CTG overview
CTG staff and support humanitarian projects in fragile and conflict-affected countries around the world, providing a rapid and cost-effective service for development and humanitarian missions. With past performance in 17 countries – from the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia, we have placed more than 20,000 staff all over the world since operations began in 2006.
CTG recruits, deploys and manages the right people with the right skills to implement humanitarian and development projects, from cleaners to obstetricians, and mechanics to infection specialists, we’re skilled in emergency response to crises such as the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Key to successful project delivery is the ability to mobilise at speed; CTG can source and deploy anyone, anywhere, in less than 2 weeks and have done so in 48 hours on a number of occasions.
Through our efficient and agile HR, logistical and operational services, CTG saves multilateral organisations time and money. We handle all our clients’ HR related issues, so they are free to focus on their core services.
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Overview of position
Yemen has faced a significant crisis since 2015, leading to major challenges within the banking sector. This has resulted in a lack of liquidity in the local market, pushing many companies to the brink of collapse. Yemen’s war has created a complex web of challenges for financial inclusion and the banking system. Despite having a good asset size (57.8% of GDP in 2019) spread across eighteen various bank types (government, commercial, traditional, Islamic, and microfinance), Yemen’s banking sector is focused on credit, with investments concentrated in government treasury bills to cover the budget deficit. This prioritization of credit has led to Yemen having one of the weakest payment systems in the Arab world, with only 10% of Yemenis having bank accounts (including electronic money accounts) by the end of 2019.
The Central Bank of Yemen (CBY) fractured along political lines in September 2016, creating rival branches—one aligned with the Internationally Recognized Government in Aden and another with the DFA authorities in Sana’a. This division resulted in a significant decrease in the necessary institutional and technical capacity to supervise domestic banking operations or evaluate banks’ liquidity needs, leading to a lack of available cash (liquidity crisis), a weakening currency, lost income due to frozen assets and unpaid debts, restrictions on transferring money both domestically and internationally, and a general distrust in the system that has pushed financial activity away from banks and towards informal channels.
Unsurprisingly, Yemen’s financial services haven’t kept pace with global advancements. Efficient payment systems are essential for a healthy banking sector. While Yemen has a law for electronic financial transactions (Law No. 40 of 2006), payment systems haven’t received enough attention. The Central Bank of Yemen recognizes the potential of mobile money to address cash shortages and expand financial inclusion. In 2014, it issued regulations for mobile money services through banks (Circular No. 11 of 2014). However, the reach has been limited, with only five bank-linked wallets and around 808,000 accounts by 2019. To address this, the CBY recently allowed non-bank financial institutions to offer mobile money services (Resolution No. 1 of 2020). This aims to expand financial services beyond urban areas and reach underserved groups, including women (currently only 13% of mobile money users). Recognizing this potential, central banks, commercial banks, and even Islamic banks have actively championed these advancements. The reason is clear: digital financial technologies offer a path towards greater financial efficiency and inclusion, especially in developing countries like Yemen.
To address this challenge, Our client, in collaboration with the World Bank and both the Central Bank of Sana’a and Aden, is initiating a new project to develop the national payments infrastructure that supports the transparency and efficiency of payment transactions for the Yemeni population and increases financial inclusion. This Terms of Reference (TOR) outlines the duties and responsibilities of a Yemeni local consultant who will assist and coordinate the initiation phase of the project.
The primary objective of this consultancy is to assist Our client Team conducting meetings and missions with different stakeholders, which will provide inputs to the project document and create partnerships, a consultative process, and an enabling environment for project implementation.
Role objectives
- Lead all coordination and liaison with relevant partners and stakeholders, including engagement with senior local government and CBY officials, for the planning and initiation phase of the project in both areas North and South.
- Identify key entry points for economic interventions to support the CBYs in both areas.
- Coordinate multi-stakeholder meetings, missions, and discussions to promote financial infrastructure development and financial inclusion.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with government bodies, central banks, financial institutions, and development partners.
- Coordinate and support regional consultants during their field visits or provide them with any required information upon request.
- Facilitate and coordinate all meetings between Our client senior management and government officials, CBY representatives, stakeholders, banks, mobile wallets, financial institutions, and private sector entities.
- Assist the regional consultants during their field visits or provide them with all required information that they ask for.
- Provide logistical support to the regional experts, including transportation, interpretation (if required), and meeting facilitation.
- Facilitate communication between the regional experts and relevant Yemeni stakeholders, including the Central Bank of Yemen (CBY) in Sana’a and Aden, financial institutions, switch operators (e.g., WeNet, NBS), and other key players in the financial sector.
- Assist in arranging meetings and site visits for the regional experts.
- Attend all mission meetings and take detailed minutes.
- Assist the regional experts in conducting research and data collection activities.
- Facilitate communication between the regional experts and Yemeni stakeholders.
- Support Our client team in conducting field visits to financial institutions in both Sana’a and Aden, as needed, to assess their operations and provide on-site advice and recommendations.
Project reporting
- Under the guidance of the Deputy Resident Representative/Programs
Key competencies
Other Qualifications:
- Excellent computer literacy.
- Excellent communication, report writing, and analytical skills.
- Knowledge and experience in ensuring consideration of construction for people with disabilities.
- Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
Functional Competencies:
- Demonstrated ability in analytical and drafting work.
- Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude.
- Self-reliant and able to work as part of a multi-cultural team in a stressful environment.
Core Competencies:
- Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity.
- Demonstrating corporate knowledge and sound judgment.
- Self-development and initiative-taking.
- Acting as a team player and facilitating teamwork.
- Facilitating and encouraging open communication in the team, communicating effectively.
- Learning and sharing knowledge, and encouraging the learning of others. Promoting learning and knowledge management/sharing is the responsibility of each staff member.
Corporate Competencies:
- Demonstrates integrity by modeling the UN’s values and ethical standards.
- Promotes the vision, mission, and strategic goals of Our client.
- Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, and age sensitivity and adaptability.
- Ability to work with a multi-cultural and diverse team.
- Demonstrating/safeguarding ethics and integrity.
Team management
- This role has no team management responsibility.
Further information
- Female candidates are encouraged to apply.