Thursday 8 July 2010

JOB VACANCY (Application closed)

Oxfam Novib in partnership with INAFI International is looking for a Project leader who, together with us and many others, wants to work towards creating a just world without poverty.

Around the world people are fighting for their right to a decent livelihood. Oxfam Novib supports them in this. We support projects, strengthen local organizations and campaign for just policies. We do so locally and internationally because poverty and injustice are global problems and are related to unjust economic and political relationships. That is why we work together with Oxfam International.

Project leader for the remittances & development project
36 hours a week, located in The Hague
The contract will be for one (1) year, with the possibility for extension till the end of the project, June, 30th 2012

The remittances and development project, which is implemented in partnership with INAFI International, is an EU-funded project and has multiple objectives. First, the project seeks to contribute to improve the capacity of migrant organizations in 10 different EU countries so they are able to deliver a larger contribution to the economic development in their country of origin. Secondly, the project will train Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) to transfer remittances from migrants safer and cheaper to the country of origin.
A more specific objective of the project is to create a trans-national program that will train 10 microfinance organizations from 10 different sub-Saharan countries in the development of a global remittance system and that supports the collaboration between the MFIs and migrant organizations from 10 EU countries.

Main tasks and responsibilities

- You will ensure the achievement of agreed outcomes and targets. You will achieve this by monitoring the progress and quality of the project, identifying problems, opportunities and exceptions, and you will think of solutions, you are accountable for the budget and you report to the Manager of Special Projects and the Steering Committee
- You manage the project team (functional): you plan the tasks and activities for the project group.
- You will develop, in cooperation with the project staff, realistic work plans. You are responsible for the quality, timeliness and efficiency of the work of the team. You are also responsible for the knowledge and the synergy between the (temporarily assigned) employees and the project;
- You are responsible for monitoring and reporting: you monitor the substantive and financial progress and reporting to the EC according to their requirements, coordinate the production of financial reports and audits;
- You coordinate the meetings of the Steering Committee (organize and prepare for the semi-annual meetings);
- You coordinate the required input from other parties involved such as ON (regional) departments, partner organizations and other stakeholders;
- You will ensure good communication within the project team, with partner organisations, the project beneficiaries and other stakeholders;
- You identify the project risks and control them by taking action and close and regular monitoring.

Required skills and competences
- You have a proven academic level in your previous and current work environment;
- You can demonstrate 3-5 years experience in managing complex international projects. Preferably you also have experience and knowledge of procedures regarding EC-grants;
- You have proven knowledge of microfinance and remittances (including mechanisms, trends and developments, contacts, etc.);
- You have good communication skills and are able to work in and with a team;
- You are result oriented and decisive;
- You are fluent in both English and French.

What do we offer?
For this function we offer a gross salary of a minimum of € 2,828 and a maximum of € 4395 per month on the basis of a 36-hour working week.

Application procedure
Are you interested? Send your application before July 14th, 2010 in writing including a motivation and curriculum vitae and mentioning reference number 5-5964 to jobs@oxfamnovib.nl address to Elvira Hautvast, HR Consultant. To obtain further information about the job please contact Janny Bosscher, manager Special Projects 070-3421 718

Applicants must be Nationals of a European Union member State or have a valid work permit for the European Union.
Acquisition due to this advertisement will not be appreciated
An assessment can be part of the recruitment process

Monday 5 July 2010

G20 Identifies nine principles for innovative financial inclusion, action plan expected in November

The G20 Leadership Summit in Toronto this past weekend highlighted the importance of the work being done by the G20’s Financial Inclusion Experts Group (FIEG). The group released nine “Principles for Innovative Financial Inclusion” formed through the efforts of the Access through Innovation Sub-Group (ATISG). “We have developed a set of principles for innovative financial inclusion, which will form the basis of a concrete and pragmatic action plan for improving access to financial services amongst the poor. This action plan will be released at the Seoul Summit,” the Toronto declaration said. Read more

MFTransparency and Luxembourg Development Cooperation launch Transparent Pricing Initiative in West Africa

LANCASTER, PA, July 1st, 2010 — MicroFinance Transparency (MFTransparency) and Luxembourg Development Cooperation have partnered to expand the Transparent Pricing Initiative to West Africa. MFTransparency will begin to implement the Initiative in July to promote pricing transparency and consumer protection throughout the region.

Two workshops in Dakar, Sénégal and Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso on July 6 and July 9, respectively, will train industry professionals on issues related to pricing transparency and mark the launch of the Transparent Pricing Initiative in the first two countries of the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). Strategic implementation partners in this effort are MFTransparency’s regional partner INAFI (International Network of Alternative Financial Institutions) and local microfinance networks. In Senegal, MFTransparency collaborates with DMF (Direction of the Microfinance) and AP/SFD-Sénégal (Association Professionnelle des Systèmes Financiers Décentralisés). In Burkina Faso, MFTransparency works with APIM-BF (Association des Systèmes Professionnels des Institutions de la Microfinance au Burkina Faso) to implement the Initiative. Read more

Thursday 1 July 2010

Sub-Saharan Africans Bank on Family for Business Loans

Washington, DC, June, 11 2010 - Sub-Saharan Africans would most likely turn to their families if they needed money to start a business, according to Gallup surveys of 18 countries in the region.

Forty-two percent of respondents spontaneously named "family" as their primary source for funds, while banks (16%) and friends (15%) were a distant second. Despite the emphasis on microfinance in recent years in sub-Saharan Africa, 4% mentioned these institutions. Read more