Role Descriptions: ProInspire Fellowship in Digital Finance

Position Summary
Arlington, VA

The ProInspire Fellow in Digital Finance at USAID will serve as a thought leader and advocate for digital finance as it applies to the health sector. The Fellow will be responsible for facilitating coordination and collaboration between the Health Financing Team in the Bureau for Global Health, the Digital Finance Services Team at the Development Lab, the Bureau for Africa and select USAID Missions. This will allow the Fellow to evaluate USAID’s current activities and inform a strategic approach for digital financial inclusion for health.

The ideal candidate is an intellectually curious strategist with understanding of how digital platforms for financial inclusion can support health. For example, products that enable access to health savings, loans, and insurance via digital channels. S/he will bring strong communication and persuasion skills to demonstrate the value of digital finance in global health.

Key Responsibilities

• • Liaise with various stakeholders throughout USAID and conduct a landscape analysis of existing and potential USAID-supported digital financial inclusion activities within the health sector

• Lead and strengthen a nascent digital finance team that includes representatives from various offices in the Bureau for Global Health (GH), Digital Finance Services Team (in the Global Development Lab), the Bureau for Africa and other technical offices within USAID

• Liaise and build network with external experts that are working on innovative financing for the health sector, including World Bank, United National Capital Development Fund, academic institutions, civil society and others experts

• • Create tools and supporting documentation for integrating digital finance into USAID health projects in the field, linked to achievement of global health objectives
  • Serve as a one-stop expert for information on cutting edge technology in digital finance in global health and the use of digital platforms for health financing

• Research and increase the evidence base of the impacts on investing in the following: digital platforms to strengthen access to health financing products (insurance), expand payment to health workers and cash transfers to patients, and improve the efficiency of health systems, etc.

• Identify 2-3 missions where the digital finance infrastructure is viable but digital finance products for development are nascent, and build relationships with colleagues in the field to undertake specific in-country engagement to integrate digital financial inclusion for health; In collaboration with missions, Fellow will develop concept notes highlighting how digital finance can be integrated into mission health programs
  • Depending on the availability of funding, the Fellow may travel and work directly with USAID staff in the field to explore opportunities to identify, define or implement digital financial inclusion activities

Ideal Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of professional work experience
• Expertise and demonstrated success in global health and/or digital finance
• Experience in the field working on health finance related areas, preferably Africa or Asia
• Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communications skills
• Independent, self-starter; able to work collaboratively across different teams with different mandates
• Demonstrated passion for integrating digital finance and global health
• Experience with policy analysis/development and strategy development

About USAID

The U.S. Agency for International Development aims to end extreme poverty and promote resilient, democratic societies while advancing U.S. security and prosperity. USAID is the U.S. Government’s leading agency on research, coordination and implementation of development projects, including expansion of financial inclusion, in emerging markets. A few of our main priorities include food security, biodiversity protection, HIV/AIDS prevention, maternal and child health, climate change mitigation, democracy and good governance, international disaster assistance, access to quality education, promotion of science, technology and innovation and economic growth.

How To Apply

To apply for this position, please click this link and follow the application instructions.

Position Summary
Washington, DC

The ProInspire Fellow in Digital Finance at the Department of State will develop and launch an initiative to promote financial inclusion through U.S. Embassies abroad. The Fellow will work to educate internal stakeholders across the Department about policies and regulatory initiatives that can create an enabling environment for digital financial inclusion. S/he will develop materials and resources for an intranet portal, which will serve as a toolkit to enable embassies to promote financial inclusion. In addition, the Fellow will advise Department bureaus and embassies to further promote financial inclusion policies and programs.

As this is a new area of focus for the Department of State, the Fellow must be a subject matter expert in digital financial inclusion. The ideal candidate will bring exceptional interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills. S/he will be a self-starter with a highly collaborative working style.

