The National Rural Finance Specialist will address the following objectives:

• Lead on the development, implementation and monitoring of the LIFT rural finance strategy and partnerships approaches with various development partners, UN agencies, NGOs, CSOs, public and private service providers and any other relevant stakeholders.
• Provide technical support for a coordinated and strategic approach to rural finance policy and advocacy with donors, development partners, UN agencies, NGOs, CSOs, private service providers and other stakeholders, including community organizations and ethnic service providers where relevant.
• Provide technical support to LIFT programme teams and partners for the successful and coordinated design and implementation of LIFT projects that include rural finance or financial inclusion related programming.
• Operationalise and share best practices and lessons learned for corporate development planning and knowledge building.

Summary of Key Functions  

1. Development, implementation and review of LIFT rural finance strategy and advocacy agenda
2. Quality and effectiveness of LIFT-supported programme interventions
3. Coordination

1. Development, implementation and review of LIFT Rural Finance strategy

• Lead on the development, implementation and monitoring of the LIFT rural finance and financial inclusion strategy and advocacy agenda and partnerships approaches with various development partners, UN agencies, NGOs, CSOs, public and private service providers and any other relevant stakeholders, including community organizations and ethnic service providers where relevant.

• Draft LIFT briefs and position papers on rural finance, financial inclusion, poverty, indebtedness, coping strategies
• Work with MEAL and knowledge management teams to ensure evidence of LIFT-supported interventions is rigorously maintained, documented, and disseminated internally and externally as appropriate to contribute to improvements in programming quality and advocacy efforts.
• Provide inputs for the preparation of LIFT’s annual and semi-annual reports as well as other reports or updates as required.
• Support LIFT-supported research (formative, operational, etc.) on rural finance and financial inclusion.
• Provide inputs into the design of call for proposals and proactively and regularly communicate planned requirements for program design and implementation to others within the LIFT Programme Management Office.

2. Quality and effectiveness of LIFT-supported programme interventions

• Support LIFT’s programme team to manage the rural finance and financial inclusion aspects of their respective portfolios and ensure that approaches are harmonized whether at community, household or individual levels.
• Ensure mainstreaming of effective and affordable approaches to the poorest and most vulnerable groups LIFT is supporting
• Contribute to the appraisal of rural finance and financial inclusion related proposals.
• Work with LIFT implementing partners to address rural finance and financial inclusion in the preparation, implementation and monitoring and evaluation (M & E) phases of projects.
• Help identify key learning opportunities from LIFT’s portfolio of projects and organize opportunities to share key lessons liaising with MEAL and knowledge management teams
• Managing direct initiatives and projects (training, technical assistance) aiming at supporting implementing partners in rural finance and financial inclusion programming.

• When required, prepare Terms of References for and manage the work of retainers on rural finance. This may apply to strategy design, learning, technical assistance or any other ad-hoc need

3. Coordination

• Participate in relevant national and sub-national networks and build understanding of LIFT’s work in rural and financial inclusion.

• Support communication efforts on rural finance and financial inclusion related priorities with partners and colleagues. This will entail working closely with communications and knowledge management colleagues in the LIFT Fund Management Office (FMO).
• Ensure coordination with relevant stakeholders working on rural finance and financial inclusion to collaborate on joint learning, analysis, and advocacy initiatives. This will entail working closely with communications and knowledge management colleagues in the LIFT Fund Management Office (FMO)
• Work closely with other LIFT technical teams to design and implement programmes that are integrated, coordinated, effective and coherent.
• Ensure coordination with other UNOPS funds and/or projects working on rural finance and financial inclusion and collaborate on possible joint programming, learning, analysis and advocacy initiative
• Coordinate with and inform the LIFT Fund Board on rural finance and financial inclusion issues.
• Participate in all relevant internal meetings.

a.  Education

• An advanced university degree (e.g. Masters) in agronomy, agriculture economics, finance or other relevant discipline is required.
• A first-level university degree (e.g. Bachelor) in combination with 2 additional years of progressively relevant experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree

b. Work Experience 

• At least five years of professional experience in the field of rural finance and financial inclusion, particularly in the formulation of technical guidance and input to the design and implementation of projects promoting improved access to finance for small producers, rural poor and conflict affected individuals as well as rural SMEs involved in food systems.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience of rural finance programme development and implementation in a developing context is required.
• Experience working with the major stakeholders such as local and international partners, donor agencies, academic and research entities and coordination bodies is required.
• Familiarity with the dynamics of coordination forums and mechanisms is desired.
• Strong policy analysis and advocacy experience, in rural finance, value chains, financial inclusion and/or experience in operational and formative research would be an asset.
• Computer literacy is required. Experience with Google Suite is highly preferred.

c.  Languages

• Fluency in both written and spoken Myanmar language and English is required.