Job Description

ABOUT GENESIS

In a world undergoing convulsive technological and political change, Genesis partners with key actors to deliver urgent, lasting impact in critical areas. Genesis, an impact consultancy founded, incorporated and headquartered in Africa, has worked in 52 African countries and more than 100 countries globally. Uniquely, Genesis is focused on the Young World - the arc of countries with young populations stretching across Africa, the Middle East, South Asia and parts of Central and Southeast Asia.

Unencumbered by legacy systems, these nations can pioneer innovative models and chart a new path to prosperity. However, converting this potential into developmental gains is not guaranteed. At Genesis, we work alongside local partners to turn this opportunity into shared progress - helping the Young World move faster, more sustainably and on its own terms.

THE PAYMENT & DIGITAL FINANCIAL SERVICES (DFS) SERVICE LINE

Across Africa, access to financial services is growing, but usage remains limited. While 55% of adults on the continent now own a transactional account, only 16% made a digital payment to a merchant. This gap reflects a deeper reality: financial inclusion is not achieved by access alone, but by enabling people and businesses to use payments in ways that are affordable, trusted, and embedded in daily life. This is the problem we exist to solve. We are building a borderless, real-time economy in emerging markets where every individual, business, and government is digitally enabled to participate and thrive. Therefore, we aspire to help ensure every citizen in the young world has access to a digital account and the real-time payment systems necessary to fully engage in the modern economy.

To achieve this, our Payments & Digital Financial Services service line delivers end-to-end support across five integrated workstreams. 

• Strategy: We develop market-aligned growth pathways and digital financial ecosystem roadmaps. 
• Research workstream: we bring rigorous market insight to opportunity sizing, user needs, and product fit. 
• Policy & Regulation workstream: Anchored in our dedicated DFS Policy Agency Services, we support central banks and regulators to shape enabling governance, frameworks, consumer protection regimes, and policies. 
• Program Management: We help governments and operators design, implement, and optimise national payment systems and modernization programs. 
• Impact Assessment: We work with donors and institutions to measure, learn, and communicate the social and economic outcomes of their investments.

Joining the service line means collaborating with colleagues in Financial Services, Digital Economy development, and beyond. No two assignments look alike: one week you may be modelling the economics of an instant-payments scheme; the next, translating complex regulatory reforms into compelling stories for investors, policymakers and the public. Whatever the challenge, you will be at the forefront of finding innovative, measurable solutions that move societies toward inclusive digital finance

Job Requirements

ROLE DESCRIPTION – PAYMENTS AND DIGITAL FINANCIAL SERVICES ASSOCIATE

The Associate will provide crucial support for the design, implementation, and evaluation of digital payment strategies and initiatives. Positioned as a delivery-focused role, the associate will apply strong analytical skills to conduct research, analyze data, and support the development of high-quality strategic and policy outputs. The role will also involve assisting with stakeholder engagement and contributing to project deliverables under the guidance of senior team members.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform data management, including cleaning, processing, and structuring large and complex financial, payment, and market datasets.
• Support the development and implementation of financial and market models using Excel, R, or Stata.
• Create clear, insightful data visualizations, charts, and maps for client reports and presentations.
• Conduct quantitative analysis to provide an evidence base for policy briefs, technical reports, and strategic recommendations on payment systems and digital finance.
• Assist with research and analysis for projects related to payments innovation, digital financial services, and regulatory analysis

REQUIREMENTS

• Master's degree in Economics, business administration (MBA) or a related field
• 2-3+ years of experience in consulting or payments or DFS 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Commitment to excellence and client service

Location: This role can be based in South Africa & Kenya. You must already have the right to work in the location you apply for.