ILO Social Finance Programme

Qualified professionals with expertise in insurance, microfinance and development are invited to apply for ILO Social Finance Programme 2024 for French-speaking Young Professionals. 

These skills are for inclusion in its Fellowship Programme. We welcome applications from English and French-speaking qualified candidates in West Africa for placements.

About the ILO Social Finance Programme

The ILO’s Social Finance Programme invites applications from qualified French-speaking professionals with expertise in insurance, microfinance or development for inclusion in its Fellowship Programme roster and potential placement in West Africa. The project is expected to start in early 2024.

The program aims to close skill gaps, develop a new generation of professionals with expertise working with low-income communities, and match competent experts with organizations working on the cutting edge of impact insurance and financial inclusion.

Each Fellow will work with a host organization to support an innovation project for at least a year.

The project could include implementing a risk management product, public-private partnership, digital solution, or distribution partnership.

The project will focus on the following themes:

• Designing integrated risk-management solutions for small enterprises and low-income households that bundle insurance with other financial and non-financial services to improve consumers’ ability to manage risk and increase their productivity capabilities

•  Enhancing public-private partnerships that help achieve public policy objectives aligned with the UN’s SDGs, especially those related to decent work, food security, climate change and universal health coverage

• Scholarship Type: Fellowship
• Eligible Countries: in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia
• Number of Awards: Not specified
• Value of ILO Social Finance Programme: The ILO’s Social Finance Programme works with the financial sector to enable it to contribute to the ILO’s Decent Work Agenda.

In this context, we engage with banks, microfinance institutions, credit unions, insurers, investors and others to test new financial products, approaches and processes.

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Eligibility for ILO Social Finance Programme

The ideal candidates for a fellowship should:

• It would help if you had relevant expertise to contribute to activities related to insurance, financial inclusion and public-private partnerships.
•  Be proficient in English and French (written and verbal).
•  You should be proactive and ready to document learning experiences during the fellowship;
•  It would help if you were interested in working in developing countries on development issues;
•  Be seriously committed to providing inclusive financial and insurance services and practising in the field on an
• ongoing basis after the assignment;
•  You should be resourceful and capable of arranging practical necessities related to travel, life and work in a new environment.
• You should be ready to work in a developing country for the duration of the fellowship.

Insurance, financial inclusion or development professionals keen to apply their skills to promote social justice in emerging markets and who have worked in a technical capacity for at least five years may participate.

Candidates with the requisite skills and experience will be included in the roster and considered for the fellowship as mentioned above opportunity.

Successful candidates would also have:

• considerable self-initiative to be a proactive learner and to drive agreed-upon activities forward
•  the ability to achieve objectives and solve problems independently
•  a willingness to challenge existing methods and explore a fresh approach to issues
•  strong social skills and collaborative spirit
•  the ability to work effectively and efficiently with staff at all levels of the relevant organization (s)
•  a willingness to learn from all of those in the host environment
•  A nurturing attitude lets the Fellow pass on their technical expertise to the host organization’s staff.

How to Apply for ILO Social Finance Programme

To apply, complete the application form available here. Email the completed application form, a curriculum vitae, and a cover letter to socialfinance@ilo.org by July 25, 2024, 23:59 CEST.

Please include “Fellowship application” as the subject line of the email. Only submissions that include all three documents will be considered as complete.

• Reviewing all application requirements on the Award Webpage (see Link below) before applying is important.

Visit Award Webpage for Details

Application Deadline: January 20 2024 (at 23:59 CEST)

Conclusion

In conclusion, This fellowship is a shining example of how education can be used as a tool for social change.

This program breaks down barriers and empowers future leaders by providing students from underrepresented backgrounds with access to high-quality education and support.

It’s an investment in the future. The impact of this program will be felt for generations to come as these students go on to make meaningful contributions to their communities and beyond.