Financial Inclusion Advisor

SNV is a global development partner, deeply rooted in the countries where we operate. Driven by a vision of a better world where all people live with dignity and have equitable opportunities to thrive
Sustainably, SNV strengthens capacities and catalyzes partnerships that transform agri-food, energy, and water systems. We help strengthen institutions and effective governance, reduce gender inequalities and barriers to social inclusion, and enable adaptation and mitigation to the climate and biodiversity crises.

With 60 years of experience and a team of approximately 1,600 people, we support our partners in more than 20 countries in Africa and Asia, tailoring our approaches to different contexts to achieve large-scale impact and create more equitable lives for all.

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Project background

SNV Ethiopia is implementing a flagship youth employment program designed to create 800,000 dignified and fulfilling job opportunities for rural young women across high-potential agricultural value chains, such as horticulture, poultry, dairy, and related sectors. The program applies a market systems development approach and integrates Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI) and safeguarding principles to address localized socio-economic and gender barriers affecting young women’s participation in agriculture. Implemented jointly with five Ethiopian and international NGOs, the program operates across seven regional clusters to catalyze long-term systems change in rural youth employment.

Summary of the position

Within this framework, the Cluster Financial Inclusion Advisor is responsible for leading and implementing the rural young women financial inclusion strategy within an assigned geographic cluster. This entails ensuring interventions prioritize young women, marginalized groups, including Persons with Disabilities, and returnees. Core duties include conducting local assessments to identify barriers to financial access, establishing and strengthening youth savings groups (YSLAs), and forging partnerships with financial institutions and digital service providers to develop accessible, market-oriented financial products. The position holder is also tasked with building the capacity of field staff and local financial providers, designing monitoring systems to track progress, and ensuring the integration of financial inclusion with other program components. Furthermore, the role involves documentation, reporting, representing the project in local forums, and guaranteeing all activities adhere to project, gender, safeguarding, and donor guidelines.

Overall, the Cluster Financial Inclusion Advisor leads the design and implementation of access to finance interventions and ensures the achievement of all related milestones and deliverables under the RAYEE II program across the Southern Ethiopia and Sidama clusters.

Strategic Program Delivery & Targeted Implementation

Key Activities:

• Facilitate the rollout of the youth financial inclusion strategy within the cluster.
• Ensure interventions prioritize specific target groups (rural young women, Persons with Disabilities, returnees).
• Conduct localized reviews and rapid assessments to identify root causes of low financial access and propose solutions.
• Ensure integration of financial inclusion with other program components (skills, enterprise, safeguarding).

RYW Capacity Building & Saving Group Strengthening

Key Activities:

• Lead the establishment and strengthening of Youth Savings and Loan Associations (YSLAs).
• Ensure proper financial literacy, governance, and record-keeping practices within YSLAs.
• Build the capacity of cluster teams and field staff on YSLA methodologies and financial linkage facilitation.

Institutional Linkage & Partnership Building

 Key Activities:

• Work closely with MFIs, SACCOs, RuSACCOs, and banks to build sustainable institutional linkages.
• Collaborate with financial institutions to support the development/adaptation of market-oriented financial products for youth, start-ups, and MSEs.
• Identify capacity gaps among local financial service providers and design training to enhance youth-inclusive service delivery.

Integration of Financial Products and Digital Innovation

Key Activities:

• Identify and promote partnerships with digital technology service providers.
• Organize start-up awards and competitions for innovative practices
• Introduce digital solutions (mobile banking, digital savings, digital record-keeping) among youth groups.

Monitoring, Reporting, Learning & Representation

Key Activities:

• Design and execute cluster-level monitoring systems for financial inclusion data.
• Collect, validate, and analyse data in collaboration with MEAL staff to track progress and inform decisions.
• Document and share lessons learned, success stories, and challenges.
• Contribute to the preparation of cluster-level progress reports.
• Represent the organization in local financial inclusion platforms to share results and influence policies.
• Ensure all activities align with project guidelines, gender and safeguarding principles, and donor requirements.

Team Leadership & Supervision

• Provide technical support to the RAYE II team in all financial inclusion matters.
• Implement other related activities as assigned

Basic Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree (or preferably Master’s) in Finance, Business, Economics, Agricultural Economics, Cooperative Development, or related fields.

Experience

• Minimum of 8 years of relevant experience in microfinance, rural finance, or youth/women financial inclusion, with practical knowledge of informal (YSLA/VSLA) and formal financial systems.
• Experience working with MFIs, SACCOs, and banks to develop or promote youth-inclusive financial products.
• Understanding of Ethiopia’s financial sector landscape and familiarity with digital financial services.
• Experience facilitating capacity building for local financial institutions and field-level staff.
• Strong skills in partnership management and stakeholder engagement.
• Willingness to travel frequently within the cluster to field sites.
• Proficiency in English
• Female candidates are highly encouraged to apply

Competencies

• Problem analysis
• Coaching
• Focus on quality
• Result orientation
• Persuasiveness

Additional Skills

• Digital Fluency & Tech Adaptation: The ability to understand, evaluate, and promote appropriate digital financial
• Conflict Resolution & Group Facilitation: Establishing and strengthening YSLAs and SACCOs involves mediating group dynamics, building consensus, and resolving conflicts, particularly in diverse groups that include marginalized members.
• Policy Advocacy & Stakeholder Influence: Beyond building partnerships, the role requires the skill to advocate for youth-inclusive practices and shape an enabling environment for financial inclusion among local financial service providers and policymakers.
• Data Storytelling & Communication: The role demands more than just data collection; it requires the skill to synthesize monitoring data and field insights into compelling narratives.

Contract Type: National, Full-time

Expected start date: As soon as possible

Duty Station: Arbaminch

Contract Duration: One year with the possibility of extension based on performance and budget availability.

How to Apply

If you believe that your credentials meet the outlined profile, we invite you to apply by uploading your CV and a letter of motivation before/on May 29, 2026. 

Please submit your application only via: >> Smart Recruiters. All information will be kept in the strictest confidentiality.

If your experience and skills match the position’s requirements, we will contact you to advise on the next steps in the recruitment process.

Working at SNV

SNV offers a challenging work environment, opportunities to lead and innovate, and a commitment to growing your skills in a fulfilling and diverse working environment. Our staff benefit from and contribute to an internal and global network of experts.

At SNV, inclusivity is at the heart of our ethos. We celebrate the diversity of our workforce and uphold a policy of non-discrimination based on factors such as disability status, religion, ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, and more.

Vetting

SNV carries out rigorous background and reference checks concerning possible safeguarding incidents for all candidates applying for both nationally and internationally determined positions. As SNV participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme, all reference checks include a request to past employers to fill in a questionnaire regarding Misconduct (sexual exploitation, sexual abuse, or sexual harassment), the “Statement of Conduct“. This Statement of Conduct adopts the definitions used in the Scheme.

SNV is an equal opportunities employer and female candidates are encouraged to apply.