safeguarding, VfM and Gender are fully understood and implemented by all Staff, Consultants and Implementing Partners
  • Cooperate with both internal and external audit plans; lead the implementation of corrective actions arising, and create a culture of continuous improvement

Specifications For the Role

Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree in any field, preferably in Economics or Law
• A Master’s degree in Economics, Laws or related fields (added advantage).

Relevant Experience

• At least 8 years of demonstrable experience, at least 3 of which should be in the financial sector.
• Demonstrated experience in research, policy, legal and regulatory analysis
• Demonstrated experience working with financial sector regulators
• Demonstrated experience in policy advocacy within and or without government
• Proven track record in managing teams and consultants / service providers including development of terms of reference where required
• Familiarity with major players in financial sector development in Uganda (desired).

Critical Technical Skills & Knowledge:

• Good general knowledge of financial management practice and high ethical & financial standards for managing funds
• Good understanding of M4P principles, with ability to understand a complex ecosystem and design interventions that will drive the growth and inclusiveness of financial markets
• In-depth understanding of policy and regulation through a digital financial services lens as well as digital financial market infrastructure.
• Appreciation of financial laws, regulations, guidelines including those related to anti-money laundering (AML), Know your Customer (KYC), digital payments, credit, insurance, investments and consumer protection.
• Understanding of supervisory and regulatory technology is an added advantage.
• Ability to contribute to or influence the development of policies that support innovation, financial stability, consumer protection, and market integrity.
• Understanding of monitoring and results management concepts and processes; track record of using learning to drive innovation.
• Excellent spoken and written English language communication skills

Behavioural Competencies or Character:

Initiative & Decisiveness – Level 2
Innovation & Value Addition – Level 2
Drive for Results – Level 3
Relationship Building – Level 2
Communication & Influencing for Impact – Level 3
Thought Leadership – Level 3
Learning & Resourcefulness – Level 2