Summary
Date Posted: Wednesday, November 24, 2021 , Base Salary: Not Disclosed

JOB DETAILS:
Software Development and Support National Consultant
Location : Home-based, RWANDA
Time left : 13d 13h 43m
Additional Category : Management
Type of Contract : Individual Contract
Post Level : National Consultant
Languages Required : English
Starting Date :
(date when the selected candidate is expected to start) 15-Dec-2021

Duration of Initial Contract : 6 (six) months
Expected Duration of Assignment : 6 (six) months
UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.
UNDP does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of harassment, including sexual harassment, and discrimination. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo rigorous reference and background checks.

Background
About UNCDF
The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) makes public and private finance work for the poor in the world’s 47 least developed countries. With its capital mandate and instruments, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

Access To Finance In Rwanda
In line with the UNCDF global strategy of Leaving No-One Behind in the Digital Area, the Inclusive Digital Economies Programme (IDES), and countries’ UN Development Assistance Plan, UNCDF is supporting inclusive economies to help smallholder farmers and other vulnerable populations thrive. This includes contributing to vulnerable population response initiatives and considering the consequences of the COVID-19 health pandemic in terms of food security, food systems, livelihoods, financial inclusion, and last but not least, social cohesion. This programme uses a market development approach that is rooted on five decades of fostering financial inclusion and local development, digital economies and partnerships for the SDGs, digital and financial literacy, as well as reaching the most underserved populations by promoting community-based frugal innovation as well as strengthening savings and production groups.
Under the umbrella of IDES UNCDF Rwanda supports all levels of stakeholders to effect growth and change in financial systems:
• Financial Service Providers (FSPs), such as banks, Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), and other providers, that need assistance to improve current financial offerings, adopt new delivery channels, and better understand and meet the needs of clients.
• Underserved people (such as women, youth, smallholder farmers, etc.) who lack the knowledge, skills, and confidence to take up and use new financial products and services and often require increased financial and digital literacy to grow their incomes and businesses.
• Policy makers and regulators, who sometimes require technical assistance to learn about (a) global best practices in reaching the poor, displaced, and underserved, and in communicating policy and process to both FSPs and the population and (b) fintech innovations and how to harmonize various agencies/departments so that innovations can come to market.

Objectives Of The Assignment
This assignment aims to support UNCDF Rwanda and its strategic partners in the review and optimization of the developed digital financial education software application, Lenga app. To provide technical support in monitoring and upgrading the performance of the software across different mobile and tablet-based platforms and systems including Android and iOS. This assignment also involves improving the design of the application dashboard where needed in addition to monitoring and providing insight reports on the uptake and usage of this application.
Under the primary supervision of the UNCDF Rwanda Country Lead, the Software Development and Support Consultant will provide support in optimization of the developed digital financial education software application, Lenga app and for other activities related to the app. The consultant is also expected to work with the digital and technology team at UNCDF headquarters, and in close collaboration with in-country implementation partners.
The assignment will require a candidate with demonstrated expertise in the design, development, and presentation of software applications (i.e., mobile and tablet-based, or available via Android and iOS).

Duties and Responsibilities
The Consultant should attain the following objectives over a duration of six (6) months beginning from start of contract:
• Review the existing UNCDF Android-based application which will be hosted on BitBucket, list recommendations for optimization (i.e. options for smaller size and ability to use on Android phone), and agree upon work plan for app upgrade with UNCDF and REFAD partners
• Review the existing application dashboard to fix existing bugs, create easily readable data presentations (i.e. charts and graphs), and create additional data collection capabilities (for example, see the Rwanda Savings Group Map at https://sgmap.bnr.rw/#/),
• Provide technical guidance and technical assistance to UNCDF and local partner organizations and institutions, such as non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs), in using the dashboard
• Provide ongoing technical assistance to UNCDF throughout the duration of the contract to fix any issues that occur and assure smooth rollout of the application and dashboard upgrade
• Produce monthly application’s data insights reports and present them to UNCDF and its partners in a clear and compelling way when needed
• Advise on the scalability of the application for a wide national uptake.
• Some of the activities outlined above will require very limited travel to rural areas of Rwanda where the REFAD (Rwanda Access to Financial Services and Digital Literacy) program operates in order to ensure that the application and dashboard are well-understood by field-based partner staff and run smoothly.