Key Responsibilities

• Interview key stakeholders to identify information and resource needs
• Develop relationships and gain buy-in for a policy prioritizing financial inclusion through digital technology across the agency
• Develop materials and resources for an intranet portal, which will serve as a toolkit of resources to enable Posts to promote financial inclusion. The portal will include:
• Curated background information on digital financial inclusion to allow officers to learn about relevant issues
• Strategies for achieving Department financial inclusion policies
• Illustrative examples of how countries have successfully implemented policies which increased financial inclusivity
• Related talking points, slide decks and training materials
• Represent the Department of State at interagency and multilateral meetings and conferences on financial inclusion
• Serve as the “go to” expert for best practices and policy advice on digital financial inclusion

Ideal Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of professional work experience
• Expertise and demonstrated success in the field of financial inclusion
• Understanding of how digital technology can accelerate global financial inclusion
• Highly motivated and a self-starter, able to work independently as necessary
• Exceptional interpersonal skills; proven experience building partnerships
• Excellent oral and written communication skills; can translate technical language to support policy development
• Experience with policy analysis/development

About the United States Department of State

As the lead U.S. foreign affairs agency, the U.S. Department of State represents the United States at more than 270 diplomatic locations around the world. The Department's mission is to shape and sustain a peaceful, prosperous, just, and democratic world and foster conditions for stability and progress for the benefit of the American people and people everywhere. 

The Department is a global leader in promoting the inclusion of marginalized peoples and vulnerable groups in the fabric of society. Promoting policies that encourage and support greater inclusion of marginalized groups into the formal financial system is an important element of building societies where the benefits of economic growth are shared by all.

How To Apply

To apply for this position, please click this link and follow the application instructions.

Position Summary
Washington, DC

The ProInspire Fellow in Digital Finance at the Department of Treasury will serve in Treasury's International Affairs office and work with the Department’s broader Financial Inclusion Team, comprised of staff from International Affairs, Domestic Finance, and Terrorist Financing and Intelligence. The Fellow will help advance financial inclusion policies and raise the profile of financial inclusion within the Department of Treasury, the United States, and around the world. The Fellow will lead policy research to assist and inform Treasury policy making on a variety of financial inclusion topics, including the work of the development community in advancing digital financial products and services and digital identity to support financial inclusion.

The fellow will serve as a Treasury expert on digital financial inclusion policy, helping to lead an important work stream for the next phase of Treasury’s financial inclusion initiative. The ideal candidate is a well-seasoned and demonstrated financial inclusion expert.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct analysis of the work in digital financial inclusion across the three main parts of Treasury and help develop consensus on a path forward
• Consult with the World Bank and other major development organizations to evaluate the financial inclusion landscape in a subset of countries and identify opportunities for concrete action to advance financial inclusion in one of them
• Design and implement a 12-24 month initiative for advancing financial inclusion in geographies like Africa or Asia, focusing on implementation of a robust national identification system and its use in the financial sector to support financial access and protect the financial system from abuse by addressing international anti-money laundering/combatting the financing of terrorism
• Share lessons and information within Treasury and more broadly through mid-course and final reports, policy memos, in-person executive and staff briefings, presentations, roundtables/brown bags, and the preparation of talking points for senior leadership
• Serve as expert on developments in identity verification policy and methods being deployed around the globe

Ideal Qualifications

• Minimum of ten years of professional experiences
• Expertise and demonstrated success in finance, digital financial inclusion, and/or development work, with a focus on establishing digital payments and/or identification systems  
• Experience in public policy analysis and development; regulatory knowledge, including familiarity with the international AML/CFT standards and US Bank Secrecy Act (BSA)
  AML/CFT requirements
• Experience effectively maneuvering in large bureaucratic institutions and communicating with and briefing executive stakeholders
• Operational and visionary individual who can provide advice and expertise in shaping and implementing a digital financial inclusion agenda across a large organization

About Department of Treasury

The Treasury Department is the executive agency responsible for promoting economic prosperity and seeking to ensure the financial security of the United States. Its mission is to maintain a strong economy and create economic and job opportunities by promoting the conditions that 1) enable economic growth and stability at home and abroad, 2) strengthen national security by combating threats and protecting the integrity of the U.S. and global financial system, and 3) manage the U.S. Government’s finances and resources effectively.

How To Apply

To apply for this position, please click this link and follow the application instructions.

Position Summary
Washington, DC

The ProInspire Fellow in Digital Finance at OPIC will serve on the Socially Responsible Investment Finance team as an expert and thought leader on fintech and digital financial inclusion. The Fellow will evaluate financing needs of companies across the digital financial inclusion sector and use the results to refine and better target OPIC’s efforts to support the sector. The Fellow will identify opportunities for OPIC to innovate in the application of and structuring of its products to meet the needs of companies involved in digital financial inclusion. The work will include focusing on product design for alleviating capital constraints to financial inclusion and increasing access to financial products for the unbanked and underbanked markets. 

The ideal candidate is a self-starter who can supplement OPIC’s strong record of support for financial inclusion in emerging markets with technical knowledge of digital financial inclusion.

