Team Leader

Development of Two Pan-African Reports on Women’s MSMEs’ Access to Finance in Africa - Assignment supported by the African Development Bank and Alliance for Financial Inclusion

North South Consultants Exchange (NSCE) is seeking a Team Leader to guide a consultancy team responsible for preparing two Pan-African reports on Women-led Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (WMSMEs) access to finance in Africa. Candidates must hold at least a Master’s degree in Economics, Finance, Public Policy, International Development, or a related discipline with familiarity with financial inclusion challenges and MSME dynamics in developing countries. They should also have a minimum of six (6) years of relevant professional experience, particularly in Africa, as well as a strong understanding of gender issues and women’s financial inclusion.

The assignment runs from 2025 to April 2027, with key milestones in June 2026 and April 2027.

Main responsabilities :

·       The Team Leader will ensure the overall coordination of the mission

·       Providing overall leadership and direction for the consultancy team.

·       Guiding research and analysis on financial inclusion policies, WMSMEs, and MSME access to finance across multiple African regions.

·       Ensuring the production of high-quality deliverables, including inception reports, report outlines, Stakeholder engagement plan, draft reports, validation session summaries, and two final Pan-African reports.

·       Supervising the methodology, data collection, and analytical frameworks to ensure rigor and consistency.

·       Leading stakeholder engagement processes, including consultations with central banks, regulators, policymakers, and development partners.

·       Managing validation and dissemination of findings, including presentations to AFI and key stakeholders.

·       Maintaining technical communication between Project Management unit and partners.

Qualifications and profile required :

·       Advanced university degree (Master’s level or higher) in Economics, Finance, Public Policy, International Development, or related disciplines.

·       At least ten (10) years of experience in financial inclusion, financial sector policy analysis and regulatory frameworks especially in the African continent

·       At least six (6) years of experience as team leader in financial inclusion, MSMEs, women’s economic empowerment, or related areas.

·       Strong expertise in policy analysis, regulatory frameworks, and financial sector development, particularly in African contexts.

·       Strong background in gender-responsive finance, with a focus on WMSMEs access to finance and financial inclusion strategies.

·       Proven experience leading multi-country studies, comparative policy research, or preparing regional/global reports.

·       Track record of working with central banks, regulators, financial institutions, or development organizations.

·       Experience with the use of global and national datasets for policy research.

·       Fluency in English (oral, written, and presentation skills) is mandatory

Interested candidates are invited to submit their CV to recruitment@nsce-inter.com and indicate in the subject line “Application – AF AfDB/AFI - Team Leader for Pan-African WMSME Access to Finance Reports”