At the end of the contract period, the consultant will be expected to attain the following results:
• A field-tested and optimized financial and digital literacy application (UNCDF’s existing application);
• A field-tested dashboard including capabilities for UNCDF to view overall data, and partners to view data for their own programs;
• A field-tested dashboard that collects the data needed by UNCDF and partners to adequately assess the uptake and usage of the application

Expected Duration of Assignment: Six (6) months.
The table below outlines the activities, deliverables, and indicative timeline and payment structure:
Note the sequence and timelines for the delivery of the below outputs may vary within the duration of the contract and will be finalized in terms of timeline through discussions with UNCDF and the Consultant once selected.
Activities Deliverables Payment terms in % of Total Contract price Timeline

Review and optimization of existing UNCDF Application
• Kick-off meeting with UNCDF team for introduction to the application and history of its development (both app and dashboard)
• Discussion with UNCDF partner organizations
• Review both application front and back-end
• Create work plan and recommendations for optimization of application, including lower internet usage and smaller size, for example
• Optimize application based on agreed-upon recommendations and work plan (i.e. adapting the app for usage with a smartphone, uses less data for initial download)
• Work plan and recommendations for application optimization. 20% Third month after contract signing

Review and update of UNCDF and partner dashboard
• Review of dashboard and creation of work plan as per discussions with UNCDF and partners
• Update and addition of data collection capabilities and overall presentation of data (i.e. clearer graphs and charts, additional data)
• Testing of data collection capabilities (syncing between application and dashboard) with UNCDF and partners
• Presentation of dashboard to UNCDF and partners and any additional training needed (i.e. any changes with syncing)
• Ongoing technical assistance over contract period to fix issues that may occur (bugs)
• The application optimized and working on the field without any bug
• Dashboard created , upgraded and completed Completion and rolled out.
• Continuous technical assistance to repair any issues regarding the app that occur during the life of the contract. 60% Fifth month after contract signing
Monitoring of the performance of the application and dashboard
Provide needed support to fix any bugs after handling the app
• A finalized, field-tested and optimized application.
• A finalized, field-tested and optimized dashboard that collects the data needed by UNCDF and partners to adequately assess the uptake and usage of the application. Final summary report of activities including user guide for any future additions or adaptations. 20% Six months after contract signing

Competencies
Duty station: The consultant will be home based in Rwanda, with possible limited travel particularly where UNCDF operates. The schedule of travel will be negotiated with the consultant(s) according to the requirements of each partner and deliverable.
Travel: Travel to project locations as agreed with the Country Lead or her assignee.

Provision Of Quality, Monitoring And Progress Controls
Monitoring of progress shall be measured both according to the activities of the contractor as well as the performance of the UNCDF partners.
The following supporting documents will serve as conditions for disbursement: (i) submission of an invoice and Certificate of Payment (COP) duly approved by the Country Lead upon completion of each set of deliverables noted above; (ii) review, approval, and written acceptance of each deliverable by the Country Lead and/or her designate; (iii) submission of relevant supporting documentation such as receipts (i.e. for any travel within country required); and (iv) an authorization of payment disbursement from a direct supervisor.
The consultant will work under the direct supervision of the Country Lead for Rwanda and in close collaboration with other relevant colleagues, experts, and/or institutions designated by the country team. The Country Lead or her assignee will provide overall supervision of the consultancy and approve key deliverables.

The consultant is responsible for providing his/her own laptop.
Payment to an Individual Contractor will be made based on the successful completion of each set of deliverables set out by UNCDF and upon certification of satisfactory performance, and acceptance of the output by the Country Lead and/or her designate.
UNCDF shall closely monitor the performance of the consultant, and such monitoring shall include the detailed tracking of cumulative payments ensuring that they do not exceed the approved limit in the contract. If the consultant fails to meet performance requirements deta

Work Hours: 8

Experience in Months: 60

Level of Education: Bachelor Degree

Job application procedure
Interested individuals must submit the following documents as proposals in order to demonstrate their qualifications?(Note: the system does not allow multiple uploads of documents. Applicants must make sure to upload all documents in one PDF file).
All applicants must submit the following information:
• Duly accomplished?Letter of Confirmation of Interest and Availability;
• Personal CV?indicating all past experience from similar projects, as well as the contact details (email and telephone number) of the Candidate and at least three (3) professional references;
• Brief description?of why the individual considers him/herself as the most suitable for the assignment, and a methodology, if applicable, on how they will approach the assignment. It should indicate also accessible previous applications, dashboards, or similar programming;

• Financial Proposal?that indicates all-inclusive price. If an Offeror is employed by an organization/company/institution, and he/she expects his/her employer to charge a management fee in the process of releasing him/her to UNCDF under Reimbursable Loan Agreement (RLA), the Offeror must indicate at this point, and ensure that all such costs are duly incorporated in the financial proposal submitted to UNCDF.?
Incomplete applications will not be considered. Please make sure you have provided all requested documents.

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