Consultant - Digital Financial Inclusion Strategist - REDD Landscape

1. The project objectives and the specific purpose of services

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, through the REDD Landscape / Grandes Bosques de Mesoamerica Program, seeks to strengthen sustainable livelihoods, forest conservation, responsible digital innovation, and inclusive economic opportunities across priority forest landscapes in Mesoamerica.

The purpose of this consultancy is to develop a practical strategy, business model, and partnership pathway for adapting the Alliance’s emerging digital financial inclusion approach from Honduras to Guatemala. The assignment will explore how trusted data generated through traceability systems, geospatial information, sustainability compliance mechanisms, and digital public infrastructure can be leveraged to support rural finance, climate-smart finance, green finance, and other financial services for producers, producer organizations, and agrifood value chains.

The consultant will assess institutional, financial-sector, territorial, and value-chain opportunities in Guatemala, identify viable pathways to implementation, and facilitate stakeholder engagement aimed at generating tangible commitments and partnerships that can advance digital financial inclusion initiatives in the country

2. The key contact people for the Consultant, and the frequency and mode of interaction with the person supervising the consultancy assignment

Hiring Manager:
Brian King, Senior Manager of Technology Integration.

• Bi-weekly virtual coordination meetings.
  
• Email communication as required for review and feedback.
  
• Review sessions prior to the submission of each deliverable.
  

3. The deliverables
Deliverable 1: Inception Note and Workplan
Contents: A concise workplan (Written report - Word/PDF) confirming the consultant’s understanding of the assignment, methodology, timeline, and expected outputs.

Deliverable 2: Honduras Model Review Summary and Recommendations
Contents: A short report or slide deck summarizing the Honduras approach, including relevant technologies, business model elements, financial-sector partnerships, traceability/EUDR linkages, and potentially applicable models and approaches that may take root in Guatemala.

Deliverable 3: Guatemala Opportunity Assessment
Contents: A concise assessment report and presentation of digital financial inclusion opportunities in Guatemala, including institutional entry points, target users, barriers, types of potential financial products, relevant institutions, and key risks to consider.

Deliverable 4: Digital Financial Inclusion Strategy and Business Model for Guatemala
Contents: A strategy document and/or presentation-based report outlining the proposed approach, value proposition, priority use cases, business model, potential governance structure and recommended implementation roadmap for an approach enabling one or more “green” financial products or services targeting under banked small agrifood businesses.

Deliverable 5: Partnership Matrix
Contents: A matrix and accompanying summary report identifying relevant financial institutions, fintechs, microfinance organizations, public agencies, NGOs, buyers, producer organizations, development partners engaged in the exercise with comments or recommendations as needed to orient the strategy.

Deliverable 6: Stakeholder Commitment Product on DPI–Finance Integration
Contents: A concise product documenting commitments or agreed next steps from targeted stakeholders to work toward digital public infrastructure-finance integration. This may take the form of a meeting summary with agreed actions, a short joint statement, a commitment note, or an action agenda suitable for internal program reporting and, where appropriate, public communication.

Deliverable 7: Final Presentation Report
Contents: A final presentation report summarizing findings, strategy, recommended next steps, partnership opportunities, stakeholder commitments, and priority actions for moving toward implementation in Guatemala
4. The calendar of activities

Duration: Approximately eight (8) months from contract signature

5. Duty Station

Home-based / Remote consultancy.

Requirements

6. The required expertise, qualifications, and expected experience to produce the expected output or deliverables

• Advanced university degree (PhD and/or Master) in Finance, Economics, Business Administration, International Development, Agricultural Economics, Information Systems, Public Policy, Rural Development, or related fields.
  
• Demonstrated experience in: Digital financial inclusion; Rural finance and agricultural finance; Microfinance and fintech; Investment and financial services for rural livelihoods.
  
• Experience designing financial products, digital services, or business models for rural, informal, or underserved communities.
  
• Experience working with financial institutions, microfinance institutions, fintechs, guarantee funds, development finance actors, investors, or rural credit providers.
  
• Experience convening or facilitating stakeholder engagement with financial-sector actors, public agencies, development partners, or value-chain institutions.
  
• Experience with agricultural value chains, producer organizations, rural enterprises, cooperatives, coffee-sector institutions, or forest-adjacent communities.
  
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce high-quality outputs in both English and Spanish.
  

Benefits

7. The total estimated budget for the consultancy

Total Estimated Budget: The total value of the consultancy shall not exceed USD 20,000, inclusive of all professional fees, taxes, administrative costs, and any other expenses associated with the delivery of the services.

8. Applications
Interested candidates should send the following information to B.King@cgiar.org

• A technical proposal including a brief statement.
  
• A Curriculum Vitae including two (2) references.
  
• A financial proposal that includes, at a minimum, hourly, daily, or deliverable-based rates, travel expenses, and other direct and indirect costs (with an approximate maximum total value of USD 20,000).
  

Application closing date: Juen 19th, 2026
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.