Consultant – VSLA Mapping – Financial Inclusion Mapping

Job Description

Consultant- Village Savings and Loan Associations – SSA L10 | World Food Programme

The Tone:
This is a Consultant role at the World Food Programme, located in Zambia. The World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, dedicated to saving lives in emergencies and building pathways to peace, stability, and prosperity for people recovering from various shocks. This role is crucial for conducting a comprehensive mapping of Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA) models across Zambia, aiming to enhance financial inclusion and resilience for vulnerable households participating in social protection programs. The insights gained will guide government and UN partners in integrating effective savings and financial inclusion models into social protection initiatives.

The TL;DR
• Role: Consultant
• Type: Contract
• Location: In-person – Zambia – Lusaka
• Team: Reports to Programme Policy Officer, Financial Services and Insurance
• Mission: Map, assess, and compare community-based savings and financial inclusion models and recommend those most suitable for strengthening household resilience, enhancing financial inclusion, and promoting sustainable income diversification among social protection beneficiaries.
• Tech Stack: GIS mapping, Excel, CSV, SPSS

What You’ll Actually Do
• Desk Review: Review existing documentation, policies, and studies on savings groups and financial inclusion in Zambia, compiling a list of implementing organizations.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Identify and engage key VSLA implementing entities, including NGOs, FSPs, Government, and UN agencies, through interviews and focus group discussions.
• Model Mapping: Document specific VSLA methodologies, target groups, governance, financial mechanisms, linkages, and digital tool usage for each organization.
• Gap Analysis: Analyze the strengths, weaknesses, risks, and opportunities of existing community savings and financial inclusion models, with an urban-rural comparative lens.
• Report and Validate: Facilitate a stakeholder validation workshop and produce a final comprehensive mapping report with context-specific recommendations and an implementation roadmap.

The Must-Haves
• Background: Advanced degree in Economics, Agricultural Economics, Development Studies, Finance, or a related field.
• Experience: At least seven (7) years of experience in financial inclusion, VSLAs, microfinance, or resilience programming, with demonstrated experience in social protection or economic/productive inclusion.
• Skills: Proven experience conducting research, assessments, or market mappings; strong analytical and report writing skills; application of life-cycle model approach.
• Bonus: Familiarity with Zambia’s rural finance landscape; experience with GIS mapping.