SACCOs Institutional Assessment & Governance Technical Assistance Consultant

Position description

                                                                                          Call for Consultants  

                                                                       World Council of Credit Unions, Inc. (WOCCU)  

                                                     SACCOs Institutional Assessment & Governance Technical Assistance

Date of Publication: July 9th, 2025 

Published By: World Council of Credit Unions, Inc.  

Deadline to Submit Questions: July 17th, 2025, 5 pm EST  

Submit Questions to: [email protected] 

Deadline to Submit Proposals: July 30, 2025; no later than 5:00 pm EST, with additional submissions reviewed on a rolling basis for pending necessities  

Submit Proposals to: [email protected]   

Subject: SACCOs Institutional Assessment & Governance Technical Assistance

 

Background  

The World Council of Credit Unions ("WOCCU") is the global apex association and development organization for the world's credit unions and financial cooperatives. WOCCU's financial inclusion programs reach rural and remote areas through its unparalleled global footprint - a network of over 74,000 institutions owned by 411 million members in 104 countries. The World Council engages in advocacy, development and education to champion and grow credit unions and cooperative finance worldwide, under the belief that all people should have access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable financial services.  

WOCCU is planning a new activity to provide capacity building to five Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs) in Kenya to develop innovative climate deposit products designed to mobilize diaspora savings for climate-resilient investments in Kenya while providing attractive returns to diaspora investors. This product aims to bridge the gap between diaspora communities' desire to contribute to their home country's development and the need for climate finance in Kenya's agricultural and renewable energy sectors among others.  

Ensuring products are designed in line with market demand, financial feasibility and impact targets is critical to the success of the initiative. 

Location  

Kenya 
 

Position Summary  

The Consultant will be responsible for assessing up to seven SACCOs through comprehensive governance and operational due diligence. The role includes developing institutional capacity plans that enable these SACCOs to efficiently and transparently offer new diaspora-focused financial products, ensuring full compliance with relevant regulations and the ability to track measurable climate impacts. Additionally, the Consultant may provide technical support to help adapt SACCO systems for the effective implementation of these products. 

Multiple consultancies are expected. Each consultancy is a minimum of 20 days of level of effort. 
 

Scope of Work  

The Consultant will assess up to seven SACCOs by conducting governance and operational due diligence and developing institutional capacity plans to offer the new diaspora-focused products efficiently, in compliance with all regulations, and transparently including tracking of measurable climate-impact. Additional services under consultancy may include providing technical support to ensure selected SACCOs systems are adapted to offer the new products efficiently, in compliance with all regulations, and transparently including tracking of measurable climate-impact. 

Responsibilities 

Institutional Assessment 

• Conduct institutional assessments of five to seven SACCOs (final number to be confirmed for each consultancy), focusing on their readiness to offer the climate deposit product for members in the diaspora with a focus on governance, internal controls, reporting and impact measurement, regulatory compliance and staff capacity.   

• Provide recommendations as to which SACCOs are most prepared to design, test and launch the new product in a short period of time (nine months) 

• Present a gap analysis and proposed capacity building plan for each SACCO with a focus on policy and process adjustments for product suitability, funds tracking from deposit to end-use, board engagement and governance enhancements, climate impact traceability and reporting mechanisms, required adjustments for regulatory compliance. 

Technical Assistance in Governance 

• Provide technical assistance to implement approved capacity building plans with a focus on policy and process adjustments for product suitability, funds tracking from deposit to end-use, board engagement and governance enhancements, climate impact traceability and reporting mechanisms, required adjustments for regulatory compliance for up to five SACCOs and support the piloting of up to three SACCOs. 

Deliverables  

During the contractual period, WOCCU will request scopes of work that outline deliverables and level of effort (LOE).  

Institutional Assessment Activity 

• Inception report with methodology for institutional appraisals                                       August 22, 2025 
• Institutional appraisals of up to seven SACCOs with recommendations                       September 5, 2025 
• Validation workshops with up to seven SACCOs                                                          September 5, 2025 
• Capacity building plans for up to five SACCOs                                                             September 18, 2025 

The final numbers of the SACCOs assessed per consultant is to be confirmed.  
 

Technical Assistance in Governance 

•  Training and capacity building in line with approved capacity building plans               October - December 2025                                               for up to five SACCOs to prepare for pilot                                                                                  
•  Punctual support as required during the pilot for up to three SACCOs                           December -March 2026 

Period of Performance  

The services agreement(s) will be eligible for up to 9 months. WOCCU will seek to award contracts by August 11, 2025.  

 

Qualifications

Qualifications  

Firm or individual with: 

• Minimum 7 years’ experience in leadership or management consulting within Kenya’s financial sector, including SACCOs.  

• Demonstrated success in strengthening SACCO governance through targeted capacity-building initiatives 

• Demonstrated success in strengthening and improving efficiencies in banking operations and processes within SACCOs, commercial banks and/or other deposit-mobilizing financial institutions 

• Clear understanding of the regulatory and operational context for SACCOs with a track record of strengthening institutional compliance. 

• Experience in conducting institutional due diligence and compliance assessments of financial institutions leading to actionable risk mitigation and operational improvements. 

• Experience designing and delivering practical tools and training  

• Practical understanding of diaspora-targeted financial products a plus. 

• Knowledge of climate finance reporting a plus. 

 

Selection Criteria  

Selection will be made on a best-value basis. The number of points assigned to each criterion represents its weight in the evaluation process. While service rates are required as part of the submission, they are not evaluated against the selection criteria requirements.  

No.   Requirements                                                                                                                       Weight  

1.  Minimum 7 years’ experience in leadership or management                                                                                                                                       consulting within Kenya’s financial sector, including SACCOs.                                                      35 

2.  Demonstrated success in strengthening SACCO governance                                                                                                                          through targeted capacity-building initiatives                                                                                    40 

3.  Bachelor’s degree or higher in business, finance, marketing,                                                                                                                                  or related field; background in climate finance, green bonds, or                                                       25                                                                impact investing preferred                                                                                                                  

Total                                                                                                                                                   100  

  

Application instructions

Submission Requirements  

Qualified candidates must submit the following information per the instructions below. Only complete applications will be considered:  

1. A CV and cover letter that detail candidates relevant work experience and qualifications. If the applicant is a business entity, please submit a CV of one qualified illustrative consultant.  
2. Candidate’s cover letter must be maximum 3 pages include:   

• Address the responsibilities and qualifications within this posting 
• Include relevant experience   
• Proposed daily and hourly rate in USD    

3. Three professional references: name, phone(s), and email   

Should your application be selected for consideration, WOCCU will contact the references provided within the submission. Applications missing references, will have the opportunity to provide references on a case-by-case basis.   

Submission Instructions  

Application materials should be submitted via email with the subject line “WOCCU_ SACCOs Institutional Assessment and Governance _2025” to [email protected]. Bidders must include all relevant materials within their proposals. Failure to do so may result in the disqualification of your proposal.  

Deadline to Submit Questions: July 17th, 2025, 5 pm EST  

Deadline to Submit Application: July 30, 2025; 5:00 pm EST  
 

Disclaimer  

This bid solicitation in no way obligates the World Council of Credit Unions to award a contract, nor does it commit the World Council of Credit Unions to pay any costs incurred in the preparation and submission of the application. World Council of Credit Unions reserves the right to vary any part of this bid solicitation at the time of award if it becomes necessary. World Council of Credit Unions may cancel this solicitation or may reject any and all responses received. The issuance of this solicitation does not constitute award commitment by the World Council of Credit Unions.