Enhancing Digital and Financial Capacity of Women-Owned SMEs (National Consultant for Egypt)

The National Consultant will conduct a comprehensive assessment of digital and financial inclusion gaps affecting women-owned SMEs in Egypt, support stakeholder consultations and workshops, and develop country-specific policy instruments to enhance digital trade and financial capacity aligned with AfCFTA objectives.

Responsibilities

• Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the digital and financial inclusion gaps affecting women-owned SMEs in Egypt.
• Support the organization and delivery of the National Stakeholders Workshop as the official national-level launch of the project.
• Develop a Country Module on the Institutional and Regulatory Ecosystem for Digital Trade and Digital Finance accessible to women-owned SMEs with disabilities.
• Prepare a country-specific policy paper including actionable recommendations and an implementation plan to support policymakers in designing and implementing inclusive and gender-responsive digital trade policies.
• Submit a work plan outlining methodology, timeline, stakeholder mapping approach, and data collection framework; propose structure of the national diagnostic report, country-specific module, and policy paper.
• Produce a National Diagnostic Report reviewing national digital trade, e-commerce, fintech, and regulatory frameworks; conduct stakeholder mapping analysis; identify priority constraints and reform areas integrating findings from consultations and workshop discussions.
• Support the National Workshop including preparation of background notes, agenda, and a summary report with key findings and recommendations.
• Deliver a Country Module on the Institutional and Regulatory Ecosystem for Digital Trade and Digital Finance.
• Deliver a Country Policy Paper identifying institutional, regulatory, and market barriers affecting women-owned SMEs; align with AfCFTA digital trade provisions; prioritize and sequence policy recommendations.

Requirements

• Advanced university degree (Masters' degree) in economics, trade, digital economy, business administration, or a closely related field is required.
• A first-level university degree in a combination of additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the master's degree.
• A PhD in a relevant discipline would be an advantage.
• A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience in economic analysis, trade policy, SME development, digital economy policy, or related fields is required.
• Proven experience in facilitating stakeholder consultations and delivering workshops is required.
• Demonstrated experience in policy analysis, particularly in the areas of digital trade and fintech as is knowledge of AfCFTA-related processes is desirable.
• Experience working with government institutions, ministries, regulatory bodies, or international organizations is desirable.
• Experience in integrating gender equality considerations into economic or trade policy analysis is an advantage.

Skills

• Economic Analysis
• Trade Policy Analysis
• SMEs Development
• Digital Economy Policy
• Multi-Stakeholder Consultation
• Workshop Facilitation
• Policy Analysis
• Digital Trade Development
• FinTech Knowledge
• AfCFTA Implementation
• Government Relations
• Legal Regulatory Affairs
• International Organization Collaboration
• Gender Equality Integration
• Financial Inclusion Assessment
• Digital Inclusion Assessment

Languages

English, French, Arabic