Description

About Mercy Corps
Mercy Corps is a leading global organization powered by the belief that a better world is possible.  In disaster, in hardship, in more than 40 countries around the world, we partner to put bold solutions into action — helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within. Now, and for the future.

Background:
Mercy Corps is a global leader in cash transfer programming and social protection, and currently implements more than 70 cash
transfer programs in 20 countries globally. Cash transfer programming is currently over 50% of our total humanitarian response
portfolio.

In addition to our cash programming and humanitarian work, Mercy Corps’ development programs often integrate financial services
as a critical function in our economic recovery and growth work. At Mercy Corps, our financial inclusion work aims to increase
people’s access to and use of affordable financial services. It is not an end in itself, but it enables people to make quick and easy
payments; borrow to invest in their farms and businesses; save for the future; and insure against shocks. 

We believe that while cash programming is effective at meeting immediate needs, it also offers an opportunity to spark recovery,
economic growth , and resilience that can be supported and accelerated by financial inclusion.  Digital Cash Transfer Programs in
particular (although not exclusively), present the chance to leverage the delivery channels set up for cash distribution for longer term
impact through financial inclusion. Yet the specific pathways for creating lasting development impact through initial cash
programming are not yet defined. Previous research conducted by Mercy Corps and others has established that cash transfer
recipients rarely adopt the financial tools used for transferring funds, unless they were already widely used and trusted. Furthermore,
when such adoption does occur, there must be a more clearly defined path to growing incomes, accumulating assets, and building
resilience.

Purpose / Project Description:
Mercy Corps has undertaken some preliminary research and thinking on this issue, and have identified the broad issues we’d
like to examine further and a potential approach to take in order to develop a clearer framework and set of hypotheses that
can be later piloted and tested. This assignment seeks to define and build internal consensus around key hypotheses and a
theoretical framework guiding Mercy Corps’ work on Cash2FI for resilience building.
     
Consultant Objectives:
● Articulate (and challenge) key assumptions about the potential to leverage household cash transfers as a means to
drive financial inclusion and build resilience.
● Review previous Mercy Corps findings and case studies from programs featuring a Cash2FI component
● Set out an easy to understand ‘Cash to Financial Inclusion’ framework that describes 
     o Relevant target demographics/personas
     o Key enabling environment
     o Clear theories of change
     o Measurable impact
● Identify key research and learning questions to be integrated into program design 
● Create internal communications materials to share the framework and impact hypotheses with program teams

Consultant Deliverables:
The Consultant will provide:
● Summary literature review
● Concept note and ‘cash2fi’ framework
● Research and learning questions
● Internal comms slide deck & presentation call(s)

 Timeframe/Schedule:
10-15 days - ASAP

The Consultant will report to:
Director, Financial Inclusion

The Consultant will work closely with:
Senior Advisor, Cash

Required Experience & Skills:
● 5-10 years experience working in financial inclusion and/or cash transfer programming – ideally including operational
experience in developing countries
● Practical experience and understanding of digital financial inclusion, mobile money, fintech or similar
● Demonstrable experience completing similar analytical and strategic projects
● Excellent analytical ability
● Excellent written and verbal communication, and the ability to work effectively remotely 

Mercy Corps Diversity Statement 

Achieving our mission begins with how we build our team and work together. Through our commitment to enriching our organization with people of different origins, beliefs, backgrounds, and ways of thinking, we are better able to leverage the collective power of our teams and solve the world’s most complex challenges. We strive for a culture of trust and respect, where everyone contributes their perspectives and authentic selves, reaches their potential as individuals and teams, and collaborates to do the best work of their lives. 

We recognize that diversity and inclusion is a journey, and we are committed to learning, listening and evolving to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive than we are today. 

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
Mercy Corps is an equal opportunity employer that does not tolerate discrimination on any basis. We actively seek out diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and skills so that we can be collectively stronger and have sustained global impact. 

We are committed to providing an environment of respect and psychological safety where equal employment opportunities are available to all. We do not engage in or tolerate discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, disability (including HIV/AIDS status), marital status, military veteran status or any other protected group in the locations where we work.