Enhancing Digital and Financial Capacity of Women-Owned SMEs

The Regional Consultant supports UNECA’s North Africa project on women-owned SMEs, digital trade and financial inclusion. The assignment assesses policy gaps, develops accessible country modules and training, convenes stakeholders and delivers workshops. It produces gender-responsive policy papers and implementation plans aligned with AfCFTA digital-trade objectives across four focus countries.

• Assess digital and financial inclusion gaps affecting women-owned SMEs in a focus country
• Develop an accessible country module on institutional and regulatory ecosystems for digital trade and digital finance
• Prepare training materials on digital trade, fintech and digital financing for four countries
• Deliver capacity-building workshops and assess knowledge acquired through surveys
• Prepare gender-responsive country policy papers with actionable recommendations and implementation plans
• Collaborate with national consultants and conduct validation workshops with stakeholders

• Advanced university degree in economics, trade, digital economy, business administration or a related field
• Minimum seven years of progressively responsible experience in SME development, trade policy or related fields
• Fluency in French and Arabic

• PhD in a relevant discipline
• Experience with government institutions, ministries, regulatory bodies or international organisations
• Ability to integrate gender equality and women’s economic empowerment into policy analysis
• Working knowledge of English

• Trade policy
• Digital finance
• Policy analysis
• Stakeholder facilitation
• Capacity building

• Pre-training surveys
• Post-training surveys