Key Responsibilities

• Design finance products which may include intermediary loan structures for OPIC’s structured finance and insurance, investment funds, and small and medium enterprise finance departments
• Technical analysis of potential opportunities for OPIC support projects that use digital tools to increase financial inclusion (emphasis on ICT-enabled mobile banking, smallholder farmer lending, and access to financing for women.)
• Stimulating new product development and take up at the grassroots, consumer level as well as build-out of downstream financial inclusion products, using both traditional financial delivery mechanisms as well as evaluating partnerships with insurance, healthcare, and education and other social sector providers
• Research best practices for underwriting digital financial inclusion projects and share learnings cross-agency
• Draft underwriting guidelines for digital financial inclusion products and work towards approval of such guidelines by OPIC’s credit committee

Ideal Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of professional experience
• Expertise and demonstrated success in finance, fintech and/or digital financial inclusion
• Strong financial and business analysis skills
• Experience in international development field work is helpful
• Strong interpersonal, written, and oral communications skills
• Highly collaborative, self-starter; able to work independently
• Entrepreneurial spirit and ability to identify and work towards opportunities in a nascent market

About OPIC

OPIC is the U.S. Government’s development finance institution. It mobilizes private capital to help address critical development challenges and in doing so, advances U.S. foreign policy and national security priorities. Because OPIC works with the U.S. private sector, it helps U.S. businesses gain footholds in emerging markets, catalyzing revenues, jobs and growth opportunities both at home and abroad. OPIC achieves its mission by providing investors with financing, political risk insurance, and support for private equity investment funds, when commercial funding cannot be obtained elsewhere.

How To Apply

To apply for this position, please click this link and follow the application instructions.

Position Summary
Washington, DC

The ProInspire Fellow in Digital Finance at MCC will be affiliated with the Program Financial Services Group but will be expected to work across the agency (Gender and Social Inclusion, Environment and Social Performance, Finance Investment and Trade, Monitoring and Evaluation, and others).  The Fellow will also be paired with one or more country teams.  

MCC currently faces a range of challenges in which digital finance and financial inclusion are either constraints or missed opportunities and is reviewing its approach to its digital portfolio.  We are increasingly recognizing that digitization, including financial digitalization, has the potential to reduce transaction costs which might allow us to more effectively design (and manage) projects across a wider range of scales. We anticipate that the Fellow would support MCC to catalogue opportunities within our portfolio for better and more systematic use of innovative tools and methods to (a) increase project benefits and/or (b) reduce implementation costs.  S/he would prepare a report detailing opportunities and recommend strategies and assist with implementation.  

Key Responsibilities

• Interview key stakeholders to identify information and resource needs
• Develop relationships and gain buy-in for a policy prioritizing financial inclusion through digital technology across the agency
• Catalogue opportunities within our portfolio for better and more systematic use of innovative tools and methods to (a) increase project benefits and/or (b) reduce implementation costs.  
• Prepare a report detailing opportunities, recommend strategies, and assist with implementation.  
• Represent the Millennium Challenge Corporation at interagency meetings and with external stakeholders.
• Serve as the “go to” expert for best practices and policy advice on digital financial inclusion

Qualifications:

• Passion to improve US Foreign assistance
• Willingness to ask questions, listen deeply, and to challenge assumptions
• Professional background / experience relevant to the evaluation of economic development programs and/or experience analyzing large datasets
• Knowledge of international development and economic growth concepts, approaches, programs and issues
• Ability to select, organize, and present appropriate information in a concise and coherent manner.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision; entrepreneurial and self-motivated
• Ability to work collaboratively with a variety of individuals at different levels within the Agency and outside the Agency on complex or politically sensitive issues
• Ability to travel internationally

About The Millennium Challenge Corporation

The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is a U.S. Government foreign assistance agency that seeks to reduce poverty and increase economic growth in high performing developing countries by investing in programs that decrease barriers to private investment.  MCC’s grant investments (Compacts) are designed by our government partners in consultation with the private sector and other stakeholders.  Compacts address specific country constraints and often include infrastructure systems, land reforms, education and training, capacity building or technical assistance to reform laws, regulations and policies to encourage thriving economies. MCC measures, collects and reports on policy reforms associated with MCC compact eligibility and program investments, monitors inputs and outputs that indicate whether projects are on track, reviews interim outcomes as programs reach completion, and conducts independent evaluations to assess impact.

How To Apply

To apply for this position, please click this link and follow the application instructions.